Which concept enables devices to discover each other and configure themselves on a local network without user intervention?

• A. Zero Configuration networking (Zeroconf)
• B. Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)
• C. Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)
• D. MAC Filtering

Answer: (A)

Automatic discovery and self-configuration on a local network without user intervention is being tested. Zero Configuration Networking enables devices to find each other and set up network services without manual setup or a central server. It combines IP addressing without a DHCP server (using link-local addresses), name resolution through multicast DNS, and service discovery via DNS Service Discovery. This means devices can advertise and locate services (like printers or media servers) automatically over multicast traffic, enabling plug-and-play on simple networks.

DHCP needs a server to assign IPs, so it isn’t truly zero-configuration. SNMP is for monitoring and managing devices, not automatic discovery or configuration. MAC filtering is an access-control feature at the data link layer, not a method for automatic discovery or self-configuration.