CCNA Network Infrastructure and Connectivity Practice Question
Exhibit
Switch# show ip interface brief Interface IP-Address OK? Method Status Protocol Vlan1 192.168.1.1 YES NVRAM up up Vlan10 192.168.10.1 YES NVRAM down down GigabitEthernet0/1 unassigned YES NVRAM down down GigabitEthernet0/2 unassigned YES NVRAM down down Switch# show running-config interface vlan10 Building configuration... Current configuration : 63 bytes ! interface Vlan10 ip address 192.168.10.1 255.255.255.0 no shutdown end
A network engineer is troubleshooting connectivity issues for hosts in VLAN 10. Hosts in VLAN 10 are unable to ping the default gateway at 192.168.10.1. The engineer checks the switch configuration and notices that the SVI for VLAN 10 is configured with an IP address, but the interface is in a down/down state. What is the most likely cause of this issue?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between an SVI being down due to a missing VLAN versus an administratively shutdown interface, leading candidates to mistakenly choose the administrative shutdown option when the interface status shows 'down/down' instead of 'administratively down'.
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
✓
VLAN 10 does not exist in the VLAN database.
An SVI (Switch Virtual Interface) will remain in a down/down state if the corresponding VLAN does not exist in the switch's VLAN database. Even if the SVI is configured with an IP address, the interface cannot come up because there is no Layer 2 VLAN to associate with it. This is a common cause of SVI down/down issues when the VLAN has not been created or has been deleted.
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 interface is administratively shut down.
Why it's wrong here
The `show interfaces` output for an SVI (interface Vlan10) would display 'administratively down' if the interface had been placed in a shutdown state. However, the running configuration explicitly includes the `no shutdown` command, which sets the administrative status to up. Therefore, the down/down condition cannot be attributed to an administrative shutdown; the cause lies elsewhere, such as the VLAN not existing or lacking active member ports.
- ✓
VLAN 10 does not exist in the VLAN database.
Why this is correct
The SVI for VLAN 10 is down/down because the VLAN is not created. Once VLAN 10 is created with the 'vlan 10' command in global configuration mode, the SVI will come up if there is at least one active port in that VLAN.
- ✗
The IP address is not in the correct subnet for VLAN 10.
Why it's wrong here
The IPv4 address 192.168.10.1/24 belongs to the 192.168.10.0/24 subnet, which is a perfectly valid addressing scheme for VLAN 10. Even if the IP address were incorrectly assigned, it would not directly cause the SVI's line protocol to be down/down; the SVI's operational state depends on the VLAN's existence and having at least one active Layer 2 port. An SVI will come up with any valid IP address as long as those Layer 2 conditions are met.
- ✗
The switch does not have a default gateway configured.
Why it's wrong here
A default gateway is only necessary for forwarding traffic destined to networks outside the switch's local subnets. It has no effect on the operational status of an SVI; the interface's up/down state is governed solely by the VLAN's existence and the presence of an active port in that VLAN. Since the SVI is down/down here, the absence of a default gateway is not the root cause, because even without a default gateway the SVI would be up/up if the VLAN were properly created and had active ports.
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.
✓VLAN 10 does not exist in the VLAN database.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
The SVI for VLAN 10 is down/down because the VLAN is not created. Once VLAN 10 is created with the 'vlan 10' command in global configuration mode, the SVI will come up if there is at least one active port in that VLAN.
✗The interface is administratively shut down.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The running-config shows 'no shutdown', so this is not the cause.
✗The IP address is not in the correct subnet for VLAN 10.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The IP address and subnet mask are correctly configured for the VLAN.
✗The switch does not have a default gateway configured.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The SVI status is not affected by the presence or absence of a default gateway.
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?”
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Related to this question
Learn chapter
IPv4 Addressing and Address Classes
Key term
SVI
A Switch Virtual Interface (SVI) is a logical, software-based interface on a multilayer switch that provides Layer 3 routing capabilities for a VLAN, allowing devices in different VLANs to communicate without an external router.
Key term
ICMP
ICMP is a network-layer protocol used by network devices to send error messages and operational information about network connectivity.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 200-301 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 200-301 exam.