Question 1hardmultiple choice
Full question →hardmultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A router has a static default route with administrative distance 250 and also learns a default route through OSPF. What is the main design purpose of the static default route?
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
To serve as a backup default route if the OSPF default is lost.
This is correct because the high administrative distance makes it a standby route.
B
Distractor review
To override the OSPF default route immediately.
This is wrong because the high distance does the opposite.
C
Distractor review
To make the router ignore all default routes.
This is wrong because the static default still exists as a backup.
D
Distractor review
To turn the default route into a host route.
This is wrong because administrative distance does not change the prefix itself.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
A common exam trap is assuming that a static default route with a high administrative distance will override the OSPF default route immediately. Candidates might think the static route takes precedence because it is manually configured, but in reality, the administrative distance value controls route preference. Since 250 is much higher than OSPF’s 110, the static route remains inactive while OSPF’s route is available. This misunderstanding can lead to incorrect answers about route selection and failover behavior in Cisco routing exams.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
Static default routes with a high administrative distance are commonly used as floating static routes in Cisco routing environments. The administrative distance (AD) is a value that routers use to select the best path when multiple routes to the same destination exist from different routing protocols or sources. A static route with an AD of 250 is intentionally set higher than most dynamic routing protocols, such as OSPF, which has an AD of 110 by default. This means the router prefers the OSPF-learned default route over the static one under normal conditions. When a router learns a default route via OSPF, it installs that route into the routing table because OSPF’s AD is lower and thus more trusted. The static default route with AD 250 remains in the routing table only as a backup and does not interfere with the OSPF route. If the OSPF default route disappears due to a link failure or OSPF adjacency loss, the router then falls back to the static default route, ensuring continued connectivity to a default gateway without manual intervention. This design pattern is known as a floating static route and is a practical method to provide redundancy without disrupting the primary dynamic routing path. A common exam trap is misunderstanding the role of administrative distance; some may incorrectly assume the static route overrides OSPF immediately, but the high AD prevents this. In real networks, this approach provides resilience by automatically switching to the static route only when the OSPF route is unavailable, maintaining stable routing behavior.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Administrative distance determines the trustworthiness of routes learned from different sources, with lower values preferred over higher ones.
- OSPF default routes have an administrative distance of 110 by default, making them more preferred than static routes with higher AD values.
- A static default route configured with an administrative distance of 250 acts as a floating static route, serving as a backup route.
- Floating static routes remain inactive in the routing table while a better route exists but become active if the preferred route disappears.
- Routers use the administrative distance to decide which default route to install in the routing table when multiple default routes exist.
- A static default route with a high administrative distance does not override dynamic routing protocols but provides failover capability.
- The presence of a floating static route improves network resilience by ensuring a default route is always available even if dynamic routing fails.
- Misinterpreting administrative distance can lead to incorrect assumptions about route selection and failover behavior in routing protocols.
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?
Administrative distance determines the trustworthiness of routes learned from different sources, with lower values preferred over higher ones.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: To serve as a backup default route if the OSPF default is lost. — The main purpose is to act as a backup route of last resort if the OSPF-learned default route disappears. In practical terms, the very high administrative distance keeps the static default out of the active table while the OSPF default is available. It remains in reserve only for failure conditions. This is a classic floating-static-default design. It provides resilience without replacing the primary dynamic path.
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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