HD videoconferencing generates significant, simultaneous, two-way traffic. Configuring user ports to full-duplex mode allows devices to send and receive data at the same time, effectively doubling the potential bandwidth of the connection compared to half-duplex. This prevents collisions that occur in half-duplex mode and eliminates performance degradation caused by duplex mismatches between a switch and an end device. Ensuring all links operate at their maximum theoretical throughput is a fundamental step to prepare the network to handle the increased load from real-time video applications, thereby addressing the CIO's concerns about traffic handling capacity.

A. A VLAN with 100Mbps speed limits:

This would artificially cap bandwidth and likely degrade the performance of HD video, which requires more than 100Mbps for optimal quality, thus worsening the situation.

B. An IP helper to direct VoIP traffic:

An IP helper (DHCP relay) is used to forward broadcast requests like DHCP across subnets. It does not manage, prioritize, or affect real-time traffic bandwidth.

C. A smaller subnet mask:

A smaller subnet mask (e.g., /23 instead of /24) increases the number of host addresses in a subnet but does not improve the network's traffic-handling capacity.

1. Stallings

W. (2016). Foundations of Modern Networking: SDN

NFV

and Cloud Computing. Pearson Education

Inc.

Chapter 5

Section 5.2 "Ethernet": This section details the operation of IEEE 802.3 networks

explaining that full-duplex operation allows for simultaneous transmission and reception on a point-to-point link

which is the standard for modern switched networks. It states

"In the full-duplex mode

the station can transmit and receive simultaneously... the theoretical capacity of the channel is double the nominal data rate." This directly supports using full-duplex to maximize capacity for demanding applications.

2. Kurose

J. F.

& Ross

K. W. (2021). Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach (8th ed.). Pearson.

Chapter 6

Section 6.1 "The Link Layer": The text explains the difference between half-duplex and full-duplex links. It clarifies that with full-duplex

"the nodes at both ends of the link can transmit packets at the same time

" which is essential for maximizing the throughput of modern switched Ethernet connections

a critical factor for handling high-bandwidth

two-way video streams.

3. IEEE Std 802.3-2018

IEEE Standard for Ethernet.

Clause 40

"Physical Layer MDI and Baseband Medium

Type 1000BASE-T": This clause specifies the auto-negotiation process for Gigabit Ethernet

which includes negotiating for duplex mode. It establishes full-duplex as the preferred and high-performance operational mode for modern point-to-point Ethernet links

stating that it allows for simultaneous two-way transmission. Ensuring this configuration is correct is vital for network performance.