What does VTP pruning optimize in the network?

VTP pruning optimizes bandwidth usage within a network by reducing the amount of flooded traffic that is sent across trunk links. Without pruning, VLAN information might unnecessarily flood across all trunks, leading to congestion and inefficient use of available bandwidth. When VTP pruning is enabled, the switch intelligently prevents the forwarding of broadcast, multicast, and unknown unicast frames for VLANs that are not active on a particular trunk link. This means that only traffic relevant to the active VLANs is allowed to pass through, ultimately leading to a more efficient network by maximizing the bandwidth available for legitimate traffic. Thus, the correct choice highlights how VTP pruning enhances overall network performance by managing and limiting excess traffic.