Which of the following is an effect of using IGMP snooping on a Dante network?

Using IGMP (Internet Group Management Protocol) snooping on a Dante network leads to improved multicast traffic management. This technique allows network switches to listen to the IGMP communication between hosts and routers. By doing so, switches can effectively manage multicast traffic by only forwarding relevant multicast streams to the devices that have requested them.

This directly enhances network efficiency and reduces unnecessary traffic across the network, as only the relevant multicast packets reach the appropriate devices. When multicast traffic is managed well, it alleviates potential congestion and ensures that bandwidth is used optimally. As a result, devices can receive the audio streams they need without interference or delay from irrelevant data streams, resulting in a smoother operation of the audio network.

The benefits of IGMP snooping greatly outweigh potential downsides such as increased latency due to processing or reduced compatibility with older devices, which may not support such functionalities properly. Since IGMP snooping enhances how multicast traffic is handled, it plays a crucial role in maintaining a high-performance Dante network.