Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Practice Exam

To increase the maximum number of load balancing paths in EIGRP, which command is used?

1. maximum-paths NUMBER

2. metric maximum-hops NUMBER

3. passive-interface INTERFACE NUMBER

4. router eigrp AS NUMBER

The correct answer is: maximum-paths NUMBER

The command used to increase the maximum number of load balancing paths in EIGRP is the command that specifies the maximum number of equal-cost paths that can be utilized for load balancing across a network. In EIGRP, this command allows for the configuration of multiple routes to a destination, enabling the protocol to spread traffic equally across those routes, thus optimizing bandwidth and increasing redundancy. When this command is executed, it modifies the default behavior of EIGRP, which is to use only up to four equal-cost paths for load balancing. By setting a higher number, a network administrator can effectively instruct EIGRP to consider and use more paths for routing decisions whenever available. This can lead to improved performance and efficiency, especially in environments where multiple paths exist between networks. The other options relate to different aspects of EIGRP configuration. One addresses the metric calculation limits, another concerns interface settings, and the last refers to defining the EIGRP process. These do not directly influence the maximum paths for load balancing. Thus, the command that specifies the maximum number of load balancing paths is the appropriate choice for achieving increased path utilization in EIGRP.