The answer is that the trap logging level is set to errors (severity 3), which filters out informational and debug messages from being forwarded to the syslog server. This occurs because the syslog severity levels operate on a threshold system: when the trap level is configured for severity 3, only messages with a severity of 0 (emergency) through 3 (errors) are sent to the remote server, while higher-numbered, lower-severity messages like severity 6 (informational) and 7 (debugging) are blocked. On the CCNA 200-301 v2 exam, this concept tests your understanding of how logging levels control message flow to different destinations—a common trap is confusing the local log buffer level (which may be set to debugging) with the trap level for remote servers. Remember that lower severity numbers mean higher urgency, so a trap level of 3 stops everything above it. A handy memory tip: “Trap traps the top three—0, 1, 2, 3—and drops the rest.”
CCNA Network Services and Security Practice Question
This 200-301 practice question tests your understanding of network services and security. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. 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.
Exhibit
R1# show logging
Syslog logging: enabled (0 messages dropped, 0 messages rate-limited, 0 flushes, 0 overruns)
Console logging: level debugging, 355 messages logged
Monitor logging: level debugging, 0 messages logged
Buffer logging: level debugging, 355 messages logged
Trap logging: level errors (3), 150 messages logged
Logging to 192.168.100.50
Log Buffer (4096 bytes):
*Feb 28 10:14:55.123: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface GigabitEthernet0/0/1, changed state to down
*Feb 28 10:15:22.123: %SYS-6-CLOCKUPDATE: System clock has been updated from 10:15:22 UTC Feb 28 2025 to 10:15:22 UTC Feb 28 2025, configured from console by vty0 (192.168.1.10)
*Feb 28 10:15:24.456: %LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface GigabitEthernet0/0/1, changed state to down
*Feb 28 10:16:01.789: %SYS-7-DEBUG: Message from debug command interface GigabitEthernet0/0/1 held down
*Feb 28 10:16:10.111: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface GigabitEthernet0/0/1, changed state to up
*Feb 28 10:16:15.222: %LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface GigabitEthernet0/0/1, changed state to up
*Feb 28 10:16:30.333: %SYS-6-LOGGINGHOST_STARTSTOP: Logging to host 192.168.100.50 stopped
Refer to the exhibit. A network engineer is troubleshooting an issue where syslog messages at severity 6 (informational) and severity 7 (debugging) are not being sent to the syslog server at 192.168.100.50, even though the device appears to generate these messages locally. Based on the exhibit, what is the most likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
R1# show logging
Syslog logging: enabled (0 messages dropped, 0 messages rate-limited, 0 flushes, 0 overruns)
Console logging: level debugging, 355 messages logged
Monitor logging: level debugging, 0 messages logged
Buffer logging: level debugging, 355 messages logged
Trap logging: level errors (3), 150 messages logged
Logging to 192.168.100.50
Log Buffer (4096 bytes):
*Feb 28 10:14:55.123: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface GigabitEthernet0/0/1, changed state to down
*Feb 28 10:15:22.123: %SYS-6-CLOCKUPDATE: System clock has been updated from 10:15:22 UTC Feb 28 2025 to 10:15:22 UTC Feb 28 2025, configured from console by vty0 (192.168.1.10)
*Feb 28 10:15:24.456: %LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface GigabitEthernet0/0/1, changed state to down
*Feb 28 10:16:01.789: %SYS-7-DEBUG: Message from debug command interface GigabitEthernet0/0/1 held down
*Feb 28 10:16:10.111: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface GigabitEthernet0/0/1, changed state to up
*Feb 28 10:16:15.222: %LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface GigabitEthernet0/0/1, changed state to up
*Feb 28 10:16:30.333: %SYS-6-LOGGINGHOST_STARTSTOP: Logging to host 192.168.100.50 stopped
A
The logging buffer is full, preventing new informational and debug messages from being sent to the syslog server.
Why wrong: The exhibit shows 0 overruns and a buffer size of 4096 bytes with no indication of overflow. The buffer is not full, and even if it were, buffer fullness only affects local storage, not trap transmission.
B
The syslog server IP address 192.168.100.50 is unreachable from the router.
Why wrong: The exhibit does not indicate reachability issues; the logging line shows 'Logging to 192.168.100.50' and even a stop message at the end, which suggests the session existed. If the server were unreachable, severity 0–3 messages would also fail to be sent, but they are successfully logged (150 messages logged).
C
The trap logging level is set to errors (severity 3), filtering out informational and debug messages.
The 'Trap logging: level errors (3)' line in the exhibit explicitly limits syslog messages sent to the syslog server to severity 0–3. Informational (6) and debug (7) are higher in numeric value (less severe) and are dropped by this filter.
D
Console logging is disabled, so only severity 3 and lower messages appear.
Why wrong: Console logging is shown as 'level debugging' (enabled). Even if console logging were disabled, it would not affect syslog server forwarding; trap logging controls messages sent to the server.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The trap logging level is set to errors (severity 3), filtering out informational and debug messages.
The exhibit shows 'Trap logging: level errors (3)'. This filter level means only syslog messages with severity 0 (emergency) through 3 (errors) are forwarded to the syslog server. Severity 6 (informational) and 7 (debugging) are above this threshold and are therefore excluded. The log buffer, however, is set to 'debugging' level, so those messages appear locally but are not sent to the server.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
The logging buffer is full, preventing new informational and debug messages from being sent to the syslog server.
Why it's wrong here
The exhibit shows 0 overruns and a buffer size of 4096 bytes with no indication of overflow. The buffer is not full, and even if it were, buffer fullness only affects local storage, not trap transmission.
✗
The syslog server IP address 192.168.100.50 is unreachable from the router.
Why it's wrong here
The exhibit does not indicate reachability issues; the logging line shows 'Logging to 192.168.100.50' and even a stop message at the end, which suggests the session existed. If the server were unreachable, severity 0–3 messages would also fail to be sent, but they are successfully logged (150 messages logged).
✓
The trap logging level is set to errors (severity 3), filtering out informational and debug messages.
Why this is correct
The 'Trap logging: level errors (3)' line in the exhibit explicitly limits syslog messages sent to the syslog server to severity 0–3. Informational (6) and debug (7) are higher in numeric value (less severe) and are dropped by this filter.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Console logging is disabled, so only severity 3 and lower messages appear.
Why it's wrong here
Console logging is shown as 'level debugging' (enabled). Even if console logging were disabled, it would not affect syslog server forwarding; trap logging controls messages sent to the server.
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 trap logging level is set to errors (severity 3), filtering out informational and debug messages.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
The 'Trap logging: level errors (3)' line in the exhibit explicitly limits syslog messages sent to the syslog server to severity 0–3. Informational (6) and debug (7) are higher in numeric value (less severe) and are dropped by this filter.
✗The logging buffer is full, preventing new informational and debug messages from being sent to the syslog server.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Candidates may associate local buffer behavior with remote logging, but the buffer is just local storage, independent of trap forwarding.
✗The syslog server IP address 192.168.100.50 is unreachable from the router.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
A reachability problem would affect all severities equally, not selectively filter only informational and debug messages.
✗Console logging is disabled, so only severity 3 and lower messages appear.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Candidates may confuse console and trap logging, but each destination has its own independent severity level.
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
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
The exhibit shows 0 overruns and a buffer size of 4096 bytes with no indication of overflow. The buffer is not full, and even if it were, buffer fullness only affects local storage, not trap transmission.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the 200-301 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this 200-301 question in full detail.
Identify which 200-301 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Network Services and Security — This question tests Network Services and Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The trap logging level is set to errors (severity 3), filtering out informational and debug messages. — The exhibit shows 'Trap logging: level errors (3)'. This filter level means only syslog messages with severity 0 (emergency) through 3 (errors) are forwarded to the syslog server. Severity 6 (informational) and 7 (debugging) are above this threshold and are therefore excluded. The log buffer, however, is set to 'debugging' level, so those messages appear locally but are not sent to the server.
What should I do if I get this 200-301 question wrong?
Identify which 200-301 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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