In which scenario would you typically use a Layer 3 EtherChannel?

Layer 3 EtherChannel is specifically designed to aggregate multiple physical links into a single logical link at Layer 3 of the OSI model, allowing for both increased bandwidth and redundancy. In the context of inter-VLAN routing, it allows a router or a Layer 3 switch to handle traffic between different VLANs effectively by using aggregated links.

When multiple VLANs need to communicate with each other, a Layer 3 device can utilize a Layer 3 EtherChannel as it routes traffic between those VLANs. By using Layer 3 EtherChannel, the configuration simplifies both redundancy and load balancing, ensuring that traffic is intelligently distributed across the available links without the complications that come with traditional inter-VLAN routing.

The other scenarios all involve Layer 2 operations or do not necessitate the features provided by Layer 3 EtherChannel. For instance, redundant access layer switches primarily operate on Layer 2, and while load balancing between routers might utilize EtherChannel concepts, it typically does not require Layer 3 capabilities directly as the focus would be on Layer 2 links. Similarly, connections between switches in different VLANs could occur with Layer 2 configurations, and while inter-VLAN routing occurs at Layer 3, the use of EtherChannel for merely connecting switches