CCNA IP Routing Practice Question
Which two statements accurately describe OSPF route selection or behavior at the CCNA level?
⚠ Common exam trap
A frequent exam trap is confusing OSPF’s cost metric with administrative distance or thinking that OSPF process IDs must match between neighbors. Many candidates incorrectly believe that OSPF compares its metric directly against EIGRP metrics or that process IDs are globally significant. This misunderstanding leads to wrong answers because OSPF cost is only used internally within OSPF to select the best path, while administrative distance is used to compare routes from different protocols. Also, OSPF process IDs are locally significant identifiers and do not need to match for adjacency to form.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
OSPF uses cost as its metric for choosing paths within OSPF.
OSPF uses cost as its metric for path selection within the protocol, and OSPF routes are compared against other route sources using administrative distance when cross-protocol decisions are needed. OSPF supports equal-cost multi-path (ECMP), meaning it can install multiple equal-cost paths to the same destination, so option E is incorrect. The wrong answers confuse cost with administrative distance, treat process IDs as globally significant, or incorrectly direct cross-protocol metric comparisons.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
OSPF uses cost as its metric for choosing paths within OSPF.
Why this is correct
This is correct because cost is the standard OSPF metric.
- ✗
OSPF compares its metric directly against EIGRP metrics across protocols.
Why it's wrong here
This is wrong because metrics from different protocols are not compared directly in that way.
When this WOULD be correct
If the exam question asked about inter-protocol route selection or the behavior of routing protocols in a mixed environment, where OSPF and EIGRP metrics were being compared for route selection, then this option could be correct.
- ✓
OSPF route preference versus other route sources involves administrative distance.
Why this is correct
This is correct because administrative distance is used when comparing route sources across protocols.
- ✗
OSPF process IDs must match between all neighboring routers.
Why it's wrong here
This is wrong because OSPF process IDs are locally significant.
When this WOULD be correct
In a different context, a question could ask about OSPF configuration requirements for establishing neighbor relationships. If it specified that process IDs must match for a specific feature or scenario, then this option could be correct.
- ✗
OSPF can never install equal-cost paths.
Why it's wrong here
This is wrong because OSPF can support equal-cost multipath behavior.
When this WOULD be correct
In a question specifically asking about OSPF's limitations in a scenario where only a single path is allowed due to configuration constraints or specific network designs, this option could be correct. For example, if the question states that OSPF is configured to not allow ECMP due to a specific policy.
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.
✓OSPF uses cost as its metric for choosing paths within OSPF.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
This is correct because cost is the standard OSPF metric.
✗OSPF compares its metric directly against EIGRP metrics across protocols.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
OSPF and EIGRP use different metrics (cost vs. composite metric) that are not directly comparable. Route selection between protocols is determined by administrative distance, not by comparing metrics directly.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the exam question asked about inter-protocol route selection or the behavior of routing protocols in a mixed environment, where OSPF and EIGRP metrics were being compared for route selection, then this option could be correct.
Why candidates choose this
Students might think that since both are routing protocols, their metrics can be compared directly, but they are calculated differently and are not interchangeable.
✗OSPF process IDs must match between all neighboring routers.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
OSPF process IDs are locally significant and only matter on the local router. Two neighboring routers can have different process IDs and still form an adjacency as long as other OSPF parameters (area ID, network type, etc.) match.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a different context, a question could ask about OSPF configuration requirements for establishing neighbor relationships. If it specified that process IDs must match for a specific feature or scenario, then this option could be correct.
Why candidates choose this
Students often confuse OSPF process IDs with EIGRP autonomous system numbers, which must match between neighbors. This leads to the incorrect assumption that OSPF process IDs must also match.
✗OSPF can never install equal-cost paths.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
OSPF supports equal-cost multipath (ECMP) by default, allowing up to 4 (or more with configuration) equal-cost paths to be installed in the routing table. This provides load balancing across multiple links.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a question specifically asking about OSPF's limitations in a scenario where only a single path is allowed due to configuration constraints or specific network designs, this option could be correct. For example, if the question states that OSPF is configured to not allow ECMP due to a specific policy.
Why candidates choose this
Some students may think OSPF only uses a single best path because they are familiar with the SPF algorithm's loop-free property, but ECMP is a standard feature in OSPF.
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?”
Visual reference
Quick reference
Routing Protocol Comparison
| Protocol | Metric | Max Hops | Algorithm | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RIP v2 | Hop count | 15 | Bellman-Ford | Distance vector |
| OSPF | Cost (bandwidth) | Unlimited | Dijkstra (SPF) | Link state |
| EIGRP | Composite metric | Unlimited | DUAL | Hybrid |
| IS-IS | Cost | Unlimited | Dijkstra | Link state |
| BGP | Policy / attributes | Unlimited | Path vector | Path vector |
RIP's 15-hop limit makes it unsuitable for large networks. OSPF and EIGRP dominate modern enterprise deployments.
Go deeper
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Key term
IDS
An IDS is a security system that monitors network or system traffic for suspicious activity and alerts administrators to potential threats, but does not actively block them.
Key term
OSPF
OSPF is a link-state routing protocol used to find the best path for data packets to travel across IP networks, like a smart GPS that recalculates routes when traffic changes.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 200-301 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 200-301 exam.