CompTIA Network+ Practice Test

What is the main distinction of north-south traffic?

1. Traffic that only goes to local devices

2. Traffic between devices in the same data center

3. Ingress and egress to outside devices

4. Data transfer within a single tier of a network

The correct answer is: Ingress and egress to outside devices

North-south traffic specifically refers to the flow of data that moves between clients (users) and servers, typically involving data transfer into and out of a data center or a network. This flow is crucial for operations because it encompasses access to services, resources, and applications hosted on servers from external entities, such as clients or end-user devices. The correct answer emphasizes the concept of ingress (incoming data) and egress (outgoing data). In a network architecture, this type of traffic is fundamental because it represents the interface between the edge of a network (where users connect) and the core infrastructure (where data processing and storage occur). Recognizing north-south traffic is essential for understanding how data flows in and out of a network and for managing network resources efficiently. The other choices describe traffic flows that are more contained within a localized environment, lacking the broad scope inherent in north-south traffic. For instance, traffic that only goes to local devices refers to traffic that doesn’t extend beyond the local area; traffic between devices in the same data center represents internal data communication rather than interactions with external systems. Lastly, data transfer within a single tier of a network focuses on interactions among devices at a similar level rather than encompassing the broader ingress and egress characteristic