In an IEEE 802.5 Token Ring network, the term MAU refers to a Multistation Access Unit. Is this statement correct or incorrect?

Introduction / Context:
Older local area network technologies such as IBM Token Ring used specific hardware components and terminology that still appear in exam questions. One such term is MAU. In Token Ring context, MAU has a specific expansion and refers to an important wiring concentrator device. This question presents a statement that MAU refers to a Multistation Access Unit and asks whether this is correct or incorrect. Knowing the standard Token Ring terminology allows you to judge the statement accurately.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The network type is an IEEE 802.5 or IBM Token Ring local area network.
• The acronym MAU is used in describing Token Ring hardware.
• The statement claims that MAU stands for Multistation Access Unit.
• We are evaluating whether this expansion is correct in Token Ring context.

Concept / Approach:
In Token Ring networks, a Multistation Access Unit is a central hub like device that connects multiple ring stations using a star wired physical topology. Although the physical cabling is star shaped, the MAU internally connects ports in a ring so that the token circulates from station to station. Because it connects multiple stations, the term Multistation Access Unit accurately describes its role. Documentation and textbooks consistently refer to Token Ring MAUs using this expansion, so the statement in the question is correct.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Token Ring networks use a central wiring device to connect many stations while maintaining a logical ring.Step 2: Remember that this device is commonly called a Multistation Access Unit.Step 3: Recognize that the acronym MAU, in this context, expands to Multistation Access Unit.Step 4: Compare this established expansion with the statement in the question.Step 5: Conclude that the statement is correct and should be marked as correct rather than incorrect.

Verification / Alternative check:
If you look up Token Ring hardware manuals and reference diagrams, you will see labels such as "Multistation Access Unit" for the central concentrator device. These MAUs often support multiple lobe cables from individual workstations and contain relays that can bypass a failed or disconnected station. The repeated use of the full term Multistation Access Unit in official documentation verifies that this is the standard meaning of MAU in the Token Ring environment.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B is incorrect because it claims that MAU always stands for Media Attachment Unit in Token Ring networks and never refers to a Multistation Access Unit. While the term Media Attachment Unit appears in some Ethernet contexts, in Token Ring exam questions the acronym MAU almost always refers to the Multistation Access Unit concentrator, not to a generic media attachment device.

Common Pitfalls:
A common source of confusion is that different networking technologies reuse similar acronyms. For example, in Ethernet, MAU can refer to a Medium Attachment Unit that attaches a transceiver to the cable. In Token Ring, however, MAU is widely understood to mean Multistation Access Unit. Students must pay attention to the context given in the question, which here is Token Ring networking, to choose the correct interpretation.

Final Answer:
In Token Ring networking, the statement is correct, because MAU stands for Multistation Access Unit, the central device that connects multiple stations into the logical ring.