The answer is a floating static route with a higher administrative distance than OSPF. This design provides an automatic backup path without altering the primary OSPF route during normal operation because the router prefers the lower administrative distance of OSPF (110) over the higher distance set on the static route (typically 125 or higher). When the OSPF adjacency fails and the route to 10.10.20.0/24 disappears, the router automatically activates the floating static route, ensuring continuous connectivity. On the CCNA 200-301 v2 exam, this concept tests your understanding of administrative distance as a tiebreaker between routing sources, and a common trap is choosing a regular static route, which defaults to an AD of 1 and would override OSPF entirely. Remember the memory tip: “Float it higher to keep it in reserve”—the floating static route must have a higher AD than the dynamic protocol to stay dormant until needed.
CCNA IP Routing Practice Question
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. A key principle to apply: oSPF uses a default administrative distance of 110 to install routes learned dynamically into the routing table.. 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.
A route to 10.10.20.0/24 disappears when an OSPF adjacency fails. Which design would most directly provide an automatic backup without changing the primary OSPF path during normal operation?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "primary"
Why it matters: Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
A floating static route with a higher administrative distance than OSPF
The most direct design is a floating static route with a higher administrative distance than OSPF. In plain language, that means the router keeps a manually configured backup route in reserve but does not use it while the OSPF route remains healthy. If the OSPF path disappears, the backup static route becomes active automatically. This is a very common and practical way to add simple failover.
The key requirement in the question is that the primary OSPF path should remain unchanged under normal conditions. A normal static route with default distance would override OSPF and break that goal. A floating static route avoids that by staying less preferred until a failure occurs. That is why it is the correct design choice here.
Key principle: OSPF uses a default administrative distance of 110 to install routes learned dynamically into the routing table.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
A floating static route with a higher administrative distance than OSPF
Why this is correct
This is correct because it provides a backup route without replacing OSPF under normal conditions.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
OSPF uses a default administrative distance of 110 to install routes learned dynamically into the routing table.
✗
A standard static route with the default administrative distance of 1
Why it's wrong here
This is wrong because a default static routedistance of 1 would override OSPF instead of floating behind it.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different scenario where the question asks for a static route to be preferred under all circumstances, a standard static route with an administrative distance of 1 would be correct. For example, if the question specifies that OSPF is not required and a static route should always be used for traffic to a specific destination.
✗
Removing OSPF entirely and using only a default route
Why it's wrong here
This is wrong because it changes the primary design rather than preserving OSPF as the normal path.
When this WOULD be correct
In a scenario where a network is designed to only use a default route for all outbound traffic, and OSPF is deemed unnecessary due to a simple topology, the question might ask for the most efficient routing method. In that case, using a default route would be the correct answer.
✗
Disabling the routing table on the router until failure occurs
Why it's wrong here
This is wrong because routers do not work by disabling the routing table to create backup behavior.
When this WOULD be correct
In a scenario where a question asks for a method to temporarily suspend routing while performing maintenance or troubleshooting without affecting the overall network performance, disabling the routing table could be deemed appropriate to ensure no traffic is routed incorrectly during that time.
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.
✓A floating static route with a higher administrative distance than OSPFCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
This is correct because it provides a backup route without replacing OSPF under normal conditions.
✗A standard static route with the default administrative distance of 1Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
A standard static route with the default administrative distance of 1 would override the OSPF route (AD 110) because a lower AD is preferred. This would replace the primary OSPF path with the static route, not provide a backup that only activates upon failure.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different scenario where the question asks for a static route to be preferred under all circumstances, a standard static route with an administrative distance of 1 would be correct. For example, if the question specifies that OSPF is not required and a static route should always be used for traffic to a specific destination.
Why candidates choose this
Students may think that any static route can serve as a backup, but they overlook that the default AD of 1 makes it preferred over OSPF, thus changing the primary path rather than floating behind it.
✗Removing OSPF entirely and using only a default routeWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Removing OSPF entirely eliminates the primary dynamic routing protocol, which is not a backup solution. The question requires preserving OSPF as the normal path and only providing an automatic backup when OSPF fails.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a scenario where a network is designed to only use a default route for all outbound traffic, and OSPF is deemed unnecessary due to a simple topology, the question might ask for the most efficient routing method. In that case, using a default route would be the correct answer.
Why candidates choose this
Some might think that using only a default route simplifies the design, but this does not maintain OSPF as the primary path and does not provide a backup for the specific /24 route.
✗Disabling the routing table on the router until failure occursWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Disabling the routing table is not a valid operational practice; routers require the routing table to forward packets. This option does not provide any automatic backup mechanism and would break connectivity entirely.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a scenario where a question asks for a method to temporarily suspend routing while performing maintenance or troubleshooting without affecting the overall network performance, disabling the routing table could be deemed appropriate to ensure no traffic is routed incorrectly during that time.
Why candidates choose this
The idea of 'disabling until failure' might sound like a failover concept, but it is not how routing works. Students may confuse this with route filtering or policy-based routing, but it is not a standard feature.
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
Avoid assuming that static routes are always less preferred than dynamic routes without considering administrative distance.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) is a dynamic routing protocol that calculates the shortest path to each network based on link-state information. It uses a link-state database and Dijkstra’s algorithm to determine the best routes, which are then installed in the routing table with a default administrative distance of 110. When an OSPF adjacency fails, routes learned via OSPF are withdrawn, causing loss of connectivity unless a backup path exists.
A floating static route is a static route configured with an administrative distance higher than that of OSPF, making it less preferred during normal operation. This means the router uses the OSPF-learned route as the primary path. If the OSPF route disappears due to adjacency failure, the floating static route automatically becomes active, providing seamless failover without manual intervention or disruption to the primary OSPF path.
The exam trap lies in confusing static route administrative distances. A static route with the default administrative distance of 1 would override OSPF routes, disrupting normal routing behavior. Using a floating static route avoids this by ensuring OSPF routes remain preferred until they fail. This design is practical in Cisco networks for simple backup routing without redesigning the OSPF topology or relying on complex redistribution.
KKey Concepts to Remember
OSPF uses a default administrative distance of 110 to install routes learned dynamically into the routing table.
A floating static route is configured with an administrative distance higher than OSPF to act as a backup route.
The router prefers OSPF routes over floating static routes during normal operation due to lower administrative distance.
When an OSPF adjacency fails, the OSPF route is removed, allowing the floating static route to become active automatically.
Static routes with default administrative distance override OSPF routes and disrupt the intended primary path.
Using a floating static route preserves the OSPF primary path and provides automatic failover without manual intervention.
OSPF adjacency failures cause route withdrawal, which triggers failover mechanisms like floating static routes.
Backup routing designs must maintain primary routing protocol preference to avoid unintended route changes.
TExam Day Tips
→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
OSPF uses a default administrative distance of 110 to install routes learned dynamically into the routing table.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A network engineer at a university connects two campus buildings via a fibre link. Both routers run OSPF, but no adjacency forms — even though both routers can ping each other. The engineer finds one router is in area 0 and the other in area 1. OSPF adjacency requires matching area numbers, hello/dead timers, and network type. IP reachability alone is not enough.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this 200-301 question in full detail.
Review oSPF uses a default administrative distance of 110 to install routes learned dynamically into the routing table., then practise related 200-301 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
IP Routing — This question tests IP Routing — OSPF uses a default administrative distance of 110 to install routes learned dynamically into the routing table..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: A floating static route with a higher administrative distance than OSPF — The most direct design is a floating static route with a higher administrative distance than OSPF. In plain language, that means the router keeps a manually configured backup route in reserve but does not use it while the OSPF route remains healthy. If the OSPF path disappears, the backup static route becomes active automatically. This is a very common and practical way to add simple failover.
The key requirement in the question is that the primary OSPF path should remain unchanged under normal conditions. A normal static route with default distance would override OSPF and break that goal. A floating static route avoids that by staying less preferred until a failure occurs. That is why it is the correct design choice here.
What should I do if I get this 200-301 question wrong?
Review oSPF uses a default administrative distance of 110 to install routes learned dynamically into the routing table., then practise related 200-301 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "primary". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
What is the key concept behind this question?
OSPF uses a default administrative distance of 110 to install routes learned dynamically into the routing table.
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