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In Hot Standby Router Protocol (HSRP), when configured, a preemption delay affects the timing with which a backup router can take over as the active router. This delay is introduced to ensure that when the primary router comes back online after failure or maintenance, it does not immediately reclaim the active status from the current active router.

The preemption delay allows the active router some time to continue serving the traffic, which can help avoid unnecessary disruptions. This is particularly useful in scenarios where the primary router may intermittently go down and come back up quickly; without this delay, the primary could repeatedly take over and relinquish control, leading to instability in the network.

As a result, the configured preemption delay effectively extends the time before a router designated as standby can actively take over as the primary, ensuring a smoother transition and better network stability. This understanding highlights why the answer accurately reflects the role of a preemption delay in HSRP operations.