CCNA AI and Network Operations Practice Question
Network Topology
You are connected to R1, a Cisco router running IOS-XE. Configure SNMP v2c with a read-only community string 'publicRW' (note: the string is intentionally misnamed for the task), and SNMP v3 with user 'admin' using MD5 authentication (password 'cisco123') and DES encryption (password 'cisco456'). Ensure SNMP traps for linkUp/linkDown are sent to the management server at 192.0.2.100. Additionally, configure NetFlow export to send version 9 flow records to 192.0.2.200 on UDP port 2055, and ensure that only inbound traffic on GigabitEthernet0/0 is monitored. Finally, verify your configuration using 'show snmp' and 'show ip cache flow'.
⚠ Common exam trap
Students often forget to apply NetFlow on an interface with 'ip flow ingress' or confuse it with Flexible NetFlow commands. Also, they may omit the trap enable command or use the wrong SNMP version for trap delivery. Always ensure that NetFlow collection is enabled on an interface and that SNMP traps are both enabled globally and sent to the correct host.
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
✓
snmp-server community publicRW ro snmp-server user admin admin v3 auth md5 cisco123 priv des cisco456 snmp-server enable traps snmp linkdown linkup snmp-server host 192.0.2.100 traps version 2c publicRW ip flow-export destination 192.0.2.200 2055 ip flow-export version 9 interface GigabitEthernet0/0 ip flow ingress
The initial configuration has an SNMP v2c community string 'publicRW' set as RO, but the task requires it to be the read-only string. The SNMP v3 user 'admin' with MD5/DES is missing entirely, as are trap destinations and NetFlow export. To fix, first add the SNMP v3 user with 'snmp-server user admin admin v3 auth md5 cisco123 priv des cisco456', then enable traps with 'snmp-server enable traps snmp linkdown linkup' and 'snmp-server host 192.0.2.100 traps version 2c publicRW'. For NetFlow, configure 'ip flow-export destination 192.0.2.200 2055', 'ip flow-export version 9', and apply flow monitoring on an interface (e.g., 'interface GigabitEthernet0/0' with 'ip flow ingress'). The 'show snmp' command will display the community strings and trap receivers, while 'show ip cache flow' will show flow records.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
snmp-server community publicRW ro snmp-server user admin admin v3 auth md5 cisco123 priv des cisco456 snmp-server enable traps snmp linkdown linkup snmp-server host 192.0.2.100 traps version 2c publicRW ip flow-export destination 192.0.2.200 2055 ip flow-export version 9 interface GigabitEthernet0/0 ip flow ingress
Why this is correct
This configuration correctly sets the SNMP v2c read-only community string 'publicRW', creates the SNMP v3 user with MD5 authentication and DES encryption, enables linkUp/linkDown traps, sends traps to 192.0.2.100 using v2c, configures NetFlow export to 192.0.2.200 on UDP 2055 with version 9, and applies NetFlow ingress on an interface. The 'show snmp' and 'show ip cache flow' commands will verify the settings.
- ✗
snmp-server community publicRW ro snmp-server user admin admin v3 auth md5 cisco123 priv des cisco456 snmp-server enable traps snmp linkdown linkup snmp-server host 192.0.2.100 traps version 2c publicRW ip flow-export destination 192.0.2.200 2055 ip flow-export version 9
Why it's wrong here
This configuration is missing the 'ip flow ingress' command on an interface, which is required to enable NetFlow data collection. Without it, no flow records will be exported, and 'show ip cache flow' will show no entries.
- ✗
snmp-server community publicRW ro snmp-server user admin admin v3 auth md5 cisco123 priv des cisco456 snmp-server enable traps snmp linkdown linkup snmp-server host 192.0.2.100 traps version 2c publicRW ip flow-export destination 192.0.2.200 2055 ip flow-export version 9 interface GigabitEthernet0/0 ip flow egress
Why it's wrong here
This configuration uses 'ip flow egress' instead of 'ip flow ingress'. While egress flow monitoring is valid, the task does not specify direction; however, ingress is more commonly used and the verification command 'show ip cache flow' expects ingress flows by default. More importantly, the task requires NetFlow export to work, and using egress may not capture the desired traffic.
- ✗
snmp-server community publicRW ro snmp-server user admin admin v3 auth md5 cisco123 priv des cisco456 snmp-server enable traps snmp linkdown linkup snmp-server host 192.0.2.100 traps version 2c publicRW ip flow-export destination 192.0.2.200 2055 ip flow-export version 9 interface GigabitEthernet0/0 ip flow monitor FLOW-MONITOR input
Why it's wrong here
This configuration uses 'ip flow monitor' which is a newer Flexible NetFlow command, but the task requires traditional NetFlow (version 9). The 'ip flow monitor' command requires a flow monitor configuration that is not provided, and it does not work with 'ip flow-export version 9' in the same way. The correct command for traditional NetFlow is 'ip flow ingress'.
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.
✓snmp-server community publicRW ro snmp-server user admin admin v3 auth md5 cisco123 priv des cisco456 snmp-server enable traps snmp linkdown linkup snmp-server host 192.0.2.100 traps version 2c publicRW ip flow-export destination 192.0.2.200 2055 ip flow-export version 9 interface GigabitEthernet0/0 ip flow ingressCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
This configuration correctly sets the SNMP v2c read-only community string 'publicRW', creates the SNMP v3 user with MD5 authentication and DES encryption, enables linkUp/linkDown traps, sends traps to 192.0.2.100 using v2c, configures NetFlow export to 192.0.2.200 on UDP 2055 with version 9, and applies NetFlow ingress on an interface. The 'show snmp' and 'show ip cache flow' commands will verify the settings.
✗snmp-server community publicRW ro snmp-server user admin admin v3 auth md5 cisco123 priv des cisco456 snmp-server enable traps snmp linkdown linkup snmp-server host 192.0.2.100 traps version 2c publicRW ip flow-export destination 192.0.2.200 2055 ip flow-export version 9Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
NetFlow requires flow monitoring to be enabled on at least one interface using 'ip flow ingress' (or egress) to generate flow records. Omitting this step results in no flow data.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think that configuring the export destination and version is sufficient for NetFlow to work, forgetting that flow collection must be enabled on an interface.
✗snmp-server community publicRW ro snmp-server user admin admin v3 auth md5 cisco123 priv des cisco456 snmp-server enable traps snmp linkdown linkup snmp-server host 192.0.2.100 traps version 2c publicRW ip flow-export destination 192.0.2.200 2055 ip flow-export version 9 interface GigabitEthernet0/0 ip flow egressWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Using egress instead of ingress monitors outbound traffic, failing to meet the explicit requirement to monitor only inbound traffic on GigabitEthernet0/0.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates might confuse ingress and egress directions, or think that egress is also acceptable without considering the context of the verification command.
✗snmp-server community publicRW ro snmp-server user admin admin v3 auth md5 cisco123 priv des cisco456 snmp-server enable traps snmp linkdown linkup snmp-server host 192.0.2.100 traps version 2c publicRW ip flow-export destination 192.0.2.200 2055 ip flow-export version 9 interface GigabitEthernet0/0 ip flow monitor FLOW-MONITOR inputWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The task specifies NetFlow version 9, which is traditional NetFlow. Using 'ip flow monitor' implies Flexible NetFlow, which requires additional configuration (flow monitor definition) and is not compatible with the 'ip flow-export version 9' command in a straightforward manner.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates familiar with newer IOS-XE versions might use Flexible NetFlow commands, but the task explicitly asks for version 9, which is traditional NetFlow. The 'ip flow monitor' command is a common trap for those who confuse the two.
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?”
Quick reference
Symmetric Encryption Algorithm Comparison
| Algorithm | Key Size | Block Size | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AES-128 | 128-bit | 128-bit | Current standard | NIST approved; WPA3, TLS |
| AES-256 | 256-bit | 128-bit | Current standard | Preferred for sensitive / govt data |
| 3DES | 112-bit effective | 64-bit | Deprecated (2023) | Replaced by AES |
| DES | 56-bit | 64-bit | Broken | Cracked in < 24 h; never deploy |
| ChaCha20 | 256-bit | Stream cipher | Current | TLS 1.3, WireGuard |
Go deeper
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Learn chapter
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Key term
NetFlow
NetFlow is a network protocol developed by Cisco that collects and monitors IP traffic data to provide visibility into network usage, performance, and security.
Key term
User Datagram Protocol
User Datagram Protocol (UDP) is a fast, connectionless network protocol that sends data without first checking if the receiver is ready or if the data arrived safely.
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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.