Question 1hardmultiple choice
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Question 1,135 of 1,052
hardmultiple choiceObjective-mapped
CCNA Practice Question: Is troubleshooting a redundant gateway setup…
This 200-301 practice question tests your understanding of 200-301 exam topics. 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
SW1# show standby
VLAN10 - Group 1
State is Active
2 state changes, last state change 00:02:15
Virtual IP address is 192.168.10.1
Active virtual MAC address is 0000.0c07.ac01
Local virtual MAC address is 0000.0c07.ac01 (v1 default)
Hello time 3 sec, hold time 10 sec
Next hello sent in 0.592 secs
Preemption enabled
Active router is local
Standby router is 192.168.10.3, priority 100 (expires in 9.784 sec)
Priority 110 (configured 110)
Group name is "hsrp-VL10-1" (default)
SW2# show standby
VLAN10 - Group 1
State is Active
1 state change, last state change 00:00:45
Virtual IP address is 192.168.10.1
Active virtual MAC address is 0000.0c07.ac01
Local virtual MAC address is 0000.0c07.ac01 (v1 default)
Hello time 3 sec, hold time 10 sec
Next hello sent in 1.024 secs
Preemption enabled
Active router is local
Standby router is unknown
Priority 100 (configured 100)
Group name is "hsrp-VL10-1" (default)A network engineer is troubleshooting a redundant gateway setup where two Cisco Catalyst 9300 switches (SW1 and SW2) are configured with HSRP for VLAN 10. The active router is SW1, and the standby router is SW2. After a recent maintenance window, hosts in VLAN 10 can no longer reach the default gateway IP address 192.168.10.1. The engineer issues the 'show standby' command on both switches. Based on the output, what is the most likely cause of the connectivity loss?
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.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Configure a preemption delay on SW1 to allow SW2 to transition to standby.
The issue is that both switches are in the Active state for HSRP group 1 on VLAN 10. This is an 'active/active' scenario, which causes the virtual IP to be duplicated and leads to traffic loss. The root cause is that SW1 has preemption enabled and a higher priority (110), but SW2 became active first after the maintenance window because SW1 was still booting. When SW1 came online, it preempted SW2, but SW2 did not properly transition to Standby. This can happen if the HSRP hello packets are not being exchanged correctly, possibly due to a Layer 2 issue or a misconfiguration. The correct fix is to ensure that the HSRP version is consistent and that preemption is configured with a delay to allow both routers to synchronize. The most common fix in this scenario is to configure a preemption delay on SW1 to allow SW2 to gracefully transition.
Key principle: A trunk being up does not mean the VLAN is allowed across it. Always verify the allowed VLAN list and whether the VLAN exists on both switches.
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 virtual IP address is misconfigured on both switches.
Why it's wrong here
The virtual IP address is correctly configured as 192.168.10.1 on both switches, as shown in the output.
- ✓
Configure a preemption delay on SW1 to allow SW2 to transition to standby.
Why this is correct
The preemption delay gives the standby router time to take over as standby before the higher-priority router preempts. This prevents the active/active state.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Access ports place end devices into a single VLAN.
- ✗
Increase the HSRP priority on SW2 to 110.
Why it's wrong here
Increasing SW2's priority would make both routers have the same priority, which could cause both to become active or lead to instability.
- ✗
Disable preemption on SW1.
Why it's wrong here
Disabling preemption would prevent SW1 from becoming active, but it is the desired active router due to its higher priority. This would leave SW2 as active, which may not be optimal.
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.
✓Configure a preemption delay on SW1 to allow SW2 to transition to standby.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
The preemption delay gives the standby router time to take over as standby before the higher-priority router preempts. This prevents the active/active state.
✗The virtual IP address is misconfigured on both switches.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
This is a distractor because a misconfigured virtual IP would cause both routers to have different virtual IPs, not both being active.
✗Increase the HSRP priority on SW2 to 110.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
This would not solve the active/active state and could worsen the problem.
✗Disable preemption on SW1.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
This is a distractor because it would fix the active/active state but at the cost of losing the preferred active router.
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: an active trunk can still block the VLAN you need
A trunk being up does not prove every VLAN is crossing it. Check allowed VLAN lists, native VLAN mismatch, VLAN existence and access-port assignment.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
The virtual IP address is correctly configured as 192.168.10.1 on both switches, as shown in the output.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
VLAN questions usually combine access-port and trunking clues. The key is to identify whether the issue is local to one switchport, caused by the trunk, or caused by the VLAN not existing where it needs to exist.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Access ports place end devices into a single VLAN.
- Trunk ports carry multiple VLANs between switches.
- Allowed VLAN lists decide which VLANs can cross a trunk.
- Native VLAN mismatch can create confusing symptoms.
TExam Day Tips
- Use show vlan brief to verify access VLANs.
- Use show interfaces trunk to verify trunk state and allowed VLANs.
- Do not treat every same-VLAN issue as a routing problem.
Key takeaway
A trunk being up does not mean the VLAN is allowed across it. Always verify the allowed VLAN list and whether the VLAN exists on both switches.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A help-desk technician troubleshoots why a newly connected PC cannot reach shared printers on the same floor. The cable is good, the switch port is active, but the PC is in VLAN 20 and the printers are in VLAN 10. The uplink trunk only allows VLAN 10. A trunk being up does not mean every VLAN crosses it.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review VLAN allowed lists, native VLAN mismatch detection, and how to verify VLAN membership with show vlan brief and show interfaces trunk. Then practise related 200-301 questions on switching, trunking, and access-port configuration.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 200-301 question test?
Access ports place end devices into a single VLAN.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure a preemption delay on SW1 to allow SW2 to transition to standby. — The issue is that both switches are in the Active state for HSRP group 1 on VLAN 10. This is an 'active/active' scenario, which causes the virtual IP to be duplicated and leads to traffic loss. The root cause is that SW1 has preemption enabled and a higher priority (110), but SW2 became active first after the maintenance window because SW1 was still booting. When SW1 came online, it preempted SW2, but SW2 did not properly transition to Standby. This can happen if the HSRP hello packets are not being exchanged correctly, possibly due to a Layer 2 issue or a misconfiguration. The correct fix is to ensure that the HSRP version is consistent and that preemption is configured with a delay to allow both routers to synchronize. The most common fix in this scenario is to configure a preemption delay on SW1 to allow SW2 to gracefully transition.
What should I do if I get this 200-301 question wrong?
Review VLAN allowed lists, native VLAN mismatch detection, and how to verify VLAN membership with show vlan brief and show interfaces trunk. Then practise related 200-301 questions on switching, trunking, and access-port configuration.
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?
Access ports place end devices into a single VLAN.
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