This 200-301 practice question tests your understanding of ip routing. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. A key principle to apply: a router compares administrative distance before metric when selecting routes from different routing protocols or sources.. 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
Routing information sources:
O 172.16.50.0/24 [110/20] via 10.1.1.2
S 172.16.50.0/24 [5/0] via 192.0.2.1
A router has learned route 172.16.50.0/24 from OSPF with cost 20 and also has a static route to the same prefix with administrative distance 5. Which two statements are correct about route selection?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The static route is installed because it has the lower administrative distance
When the same prefix is learned from different routing sources, the router first compares administrative distance (AD). The static route with AD 5 wins over OSPF with AD 110, so option A is correct. Option C is correct because if the static route is removed, the OSPF route becomes the next best candidate and is installed. Option B is wrong since AD is compared before metrics like OSPF cost; a lower cost does not override a lower AD. Option D is wrong because only one route is installed per destination based on AD, not both.
Key principle: A router compares administrative distance before metric when selecting routes from different routing protocols or sources.
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 static route is installed because it has the lower administrative distance
A router compares administrative distance before metric when selecting routes from different routing protocols or sources.
✗
The OSPF route is installed because cost 20 is lower than metric 0
Why it's wrong here
Metrics are not compared across different routing protocols before AD.
✓
If the static route is removed, OSPF can become the active route
Why this is correct
Once the preferred route disappears, the next-best source can be installed.
Related concept
A router compares administrative distance before metric when selecting routes from different routing protocols or sources.
✗
Both routes are installed as equal-cost paths automatically
Why it's wrong here
They are from different sources and do not qualify for ECMP here.
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.
✓The static route is installed because it has the lower administrative distanceCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
Administrative distance is compared before metric when routes come from different sources.
✗The OSPF route is installed because cost 20 is lower than metric 0Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Metrics like OSPF cost are only compared between routes from the same routing protocol. Since OSPF and static routes are different sources, the router first compares administrative distance, not metric. Therefore, the statement that cost 20 is lower than metric 0 is irrelevant for route selection.
Why candidates choose this
Students often confuse metric and administrative distance, thinking that a lower metric always wins regardless of source. They may incorrectly apply the concept of metric comparison across different routing protocols.
✗Both routes are installed as equal-cost paths automaticallyWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Equal-cost multipath (ECMP) requires routes to have the same administrative distance and the same metric from the same routing protocol. Here, the routes are from different sources (static and OSPF) with different AD values, so they cannot be installed as equal-cost paths.
Why candidates choose this
Some students think that any two routes to the same destination can be used for load balancing, but ECMP has strict requirements including same AD and same metric from the same protocol.
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
A common exam trap is to incorrectly assume that the OSPF route with a lower cost metric will be preferred over a static route. Many candidates mistakenly compare OSPF cost directly against the static route’s metric or ignore administrative distance entirely. This leads to the wrong conclusion that OSPF wins because 20 is less than 0 or some assumed static metric. However, Cisco routers always compare administrative distance first when routes come from different sources. Ignoring this rule causes confusion and incorrect answers in routing questions involving multiple protocols.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Administrative distance (AD) is a key concept in Cisco routing that determines the trustworthiness of a route source. When a router learns multiple routes to the same destination prefix from different routing protocols or sources, it first compares their administrative distances. The route with the lowest AD is preferred and installed in the routing table. Static routes have a default AD of 1 if configured with an interface, or 1 or 5 if configured with an IP next-hop, which is lower than OSPF's default AD of 110, making static routes generally more preferred over OSPF routes.
In this scenario, the router has learned the 172.16.50.0/24 route from OSPF with a cost (metric) of 20 and also has a static route to the same prefix with an AD of 5. The router compares the AD values first, not the metrics, because metrics are only compared when routes come from the same routing protocol. Since the static route has a lower AD (5) than OSPF (110), the static route is installed in the routing table. If the static route is removed, the router will then install the OSPF route as the active route because it is the next-best route available.
A common exam trap is to confuse metric comparison across different routing protocols. Metrics like OSPF cost or EIGRP metric are only relevant within their own protocol and do not influence route selection against routes from other protocols. Another practical behavior is that static routes provide administrative control and can override dynamic routing protocols, which is useful for traffic engineering or failover scenarios. Understanding this hierarchy helps avoid mistakes in route troubleshooting and exam questions.
KKey Concepts to Remember
A router compares administrative distance before metric when selecting routes from different routing protocols or sources.
Static routes have a default administrative distance lower than OSPF, causing static routes to be preferred over OSPF routes to the same prefix.
OSPF cost is a metric used only to compare multiple OSPF routes, not to compete against routes from other protocols.
If the preferred static route is removed, the router installs the next-best route, such as the OSPF-learned route, based on administrative distance.
Routes from different sources with different administrative distances do not qualify for equal-cost multipath (ECMP) load balancing.
Administrative distance is a Cisco-specific value that ranks route trustworthiness, with lower values indicating more preferred routes.
Static routes provide network administrators with manual control over route preference, overriding dynamic routing protocols when necessary.
Understanding the difference between administrative distance and metric is critical for accurate route selection and troubleshooting.
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
A router compares administrative distance before metric when selecting routes from different routing protocols or sources.
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 a router compares administrative distance before metric when selecting routes from different routing protocols or sources., then practise related 200-301 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
IP Routing — This question tests IP Routing — A router compares administrative distance before metric when selecting routes from different routing protocols or sources..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The static route is installed because it has the lower administrative distance — When the same prefix is learned from different routing sources, the router first compares administrative distance (AD). The static route with AD 5 wins over OSPF with AD 110, so option A is correct. Option C is correct because if the static route is removed, the OSPF route becomes the next best candidate and is installed. Option B is wrong since AD is compared before metrics like OSPF cost; a lower cost does not override a lower AD. Option D is wrong because only one route is installed per destination based on AD, not both.
What should I do if I get this 200-301 question wrong?
Review a router compares administrative distance before metric when selecting routes from different routing protocols or sources., then practise related 200-301 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
A router compares administrative distance before metric when selecting routes from different routing protocols or sources.
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