08 — Practice solutions
These are independently written explanations, not an official marking scheme.
08A
A switch forwards Ethernet frames within a LAN using destination MAC addresses and a MAC-to-port table. A router forwards IP packets between networks using destination IP addresses and its routing table. Use a router (or a device performing routing) between the two IP networks.
Reasoning
The question asks both a functional comparison and a choice. Compare on the same dimension—forwarding address and network scope—then apply it to the separate IP networks. “A router is more powerful” would not explain the required role.
08B
Fibre supports high-capacity links and is immune to electromagnetic interference, fitting the noisy environment. Client–server enables central access permissions and management of confidential files. A server outage can make files unavailable unless redundancy is provided; server equipment and administration also incur costs.
Reasoning
The media requirement has two useful cues: high capacity and electrical noise. Fibre addresses both through optical transmission. The confidential-file requirement is a separate architecture decision, so justify central access control rather than suggesting the medium itself provides authorisation.