20+ practice questions focused on BGP — one of the most tested topics on the ENCOR 350-401 exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation so you learn why the right answer is correct.
Start BGP PracticeAn enterprise network has two routers, R1 and R2, both running BGP. R1 is an eBGP speaker with ISP1, and R2 is an eBGP speaker with ISP2. Both routers are in the same AS 65000. The engineer wants to ensure that traffic from the enterprise to the Internet prefers the path through ISP1 when both links are up. R1 learns a default route from ISP1, and R2 learns a default route from ISP2. Which BGP attribute should the engineer modify on R1 to influence outbound traffic selection?
Explanation: Local preference is the BGP attribute used to influence outbound traffic from an AS. It is propagated within the AS and a higher value is preferred. By setting a higher local preference on R1 for the default route learned from ISP1, R1 will prefer that route over the default route from ISP2, ensuring traffic from the enterprise to the Internet exits via ISP1.
A network engineer is troubleshooting BGP peering between two routers in different autonomous systems. The peering is established over a directly connected Ethernet link. The engineer notices that the BGP session is flapping every few minutes. The configuration on both routers appears correct, and the IP connectivity is stable. The engineer checks the BGP logs and sees messages like 'BGP-3-NOTIFICATION: sent 4/0 (Hold Timer Expired)'. What is the most likely cause of this issue?
Explanation: The BGP notification 'Hold Timer Expired' indicates that the router did not receive keepalive or update messages within the configured hold time. When hold timers are mismatched between two eBGP peers, the router with the shorter hold timer will expire first, causing the session to reset. Since the IP connectivity is stable and the configuration appears correct, a mismatch in hold timer values is the most direct cause of the flapping session.
A network engineer is configuring BGP on a Cisco router that is part of an enterprise network with multiple BGP peers. The router receives routes from two different ISPs. The engineer wants to ensure that only specific prefixes from ISP-A are installed in the routing table, while all other routes from ISP-A are ignored. Additionally, the engineer wants to accept all routes from ISP-B. Which BGP feature should be used on the router for the peering with ISP-A?
Explanation: A distribute list applied under the BGP neighbor configuration for ISP-A allows the engineer to filter specific prefixes using an access list or prefix list, ensuring only the desired prefixes are installed in the routing table while all others from ISP-A are ignored. This is the correct tool for inbound route filtering on a per-neighbor basis, as it directly controls which routes are accepted into the BGP table and subsequently the routing table.
An enterprise has two BGP routers, R1 and R2, both in AS 65000. R1 peers with ISP1 (AS 100) and R2 peers with ISP2 (AS 200). The enterprise advertises a prefix 192.168.0.0/24 to both ISPs. The engineer wants to ensure that traffic from the Internet to this prefix enters the network primarily via R1, and only uses R2 if the link to ISP1 fails. Which BGP attribute should be manipulated on the updates sent to the ISPs?
Explanation: To influence inbound traffic from the Internet, you must manipulate attributes sent to the ISPs. AS path prepending makes a route appear less preferred by artificially lengthening the AS path. By prepending AS 65000 multiple times on R2's updates to ISP2, ISP2 will see a longer AS path for the prefix and prefer the shorter path via ISP1, causing traffic to enter primarily via R1 unless the ISP1 link fails.
A network engineer is configuring BGP on a Cisco router that connects to two ISPs. The router has a default route pointing to each ISP. The engineer wants to load balance outbound traffic across both ISPs. The router receives a default route from both ISPs. Which BGP configuration approach will allow the router to install both default routes in the routing table and load balance traffic?
Explanation: Option A is correct because the `maximum-paths` command under the BGP address family enables the router to install multiple paths for the same prefix (in this case, the default route 0.0.0.0/0) into the routing table. The `bgp bestpath as-path multipath-relax` command is necessary because the two default routes from different ISPs will have different AS_PATH lengths; this command relaxes the requirement for equal AS_PATH length, allowing the router to consider them as multipath candidates. Together, they allow both default routes to be installed and used for load balancing outbound traffic.
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Practice all BGP questions1. Baseline your knowledge
Start with 10 questions to gauge your current understanding of BGP. This tells you whether you need a concept refresher or just practice.
2. Review every explanation
For each question — right or wrong — read the full explanation. Understanding why an answer is correct is more valuable than knowing the answer itself.
3. Focus on exam traps
BGP questions on the 350-401 frequently use trap wording. Look for subtle differences in answers that test your precision, not just general knowledge.
4. Reach 80% consistently
Do repeated sessions until you score 80%+ three times in a row. Then move to mixed-mode practice to test cross-topic recall under realistic conditions.
The exact number varies per candidate. BGP is tested as part of the ENCOR 350-401 blueprint. Practicing with targeted BGP questions ensures you can handle any format or difficulty that appears.
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Difficulty is subjective, but BGP is a high-priority exam concept tested in multiple ways — direct recall, scenario analysis, and command-output interpretation. Consistent practice is the best way to build confidence.
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