Question 859 of 1,052
hardmultiple choiceObjective-mapped

CCNA Practice Question: Notices that a critical link between two Cisco…

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

SwitchA# show interfaces gigabitethernet1/0/1 transceiver
Diagnostic Monitoring Information:
  Temperature: 45.2°C
  Voltage: 3.3 V
  Current: 10.5 mA
  Output Power: 0.5 mW
  Input Power: 0.2 mW
  Laser Bias: 12.0 mA

SwitchA# show interfaces gigabitethernet1/0/1 | include errors
  5 minute input rate 1002000 bits/sec, 200 packets/sec
  5 minute output rate 1005000 bits/sec, 210 packets/sec
     Input errors: 0, CRC errors: 0, Frame errors: 0
     Output errors: 0, Collisions: 0

SwitchA# show interfaces gigabitethernet1/0/1
GigabitEthernet1/0/1 is up, line protocol is up (err-disabled)
  Hardware is Gigabit Ethernet, address is aaaa.bbbb.cccc
  MTU 1500 bytes, BW 1000000 Kbit/sec
  Full-duplex, 1000Mb/s
  input flow-control is off, output flow-control is off
  Last input never, output never, output hang never
  Last clearing of "show interface" counters never
  Input queue: 0/2000/0/0 (size/max/drops/flushes); Total output drops: 0
  Queueing strategy: fifo
  Output queue: 0/40 (size/max)
  5 minute input rate 0 bits/sec, 0 packets/sec
  5 minute output rate 0 bits/sec, 0 packets/sec
     0 packets input, 0 bytes, 0 no buffer
     Received 0 broadcasts (0 IP multicasts)
     0 runts, 0 giants, 0 throttles
     0 input errors, 0 CRC, 0 frame, 0 overrun, 0 ignored
     0 watchdog, 0 multicast, 0 pause input
     0 input packets with dribble condition detected
     0 packets output, 0 bytes, 0 underruns
     0 output errors, 0 collisions, 0 interface resets
     0 unknown protocol drops
     0 babbles, 0 late collision, 0 deferred
     0 lost carrier, 0 no carrier, 0 pause output
     0 output buffer failures, 0 output buffers swapped out

SwitchA# show logging | include SFP
%PHY-4-UNSUPPORTED_TRANSCEIVER: Unsupported transceiver found in Gi1/0/1
%PM-4-ERR_DISABLE: link-flap error detected on Gi1/0/1, putting Gi1/0/1 in err-disable state

A network engineer notices that a critical link between two Cisco Catalyst 9300 switches is flapping every few minutes. The link uses a 10GBASE-SR SFP+ module on one end and a 10GBASE-LR SFP+ module on the other. The interface logs show 'Link error recovery - will restart'. The distance between the switches is 500 meters. Which command output best confirms the root cause of the flapping?

Clue words in this question

Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.

  • Clue: "best"

    Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.

  • Clue: "which command"

    Why it matters: Tests specific CLI syntax. Recall the exact command and its required context — near-synonyms and partial matches are common distractors.

Question 1hardmultiple choice
Full question →

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

show interfaces transceiver

The issue is a mismatch in SFP+ transceiver types (10GBASE-SR vs 10GBASE-LR) over a distance that exceeds the SR's reach. The SR module supports up to 300 meters over OM3 fiber, but the actual distance is 500 meters, causing signal degradation and link flapping. The exhibit shows the interface in err-disabled state due to link-flap, and the logging indicates an unsupported transceiver warning, which is a clue. The correct command to confirm is 'show interfaces transceiver' because it displays the transceiver type and diagnostic data, revealing the mismatch.

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.

  • show interfaces status

    Why it's wrong here

    This command shows interface status and errors but does not provide transceiver-specific details.

  • show interfaces transceiver

    Why this is correct

    This command displays the transceiver type, diagnostic monitoring, and can confirm the SFP+ mismatch (e.g., 10GBASE-SR vs 10GBASE-LR).

    Clue confirmation

    The clue words "best", "which command" in the question point toward this answer.

    Related concept

    Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

  • show interfaces gigabitethernet1/0/1

    Why it's wrong here

    This shows the interface status and errors but does not reveal the transceiver type.

  • show logging

    Why it's wrong here

    This shows log messages including the unsupported transceiver warning, but does not directly confirm the transceiver type mismatch.

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.

show interfaces transceiverCorrect answer

Why this is correct

This command displays the transceiver type, diagnostic monitoring, and can confirm the SFP+ mismatch (e.g., 10GBASE-SR vs 10GBASE-LR).

show interfaces statusWrong answer — click to see why

Why this is wrong here

It does not show the transceiver type or diagnostic information.

show interfaces gigabitethernet1/0/1Wrong answer — click to see why

Why this is wrong here

It only shows the interface is err-disabled due to link-flap, not the root cause.

show loggingWrong answer — click to see why

Why this is wrong here

It indicates a problem but does not provide the specific transceiver details.

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

    This command shows interface status and errors but does not provide transceiver-specific details.

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.

What to study next

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

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.

Related practice questions

Related 200-301 practice-question pages

Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this 200-301 question test?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: show interfaces transceiver — The issue is a mismatch in SFP+ transceiver types (10GBASE-SR vs 10GBASE-LR) over a distance that exceeds the SR's reach. The SR module supports up to 300 meters over OM3 fiber, but the actual distance is 500 meters, causing signal degradation and link flapping. The exhibit shows the interface in err-disabled state due to link-flap, and the logging indicates an unsupported transceiver warning, which is a clue. The correct command to confirm is 'show interfaces transceiver' because it displays the transceiver type and diagnostic data, revealing the mismatch.

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: "best", "which command". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.

What is the key concept behind this question?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

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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.