300-425 Question 3
Single answerAn organization has deployed FlexConnect in their branch offices to provide wireless connectivity. During the deployment, the network engineer configures FlexConnect Local Switching for the branch access points. Which of the following is a valid reason to enable FlexConnect Local Switching in this scenario?
- A
To allow the branch office access points to authenticate clients locally without requiring the WAN link to the controller
- B
To enable seamless roaming between branch office access points and the central office access points
- C
To reduce WAN bandwidth usage by routing client data traffic directly to the local network at the branch office
- D
To centralize all client traffic at the controller to simplify security policy enforcement
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
FlexConnect Local Switching is a feature that enables access points to locally switch client data traffic directly to the local network at the branch office rather than tunneling all traffic back to the controller over the WAN. This reduces WAN bandwidth usage and improves performance for branch office deployments. It is particularly useful in environments where WAN links are limited or where local data offloading is preferred.
- A. Incorrect.
This is incorrect because FlexConnect Local Switching does not handle client authentication locally. While authentication can be locally cached under certain conditions, Local Switching specifically refers to how client data traffic is handled.
- B. Incorrect.
This is incorrect because seamless roaming between branch and central office access points requires centralized control, not Local Switching.
- C. Correct.
This is correct because FlexConnect Local Switching allows client data traffic to be bridged locally at the branch office, avoiding the need to send it back to the controller over the WAN, which reduces WAN bandwidth usage.
- D. Incorrect.
This is incorrect because centralizing client traffic at the controller is the opposite of what FlexConnect Local Switching achieves. Local Switching is designed to offload client traffic to the local network.