Cisco Certified Network Professional Practice Test

How often is CDP information sent in a network?

1. Every 30 seconds

2. Every 60 seconds

3. Every 120 seconds

4. Every 10 seconds

The correct answer is: Every 60 seconds

CDP, or Cisco Discovery Protocol, is a Layer 2 protocol used by Cisco devices to share information about themselves with other directly connected Cisco devices. The frequency at which CDP updates are sent is configured through the default settings of the protocol. CDP information is sent every 60 seconds by default. This interval allows network devices to provide up-to-date information about their configurations and capabilities to direct neighbors without overwhelming the network with excessive CDP traffic. If a network device sends CDP updates too frequently, it could cause unnecessary network congestion, while too infrequent updates might result in delayed topology changes. Hence, the default 60-second interval strikes a balance that is generally suitable for most network environments.