This 200-301 practice question tests your understanding of ip routing. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. A key principle to apply: administrative distance (AD) is a value used by Cisco routers to select the best path when multiple routing protocols provide routes to the same destination.. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A network engineer wants a static route to be used only when the OSPF-learned route disappears. Which configuration approach meets that goal?
Key principle: Administrative distance (AD) is a value used by Cisco routers to select the best path when multiple routing protocols provide routes to the same destination.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
In a scenario where a question asks for the configuration of a static route that should always take precedence over any dynamic routing protocols, setting the administrative distance to 1 would be correct. For example, if the question specifies that the static route must be the primary route under all circumstances, this option would apply.
✓
Use a static route with administrative distance higher than 110
Administrative distance (AD) is a value used by Cisco routers to select the best path when multiple routing protocols provide routes to the same destination.
✗
Use a static route with metric 0
Why it's wrong here
Static routes do not compete with OSPF using metric in that way.
When this WOULD be correct
In a scenario where the question asks for the configuration of a static route that should always be preferred over any OSPF routes, a static route with a metric of 0 would be correct, as it would ensure that the static route is always used.
✗
Redistribute the static route into OSPF
Why it's wrong here
Redistribution is not needed just to create a backup path.
When this WOULD be correct
In a scenario where the question asks how to ensure static routes are advertised within an OSPF domain for redundancy, redistributing the static route into OSPF would be correct. This would allow the static route to be used alongside OSPF routes, providing an alternative path when needed.
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The 200-301 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓Use a static route with administrative distance higher than 110Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
OSPF uses AD 110, so the backup static route must be higher.
✗Use a static route with administrative distance 1Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Administrative distance 1 is lower than OSPF's default AD of 110, so the static route would be preferred over OSPF routes, not used as a backup.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a scenario where a question asks for the configuration of a static route that should always take precedence over any dynamic routing protocols, setting the administrative distance to 1 would be correct. For example, if the question specifies that the static route must be the primary route under all circumstances, this option would apply.
Why candidates choose this
Students may think a lower AD always means better reliability, but in this scenario, a backup route must have a higher AD to be less preferred.
✗Use a static route with metric 0Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Static routes do not use a metric to compete with dynamic routing protocols like OSPF; metric is used within the same protocol, not between different protocols.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a scenario where the question asks for the configuration of a static route that should always be preferred over any OSPF routes, a static route with a metric of 0 would be correct, as it would ensure that the static route is always used.
Why candidates choose this
Students might confuse metric with administrative distance, thinking a metric of 0 would make the route less preferred, but metric is irrelevant for inter-protocol route selection.
✗Redistribute the static route into OSPFWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Redistributing the static route into OSPF would make it appear as an OSPF route, potentially causing routing loops or suboptimal paths, and does not create a backup that only activates when OSPF fails.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a scenario where the question asks how to ensure static routes are advertised within an OSPF domain for redundancy, redistributing the static route into OSPF would be correct. This would allow the static route to be used alongside OSPF routes, providing an alternative path when needed.
Why candidates choose this
Students may think redistribution is necessary to make the static route known to OSPF, but the goal is a backup route, not integration into OSPF.
Analysis generated from the official 200-301blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
A frequent exam trap is selecting a static route with a default or lower administrative distance than OSPF, such as AD 1, which causes the static route to be preferred immediately, overriding the OSPF route. Another common mistake is thinking that adjusting the metric of the static route or redistributing it into OSPF will create a backup route. Metrics influence path selection within routing protocols but do not affect route preference between static and OSPF routes. Redistribution simply advertises the static route dynamically and does not provide failover control. These misunderstandings lead to incorrect configurations that do not meet the requirement of using the static route only when the OSPF route disappears.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Administrative distance (AD) is a fundamental concept in Cisco routing that determines the trustworthiness of routing information sources. Each routing protocol and route type is assigned a default AD value, with lower values indicating higher trust. For example, static routes have an AD of 1 by default, making them the most preferred, while OSPF routes have an AD of 110. When multiple routes to the same destination exist, the router installs the route with the lowest AD into the routing table.
To ensure a static route is used only as a backup when the OSPF-learned route disappears, network engineers configure a floating static route. This is done by setting the static route's administrative distance to a value higher than OSPF's 110, such as 115 or 120. This configuration causes the router to prefer the OSPF route under normal conditions and only switch to the static route if the OSPF route fails or is removed from the routing table. Metrics like cost or hop count influence path selection within OSPF but do not affect the preference between static and OSPF routes.
A common exam trap is assuming that changing the metric or redistributing static routes into OSPF will create a backup route that activates only when OSPF fails. However, metrics do not influence route preference between static and dynamic routes, and redistribution merely advertises the static route dynamically without controlling failover behavior. Understanding administrative distance and its role in route selection is critical for correctly configuring floating static routes and avoiding misconfigurations that could lead to routing loops or suboptimal path selection.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Administrative distance (AD) is a value used by Cisco routers to select the best path when multiple routing protocols provide routes to the same destination.
OSPF routes have a default administrative distance of 110, which determines their preference relative to other routing sources.
A static route configured with an administrative distance higher than 110 acts as a floating static route, used only if the OSPF route disappears.
Static routes by default have an administrative distance of 1, making them preferred over OSPF routes unless manually adjusted.
The router installs the route with the lowest administrative distance into the routing table, ignoring routes with higher AD unless the preferred route fails.
Metrics such as cost or hop count influence path selection within routing protocols but do not affect route preference between static and dynamic routes.
Redistributing static routes into OSPF advertises them dynamically but does not create a backup route that activates only when OSPF routes fail.
Floating static routes provide a reliable backup path by leveraging administrative distance to control route preference and failover behavior.
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.
Key takeaway
Administrative distance (AD) is a value used by Cisco routers to select the best path when multiple routing protocols provide routes to the same destination.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A network engineer at a university connects two campus buildings via a fibre link. Both routers run OSPF, but no adjacency forms — even though both routers can ping each other. The engineer finds one router is in area 0 and the other in area 1. OSPF adjacency requires matching area numbers, hello/dead timers, and network type. IP reachability alone is not enough.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this 200-301 question in full detail.
Review administrative distance (AD) is a value used by Cisco routers to select the best path when multiple routing protocols provide routes to the same destination., then practise related 200-301 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
IP Routing — This question tests IP Routing — Administrative distance (AD) is a value used by Cisco routers to select the best path when multiple routing protocols provide routes to the same destination..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use a static route with administrative distance higher than 110 — That is a floating static route. You configure the static route with an administrative distance higher than the OSPF route so it stays in reserve until the dynamic path is lost.
What should I do if I get this 200-301 question wrong?
Review administrative distance (AD) is a value used by Cisco routers to select the best path when multiple routing protocols provide routes to the same destination., then practise related 200-301 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Administrative distance (AD) is a value used by Cisco routers to select the best path when multiple routing protocols provide routes to the same destination.
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