Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Practice Exam 2026 – The Comprehensive All-in-One Guide to Exam Success!

In Hot Standby Router Protocol (HSRP), the term used to describe routers that remain on standby, ready to take over as the active router if the current active router fails, is indeed "standby routers." This terminology accurately reflects their role in the HSRP configuration, which is to monitor the state of the active router and be prepared to assume its responsibilities without requiring a change in the default gateway settings for hosts on the network.

The standby routers maintain a certain level of communication with the active router to ensure timely failover. This role is critical for network reliability, as it allows for high availability without requiring significant manual intervention when an issue occurs.

The other terms listed do not accurately represent the role of these routers in the HSRP context. "Backup routers," for instance, may imply a different configuration or terminology that is not typically associated specifically with HSRP. "Passive routers" is more commonly used in other routing protocols to describe routers that do not participate in the active routing process, which is not specific to HSRP. "Alternate routers" also suggests a different connotation and is less specific about the standby function within the HSRP framework. Hence, "standby routers" is the correct and most precise term for