To achieve redundancy with Ethernet switches, two technologies are most commonly used: Link Aggregation Group (LAG) and Spanning Tree Protocol (STP). LAG allows multiple network cables to be used in parallel to increase the link speed beyond the limits of any one single cable or to provide redundancy in case one of the links fails. STP is used to prevent network loops in Ethernet networks, which can cause a broadcast storm and bring down the network; it ensures that there is only one active path between two network devices but keeps backup paths available in case the active path fails.