What is one benefit of the root protection feature?

Root protection serves a critical role in maintaining the stability and integrity of a spanning tree topology. When this feature is enabled on a switch port, it effectively prevents any downstream switches from becoming the root bridge. This is particularly important in networks where you want to maintain control over which switch is designated as the root bridge, ensuring that the most optimal switch for handling spanning tree calculations remains as the root.

By preventing downstream switches from taking over the role of the root bridge, root protection helps to avoid unexpected topology changes that could lead to loops or broadcast storms. This is especially relevant in environments where multiple switches might inadvertently be configured to initiate a root election, potentially destabilizing the network.

The other possible benefits cited do not align with the specific function of root protection. For instance, preventing loops due to link failures or changes in the root bridge ID involves different mechanisms, such as loop guard or enhanced spanning tree protocols, rather than the direct functionality of root protection.