Question 1mediummulti select
Full question →mediummulti selectObjective-mapped
Which two statements accurately describe floating static routes?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
A
Best answer
They are static routes configured with higher administrative distance so they act as backups.
This is correct because that is the definition of a floating static route.
B
Best answer
They can become active automatically if the preferred route is lost.
This is correct because backup activation is their purpose.
C
Distractor review
They always override dynamic routes immediately.
This is wrong because their higher administrative distance is specifically meant to prevent that.
D
Distractor review
They are identical to equal-cost load balancing.
This is wrong because floating statics are backup mechanisms, not ECMP behavior.
E
Distractor review
They remove the need for routing tables.
This is wrong because they are still part of routing-table logic.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
A frequent exam trap is assuming floating static routes immediately override dynamic routes or participate in load balancing. Because floating static routes have a higher administrative distance, they remain inactive while a preferred route exists. Candidates may confuse floating static routes with equal-cost load balancing or think they always take precedence, but their purpose is to act as backup routes that activate only when the primary route fails. Misreading this behavior can lead to incorrect answers about route selection and administrative distance.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
Floating static routes are a type of static route configured with an administrative distance higher than that of the primary route. Administrative distance is a value used by Cisco routers to select the best path when multiple routes to the same destination exist from different routing sources. By assigning a higher administrative distance to a floating static route, it remains inactive and does not interfere with the preferred route learned via dynamic routing protocols or lower-distance static routes. The router uses the administrative distance to decide which route to install in the routing table. When the preferred route fails or is removed, the floating static route with the higher administrative distance becomes the next best option and activates automatically. This failover mechanism ensures network resilience without requiring complex dynamic routing protocol configurations. Floating static routes are commonly used as backup routes to provide simple redundancy. A common exam trap is misunderstanding the behavior of floating static routes as always overriding dynamic routes or participating in load balancing. Because floating static routes have a higher administrative distance, they do not immediately override dynamic routes or equal-cost load balancing paths. Instead, they only activate when the preferred route disappears, serving as a backup rather than a primary path. Recognizing this distinction is critical for correctly answering questions about routing behavior and administrative distance in the CCNA exam.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Floating static routes are static routes configured with a higher administrative distance to act as backup routes in the routing table.
- The router prefers routes with lower administrative distance and installs them in the routing table over floating static routes.
- Floating static routes become active only when the preferred route with a lower administrative distance is lost or unavailable.
- Administrative distance determines the trustworthiness of a route source and influences route selection in Cisco routers.
- Floating static routes do not participate in equal-cost multipath (ECMP) load balancing because they have higher administrative distance.
- Dynamic routing protocols typically have lower administrative distance than floating static routes, so dynamic routes are preferred.
- Floating static routes provide a simple failover mechanism without requiring dynamic routing protocol reconfiguration.
- Misunderstanding floating static routes as always overriding dynamic routes is a common exam trap.
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?
Floating static routes are static routes configured with a higher administrative distance to act as backup routes in the routing table.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: They are static routes configured with higher administrative distance so they act as backups. — Floating static routes are backup static routes intentionally configured with higher administrative distance than the preferred route source. In practical terms, they stay in reserve while the better route remains present, and they activate only when that preferred route disappears. They are a simple and common failover tool. The key idea is that the route is present in configuration but intentionally not the first choice during normal operation.
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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