CREST Practitioner Security Analyst (CPSA) Practice

Which protocol is a Cisco-specific solution for identifying devices on a network?

1. VTP

2. CDP

3. WEP

4. WPA

The correct answer is: CDP

The protocol that is recognized as a Cisco-specific solution for identifying devices on a network is CDP, or Cisco Discovery Protocol. CDP operates at the Data Link layer of the OSI model and allows Cisco devices to share information about themselves, such as their device type, software version, IP address, and other operational parameters. This enables network administrators to obtain valuable visibility into their network topology and the devices connected to it. CDP facilitates network management and troubleshooting by providing an easy way to visualize how different Cisco devices are interconnected. By sending periodic broadcasts, CDP helps in discovering and maintaining a dynamic view of the network, which is particularly beneficial in environments that may have a mix of different types of devices. In contrast, the other options presented serve different purposes. VTP, or VLAN Trunking Protocol, is used for managing VLAN configurations across switches but does not provide direct identification of devices. WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) and WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) are security protocols related to wireless networks, focusing on encryption and authentication, rather than device identification. Thus, CDP stands out as the correct answer due to its specific functionality for identifying and gathering information about Cisco devices within a network.