350-401 Question 270
Single answerA network engineer is configuring 802.1X on a Cisco switch to secure port access. The engineer notices that some devices, such as printers, do not support 802.1X authentication. Which feature should the engineer implement to allow these devices to connect to the network while maintaining security for 802.1X-capable devices?
- A
MAC Authentication Bypass (MAB)
- B
PortFast
- C
Guest VLAN
- D
Dynamic ARP Inspection (DAI)
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
MAC Authentication Bypass (MAB) is a feature that allows non-802.1X-compliant devices to connect to the network by using their MAC address for authentication. This ensures that devices like printers can still connect to the network while maintaining 802.1X security for compliant devices. None of the other options address the specific requirements of this scenario.
- A. Correct.
MAC Authentication Bypass (MAB) is used to allow non-802.1X-capable devices, such as printers, to gain network access by authenticating based on their MAC address. This is the correct solution for the scenario.
- B. Incorrect.
PortFast is a Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) feature that allows ports to transition to the forwarding state immediately. It is unrelated to 802.1X or handling non-compliant devices.
- C. Incorrect.
Guest VLAN provides limited access to unauthenticated users, but it does not address the need for specific devices, like printers, to connect when 802.1X is enforced.
- D. Incorrect.
Dynamic ARP Inspection (DAI) is a security feature that prevents ARP spoofing attacks. It is not related to 802.1X device authentication or the scenario described.