Cisco Certified Network Professional Practice Test 2026 – Your All-in-One Guide to Exam Success!

In the networking context, DAD stands for Duplicate Address Detection. This is a vital process used primarily in IPv6 networks to ensure that no two devices on the same subnet are assigned the same IP address. When a device initializes and attempts to join a network, it uses DAD to verify whether its chosen address is already in use.

The device sends out a Neighbor Solicitation message on the network, checking if any other device responds with a message indicating that the address is already in use. If there is no response, the address is considered unique, and the device can safely use it. This process helps maintain network stability and prevents address conflicts, which can lead to communication issues.

The other options do not represent established concepts in networking and are not relevant to the common understanding or utilization of DAD within the industry. Thus, Duplicate Address Detection is the correct interpretation of DAD in this context.