Question 1mediummatching
Full question →Match each routing term to its most accurate description.
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mediummatchingObjective-mapped
Match each routing term to its most accurate description.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
A common exam trap is confusing administrative distance with metric values. Administrative distance is a measure of trustworthiness assigned to routing protocols, while metrics are used internally by protocols to select the best path. Another frequent mistake is misunderstanding the role of a default route as a fallback when no specific route matches the destination. Candidates might also mix up summarization with default routing, but summarization aggregates multiple routes into a broader advertisement to reduce routing table size, not to provide fallback paths.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
Routing protocols use several key concepts to determine the best path for forwarding packets. Administrative distance (AD) is a value assigned to each routing protocol that indicates the trustworthiness of the source of routing information. Lower AD values mean higher trust. For example, directly connected routes have an AD of 0, static routes 1, EIGRP 90, OSPF 110, and RIP 120. This value is used when multiple routing protocols provide routes to the same destination, helping the router decide which route to install in the routing table. Metrics are internal values used by routing protocols to compare multiple paths to the same destination within that protocol. For instance, OSPF uses cost based on bandwidth, EIGRP uses a composite metric including bandwidth and delay, and RIP uses hop count. The path with the lowest metric is preferred within the protocol. Administrative distance is considered only when routes come from different protocols, while metrics are used to select the best path within a single protocol. A default route is a special route used when no other more specific route matches a destination IP address. It acts as a gateway of last resort, forwarding packets to a next-hop router that can handle unknown destinations. Summarization, on the other hand, combines multiple specific routes into a single broader route advertisement to reduce routing table size and improve efficiency. Confusing these concepts can lead to misinterpretation of routing behavior, especially in multi-protocol environments or complex network designs.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Administrative distance determines the trustworthiness of a route source and influences which route is installed when multiple protocols provide routes to the same destination.
- Routing metrics are protocol-specific values used internally to compare and select the best path among multiple routes learned by the same routing protocol.
- A default route acts as a fallback path when no more specific route exists in the routing table for a given destination address.
- Route summarization aggregates multiple specific routes into a broader advertisement to reduce routing table size and improve routing efficiency.
- Routers use administrative distance to choose between routes from different routing protocols before considering metrics within a single protocol.
- Metrics vary by routing protocol and can include factors such as hop count, bandwidth, delay, or composite values to determine the best path.
- Default routes simplify routing by providing a catch-all path, but they do not replace the need for specific routes or summarization.
- Summarization helps optimize routing tables but does not affect route trustworthiness or fallback behavior like administrative distance or default routes.
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.
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More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
Question 1
A router learns the same prefix from both OSPF and EIGRP. Which route is installed by default?
Question 2
A router shows this output: R1#show ip ospf neighbor Neighbor ID Pri State Dead Time Address Interface 10.1.1.2 1 FULL/DR 00:00:34 192.168.12.2 GigabitEthernet0/0 10.1.1.3 1 2WAY/DROTHER 00:00:39 192.168.12.3 GigabitEthernet0/0 Which statement is correct?
Question 3
What is the OSPF metric called?
Question 4
A non-root switch has two uplinks toward the root bridge. One path has a lower total STP cost than the other. What role will the lower-cost uplink have?
Question 5
A router interface applies this ACL inbound: 10 deny tcp any any eq 80 20 permit ip any any A user reports that web browsing to a server by IP address fails, but ping works. Which statement best explains the behavior?
Question 6
A router learns route 198.51.100.0/24 from OSPF with AD 110 and also has a static route to the same prefix configured with AD 150. Which route is installed?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 200-301 question test?
Administrative distance determines the trustworthiness of a route source and influences which route is installed when multiple protocols provide routes to the same destination.
What exam trap should I watch out for?
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword: A common exam trap is confusing administrative distance with metric values. Administrative distance is a measure of trustworthiness assigned to routing protocols, while metrics are used internally by protocols to select the best path. Another frequent mistake is misunderstanding the role of a default route as a fallback when no specific route matches the destination. Candidates might also mix up summarization with default routing, but summarization aggregates multiple routes into a broader advertisement to reduce routing table size, not to provide fallback paths.
What should I do if I get this 200-301 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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