In order for frame forwarding to occur, a layer 2 switch must associate a MAC address with what?

For frame forwarding to occur, a layer 2 switch must associate a MAC address with a switch port. This process enables the switch to understand where to send incoming frames based on their destination MAC addresses. When a frame arrives at a switch, the switch examines the MAC address and correlates it with a specific port number in its MAC address table.

This association is critical because it allows the switch to directly forward frames to the correct port, which is connected to the device with the corresponding MAC address. As devices connect to and communicate over the switch, the switch dynamically builds and updates its MAC address table, ensuring efficient data transmission across the network.

The other choices, while relevant in network architecture, do not directly influence the frame forwarding process in the context of how layer 2 switches operate. For instance, network interface cards are responsible for connecting devices to the network but do not play a role in the switching process itself. Router gateways and VLAN tags also serve important functions in network segmentation and routing but do not directly relate to the MAC address association required for a switch to forward frames.