What action should an administrator take if the output port of a switch is experiencing frame discards?

When a switch's output port is experiencing frame discards, checking for too large packets is crucial because oversized packets, known as jumbo frames when they exceed the network's MTU (Maximum Transmission Unit), can lead to drops if the switch is not configured to handle them appropriately. If packets exceed the MTU, the switch may be unable to process these frames, resulting in them being discarded instead of transmitted.

Monitoring and adjusting the size of packets being sent through the switch can help resolve the issue of frame discards. This action not only ensures that all transmitted frames meet the necessary size requirements but also improves overall network performance by reducing unnecessary retransmissions and ensuring smooth data flow.

Other potential approaches, like rebooting the switch, restricting bandwidth, or upgrading firmware, address symptoms or different problems but do not specifically resolve the issue of frame discards due to oversized packets. Ensuring the integrity of packets being sent across the switch is a targeted solution to this problem.