CCNP Architecture Practice Question
A network designer is planning a Cisco SD-WAN solution. The customer requires that control plane and data plane traffic be separated, and that the control plane uses a protocol that provides secure, scalable, and resilient overlay topology. Which component of Cisco SD-WAN architecture should the designer use for the control plane?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming vBond is the control plane because it handles initial authentication, but vBond is only the orchestrator, while vSmart provides the actual control plane.
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
✓
vSmart
vSmart controllers provide the control plane in Cisco SD-WAN, using OMP to distribute routing and policy information to vEdge routers. They establish secure control connections and maintain the overlay topology, separate from the data plane. vManage handles management, vBond handles orchestration, and vEdge routers forward data.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
vBond
Why it's wrong here
vBond is the orchestrator that handles initial authentication and NAT traversal, helping vEdge routers discover each other. It is part of the control plane but does not maintain the overlay topology or distribute routing information. Its role is limited to initial bring-up and coordination, not ongoing control plane operations.
- ✗
vManage
Why it's wrong here
vManage is the management plane component of Cisco SD-WAN, providing a GUI and API for configuration, monitoring, and policy management. It does not handle control plane traffic; it orchestrates the overlay. While it is critical for operations, it is not responsible for establishing the control plane connections between devices.
- ✗
vEdge
Why it's wrong here
vEdge routers are the data plane devices at branch or data center sites. They forward user traffic and participate in the overlay but do not provide the centralized control plane. They receive control plane information from vSmart controllers and forward data based on that information.
- ✓
vSmart
Why this is correct
vSmart controllers form the control plane of Cisco SD-WAN. They run the Overlay Management Protocol (OMP) to distribute routing, policy, and key information to vEdge routers, establishing a secure and scalable overlay. They maintain the control plane relationships and enforce centralized policies, separating control from data plane.
About these practice questions
This 350-401 question is part of Courseiva's 1,923-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Cisco exam blueprint
This 350-401 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 350-401 exam.