What is an EtherChannel, and how does LACP assist with it?

• A. EtherChannel compresses data; LACP encrypts frames.
• B. EtherChannel uses VLAN tagging; LACP assigns IPs.
• C. EtherChannel bundles multiple links into one logical link for bandwidth and redundancy; LACP negotiates and maintains the bundle.
• D. EtherChannel is a firewall; LACP is a routing protocol.

Answer: (C)

EtherChannel pools several physical Ethernet links into one logical link so the switch sees a single, higher-bandwidth path with built-in redundancy. LACP, the Link Aggregation Control Protocol, does the negotiating and ongoing management of that bundle. It ensures only compatible, active links join the group, handles speed/duplex and VLAN consistency, and monitors link health. If a member link fails, LACP automatically removes it from the bundle and traffic shifts to the remaining links, keeping the connection up and balanced. This dynamic coordination is why the described pairing—bundling multiple links for more bandwidth and redundancy, with LACP negotiating and maintaining the bundle—is the best answer. The other statements describe functions EtherChannel and LACP do not perform, such as data compression, encryption, VLAN tagging, IP assignment, firewalling, or routing.