What is a main purpose of an out-of-band management network?

The main purpose of an out-of-band management network is to physically segregate management traffic from general traffic. By utilizing a dedicated network for management tasks, administrators can more securely and reliably manage network devices without interference from regular data traffic. This segregation enhances security because it limits exposure to threats that might exist on the general data network. It also ensures that management traffic doesn't compete with user-generated traffic for bandwidth, providing a more stable and predictable environment for configuration and monitoring tasks.

While other options touch on various networking concepts, they do not accurately capture the fundamental purpose of out-of-band management. Using it primarily for dynamic routing protocol traffic, for example, does not address the specific need for a dedicated management pathway. Similarly, enabling API usage or denying inbound traffic pertains to different aspects of network functionality and security, rather than focusing on the distinct purpose of out-of-band management.