A default Frame Relay WAN is classified as what type of physical network?
A.
broadcast point-to-multipoint
B.
point-to-point
C.
nonbroadcast multipoint
D.
nonbroadcast multi-access
E.
broadcast multi-access
Explanation:
Frame relay networks are considered to be NBMA networks. Frame Relay is a WAN protocol that
operates at the physical and data link layers of the Open System Interconnection (OSI) reference
model. This protocol is standardized by both the International Telecommunication Union
Telecommunications Standardization Sector (ITU-T) and American National Standards Institute
(ANSI).
Frame Relay uses statistical multiplexing techniques to provide network access in a packetswitched network. It is strictly a Layer 2 protocol suite. Being a Layer 2 protocol enables Frame
Relay to offer higher performance WAN applications (such as LAN interconnection) than the older
protocols (such as X.25), which incorporated Layer 3 functions. Given these performance benefits,
Frame Relay is a popular WAN medium. However, it has some limitations with regard to IP
multicast. To illustrate, Frame Relay is a Layer 2 nonbroadcast multiaccess (NBMA) network
protocol. IP multicast networks are designed to utilize the capabilities of Layer 2 broadcast media
such as on a LAN.