200-301 Question 34
Single answerA network engineer is deploying IP cameras across a new office building and plans to use Power over Ethernet (PoE) to power the devices. The switch being used supports IEEE 802.3at (PoE+). However, some IP cameras require more power than the switch can supply. What action can the engineer take to ensure the cameras receive adequate power?
- A
Deploy a midspan injector between the switch and the IP cameras
- B
Upgrade the switch to one that supports IEEE 802.3bt
- C
Use a PoE splitter to reduce the power demand of each IP camera
- D
Disable PoE on unused switch ports to allocate more power to active ports
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
The IEEE 802.3at (PoE+) standard provides up to 25.5 watts of power per port. If devices require more power, upgrading to a switch that supports IEEE 802.3bt (which provides up to 60-100 watts per port) is necessary. Other options either do not address the specific problem or cannot increase the per-port power beyond the standard's limits.
- A. Incorrect.
Deploying a midspan injector can add PoE capabilities to a non-PoE switch, but it will not resolve the issue if the power demands of the IP cameras exceed the capabilities of the switch or the IEEE 802.3at standard.
- B. Correct.
Upgrading to a switch that supports IEEE 802.3bt increases the available power per port and is the correct solution when devices require more power than IEEE 802.3at can provide.
- C. Incorrect.
A PoE splitter is used to separate power and data for non-PoE devices. It does not reduce the power demand of PoE devices, so this option is incorrect.
- D. Incorrect.
Disabling PoE on unused ports does not affect the per-port power allocation; it only frees up the overall PoE budget of the switch. This does not help when a device requires more power per port than the current standard supports.