Question 1mediummulti select
Full question →mediummulti selectObjective-mapped
A network engineer needs a floating static route to back up an OSPF-learned route. Which two configurations are necessary for the static route to remain unused until OSPF fails?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
A
Best answer
Configure the static route with an administrative distance higher than 110
It must be less preferred than OSPF while OSPF is available.
B
Best answer
Point the static route toward a valid next-hop or exit interface
The route still has to be syntactically and operationally usable when needed.
C
Distractor review
Set the static route metric lower than the OSPF cost
Metrics are not compared across sources before administrative distance.
D
Distractor review
Configure the route as directly connected with no next-hop information
A usable static route still requires a valid path definition.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
A frequent exam trap is assuming that lowering the static route metric below the OSPF cost will make the static route preferred. However, Cisco routers always compare administrative distance before metric when choosing between routes from different sources. Since OSPF’s administrative distance is 110, the floating static route must have a higher administrative distance to remain inactive until OSPF fails. Another common mistake is omitting the next-hop IP or exit interface in the static route configuration, which causes the route to be invalid and never installed, defeating the purpose of a backup route.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
A floating static route is a static route configured with an administrative distance higher than that of a dynamic routing protocol, such as OSPF. This design ensures the static route remains inactive while the dynamic route is available, providing a backup path only if the dynamic route fails. Administrative distance is the primary factor Cisco routers use to select the best path when multiple routes to the same destination exist from different sources. OSPF has a default administrative distance of 110, so any floating static route must have a distance greater than 110 to remain unused until needed. When configuring a floating static route, it is essential to specify a valid next-hop IP address or exit interface. This ensures the static route is syntactically correct and operationally usable when activated. Without a valid next-hop or interface, the static route cannot be installed in the routing table, rendering it ineffective as a backup. The router compares administrative distances first, then metrics within the same routing protocol, so setting a metric lower than OSPF’s cost does not influence route preference across different routing sources. A common exam trap is confusing metric and administrative distance. Metrics are used to select the best path within a routing protocol, but administrative distance determines route preference across different routing protocols or static routes. Another pitfall is neglecting to configure a valid next-hop or exit interface for the static route, which prevents the route from being installed and used as a backup. Practically, floating static routes provide a simple and reliable failover mechanism without requiring complex dynamic routing adjustments.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- A floating static route uses an administrative distance higher than the primary dynamic routing protocol to remain inactive until the primary route fails.
- OSPF has a default administrative distance of 110, so floating static routes must have an administrative distance greater than 110 to act as backups.
- Cisco routers select routes based on administrative distance first, then metric within the same routing protocol, preventing metric comparison across different sources.
- A static route must specify a valid next-hop IP address or exit interface to be operational and installed in the routing table.
- If a static route lacks a valid next-hop or interface, it will not be installed, making it ineffective as a floating backup route.
- Metrics influence route selection within a routing protocol but do not affect route preference between static routes and dynamic protocols.
- Floating static routes provide a simple failover mechanism by activating only when the preferred dynamic route is unavailable.
- Configuring a floating static route incorrectly by using a lower administrative distance than OSPF causes the static route to override OSPF, defeating the backup purpose.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
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More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
Question 1
A router learns the same prefix from both OSPF and EIGRP. Which route is installed by default?
Question 2
A router shows this output: R1#show ip ospf neighbor Neighbor ID Pri State Dead Time Address Interface 10.1.1.2 1 FULL/DR 00:00:34 192.168.12.2 GigabitEthernet0/0 10.1.1.3 1 2WAY/DROTHER 00:00:39 192.168.12.3 GigabitEthernet0/0 Which statement is correct?
Question 3
What is the OSPF metric called?
Question 4
A non-root switch has two uplinks toward the root bridge. One path has a lower total STP cost than the other. What role will the lower-cost uplink have?
Question 5
A router interface applies this ACL inbound: 10 deny tcp any any eq 80 20 permit ip any any A user reports that web browsing to a server by IP address fails, but ping works. Which statement best explains the behavior?
Question 6
A router learns route 198.51.100.0/24 from OSPF with AD 110 and also has a static route to the same prefix configured with AD 150. Which route is installed?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 200-301 question test?
A floating static route uses an administrative distance higher than the primary dynamic routing protocol to remain inactive until the primary route fails.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure the static route with an administrative distance higher than 110 — A floating static route is just a static route with a worse administrative distance than the primary dynamic route. It becomes active only after the preferred source disappears.
What should I do if I get this 200-301 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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