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 determines the trustworthiness of routing information sources and influences route selection in Cisco routers.. 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 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?
If a question stated that the router only has a static route to the prefix and no other routes with a lower AD, then the static route would be installed. For example, if the static route had an AD of 100 and there were no other routes, the static route would be preferred.
✓
The OSPF route, because 110 is lower than 150
Why this is correct
Correct. OSPF is preferred here because AD 110 is lower than 150.
Related concept
Administrative distance determines the trustworthiness of routing information sources and influences route selection in Cisco routers.
✗
Both routes, because administrative distances are different
Why it's wrong here
Different AD values do not cause both routes to be installed for the same prefix by default.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different scenario where both routes are configured with the same prefix and the same administrative distance, a question could ask if both routes would be installed. In such a case, the router could install both routes in a load-balancing situation, making this option correct.
✗
Neither route, because the static route is floating
Why it's wrong here
A floating static route is valid; it simply stays inactive unless the preferred route is lost.
When this WOULD be correct
If the question stated that the static route had a higher administrative distance than the OSPF route but was configured with a command that made it a floating static route (e.g., AD 200), then the static route would not be installed unless the OSPF route failed, making this option correct.
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.
✓The OSPF route, because 110 is lower than 150Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
Correct. OSPF is preferred here because AD 110 is lower than 150.
✗The static route, because static routes always winWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Static routes do not always win; they have a default administrative distance of 1, but in this scenario the static route was configured with AD 150, which is higher than OSPF's AD 110. Therefore, the OSPF route is preferred.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If a question stated that the router only has a static route to the prefix and no other routes with a lower AD, then the static route would be installed. For example, if the static route had an AD of 100 and there were no other routes, the static route would be preferred.
Why candidates choose this
Students often memorize that static routes are preferred over dynamic routes by default, but they may forget that administrative distance can be manually set, making the static route less preferred.
✗Both routes, because administrative distances are differentWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
A router installs only the best route (lowest AD) for a given prefix into the routing table. Different AD values do not cause both routes to be installed; the route with the lower AD is chosen.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different scenario where both routes are configured with the same prefix and the same administrative distance, a question could ask if both routes would be installed. In such a case, the router could install both routes in a load-balancing situation, making this option correct.
Why candidates choose this
Students might think that different administrative distances allow multiple routes to coexist, confusing this with equal-cost multipath (ECMP) where routes have the same AD and metric.
✗Neither route, because the static route is floatingWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
A floating static route is a static route with a higher AD than the dynamic route, so it remains inactive as a backup. In this case, the static route is floating, but it is still valid and will be used if the OSPF route is lost. The question asks which route is installed, and the OSPF route is installed, not neither.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the question stated that the static route had a higher administrative distance than the OSPF route but was configured with a command that made it a floating static route (e.g., AD 200), then the static route would not be installed unless the OSPF route failed, making this option correct.
Why candidates choose this
The term 'floating' might mislead students into thinking the static route is invalid or not present, but it simply means it is not active while the preferred route exists.
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
Administrative distance (AD) is a key concept in Cisco routing that determines the trustworthiness of a route source. Each routing protocol and route type has a default AD value, which the router uses to select the best path when multiple routes to the same destination exist. Lower AD values indicate more preferred routes. For example, OSPF has a default AD of 110, while static routes have a default AD of 1, but can be manually set higher to create floating static routes.
When a router learns multiple routes to the same prefix, it compares their administrative distances and installs only the route with the lowest AD into the routing table. In this scenario, the router has an OSPF route to 198.51.100.0/24 with AD 110 and a static route to the same prefix with AD 150. Since 110 is lower than 150, the OSPF route is installed, and the static route acts as a backup or floating static route, remaining inactive unless the OSPF route fails.
A common exam trap is assuming static routes always take precedence because they are manually configured. However, static routes with a higher AD than a dynamic route become floating static routes, which only activate if the preferred route disappears. This behaviour is crucial for redundancy and failover scenarios. Understanding this distinction helps avoid mistakes in route selection questions and practical network design.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Administrative distance determines the trustworthiness of routing information sources and influences route selection in Cisco routers.
A router installs only the route with the lowest administrative distance to a given destination prefix into its routing table.
OSPF routes have a default administrative distance of 110, which is lower than a static route configured with an AD of 150.
Static routes with a higher administrative distance than dynamic routes act as floating static routes and remain inactive until needed.
Floating static routes provide backup paths that activate only when the preferred route is unavailable, supporting network redundancy.
Cisco routers compare administrative distances before considering metrics or other route attributes for route installation.
Manual adjustment of administrative distance allows network engineers to influence route preference and failover behaviour.
Understanding administrative distance prevents incorrect assumptions about route priority, especially between static and dynamic routes.
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 determines the trustworthiness of routing information sources and influences route selection in Cisco routers.
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 determines the trustworthiness of routing information sources and influences route selection in Cisco routers., then practise related 200-301 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
IP Routing — This question tests IP Routing — Administrative distance determines the trustworthiness of routing information sources and influences route selection in Cisco routers..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The OSPF route, because 110 is lower than 150 — The route with the lower administrative distance is installed. A static route configured with a higher AD becomes a floating static route and remains as a backup until the preferred route disappears.
What should I do if I get this 200-301 question wrong?
Review administrative distance determines the trustworthiness of routing information sources and influences route selection in Cisco routers., then practise related 200-301 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Administrative distance determines the trustworthiness of routing information sources and influences route selection in Cisco routers.
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