This 200-301 practice question tests your understanding of ip routing. 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.
Network Topology
You are connected to R1. Configure HSRP on interface GigabitEthernet0/0 so that R1 becomes the active router for group 10 with a virtual IP of 192.0.2.254/24. Ensure that R1 preempts if it regains a higher priority, and track interface GigabitEthernet0/1 to decrement priority by 20 if it goes down. Additionally, troubleshoot the current configuration: both routers are showing as active for group 11 with virtual IP 203.0.113.1, which is incorrect — the virtual IP should be 203.0.113.254 for group 11.
R1# show standby brief
P indicates configured to preempt.
|
Interface Grp Pri P State Active Standby Virtual IP
Gi0/0 10 100 Active local unknown 192.0.2.254
Gi0/0 11 100 Active local unknown 203.0.113.1
R1# show running-config | section interface GigabitEthernet0/0
interface GigabitEthernet0/0
ip address 10.0.0.1 255.255.255.252
standby version 2
standby 10 ip 192.0.2.254
standby 10 priority 100
standby 11 ip 203.0.113.1
standby 11 priority 100
!
This configuration correctly adds the HSRP preempt and track commands for group 10 and fixes group 11's virtual IP. Note: without a 'standby 10 priority' command, R1’s ability to become active is not guaranteed.
B
interface GigabitEthernet0/0
standby 10 ip 192.0.2.254
standby 10 preempt
standby 10 track GigabitEthernet0/1 20
interface GigabitEthernet0/0
standby 11 ip 203.0.113.254
Why wrong: This is incorrect because it does not configure preempt for HSRP group 11. Without preempt, both routers may remain active if they have equal priority, causing the duplicate active state.
C
interface GigabitEthernet0/0
standby 10 ip 192.0.2.254
standby 10 track GigabitEthernet0/1 20
interface GigabitEthernet0/0
standby 11 ip 203.0.113.254
standby 11 preempt
Why wrong: This is incorrect because it does not enable preempt for HSRP group 10. Without preempt, R1 will not become active if it regains a higher priority after a failure.
Why wrong: This is incorrect because it keeps the wrong virtual IP 203.0.113.1 for group 11 instead of correcting it to 203.0.113.254. The virtual IP must be changed to resolve the conflict.
Both routers showing active for group 11 indicates a mismatch in the virtual IP address or missing preempt. To fix group 11, correct the virtual IP to 203.0.113.254 with 'standby 11 ip 203.0.113.254'. Add preempt with 'standby 11 preempt' to break the tie. For group 10, to ensure R1 becomes active, you must configure preempt ('standby 10 preempt') and interface tracking ('standby 10 track GigabitEthernet0/1 20'). However, with default priority, R1 might not become active if R2's interface IP is higher; therefore, a priority command like 'standby 10 priority 110' may be necessary. The options shown do not include that priority command, so in practice the configuration is incomplete.
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.
This configuration correctly adds the HSRP preempt and track commands for group 10 and fixes group 11's virtual IP. Note: without a 'standby 10 priority' command, R1’s ability to become active is not guaranteed.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
interface GigabitEthernet0/0
standby 10 ip 192.0.2.254
standby 10 preempt
standby 10 track GigabitEthernet0/1 20
interface GigabitEthernet0/0
standby 11 ip 203.0.113.254
Why it's wrong here
This is incorrect because it does not configure preempt for HSRP group 11. Without preempt, both routers may remain active if they have equal priority, causing the duplicate active state.
✗
interface GigabitEthernet0/0
standby 10 ip 192.0.2.254
standby 10 track GigabitEthernet0/1 20
interface GigabitEthernet0/0
standby 11 ip 203.0.113.254
standby 11 preempt
Why it's wrong here
This is incorrect because it does not enable preempt for HSRP group 10. Without preempt, R1 will not become active if it regains a higher priority after a failure.
This is incorrect because it keeps the wrong virtual IP 203.0.113.1 for group 11 instead of correcting it to 203.0.113.254. The virtual IP must be changed to resolve the conflict.
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.
This configuration correctly adds the HSRP preempt and track commands for group 10 and fixes group 11's virtual IP. Note: without a 'standby 10 priority' command, R1’s ability to become active is not guaranteed.
✗interface GigabitEthernet0/0
standby 10 ip 192.0.2.254
standby 10 preempt
standby 10 track GigabitEthernet0/1 20
interface GigabitEthernet0/0
standby 11 ip 203.0.113.254Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Missing the 'standby 11 preempt' command, which is necessary to ensure only one router becomes active when priorities are equal or change.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates might think that correcting the virtual IP alone is sufficient, but without preempt, the tie persists.
✗interface GigabitEthernet0/0
standby 10 ip 192.0.2.254
standby 10 track GigabitEthernet0/1 20
interface GigabitEthernet0/0
standby 11 ip 203.0.113.254
standby 11 preemptWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Missing 'standby 10 preempt', which is explicitly required in the question for R1 to preempt when it regains higher priority.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates might overlook the preempt requirement for group 10, focusing only on tracking and the group 11 issue.
✗interface GigabitEthernet0/0
standby 10 ip 192.0.2.254
standby 10 preempt
standby 10 track GigabitEthernet0/1 20
interface GigabitEthernet0/0
standby 11 ip 203.0.113.1
standby 11 preemptWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The virtual IP for group 11 remains unchanged at 203.0.113.1, which is the root cause of the problem described.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates might think that adding preempt alone fixes the duplicate active state, but the incorrect virtual IP is the primary issue.
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.
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.
IP Routing — This question tests IP Routing — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: interface GigabitEthernet0/0
standby 10 ip 192.0.2.254
standby 10 preempt
standby 10 track GigabitEthernet0/1 20
interface GigabitEthernet0/0
standby 11 ip 203.0.113.254
standby 11 preempt — Both routers showing active for group 11 indicates a mismatch in the virtual IP address or missing preempt. To fix group 11, correct the virtual IP to 203.0.113.254 with 'standby 11 ip 203.0.113.254'. Add preempt with 'standby 11 preempt' to break the tie. For group 10, to ensure R1 becomes active, you must configure preempt ('standby 10 preempt') and interface tracking ('standby 10 track GigabitEthernet0/1 20'). However, with default priority, R1 might not become active if R2's interface IP is higher; therefore, a priority command like 'standby 10 priority 110' may be necessary. The options shown do not include that priority command, so in practice the configuration is incomplete.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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