CCNP Architecture Practice Question
A network engineer is designing a QoS policy for a Cisco Catalyst switch. The policy must ensure that voice traffic receives strict priority scheduling, while video and critical data traffic are guaranteed a minimum bandwidth. The engineer decides to use Modular QoS CLI (MQC) to create a policy map. Which queuing mechanism should be configured within the policy map to provide strict priority for voice traffic?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates confuse the priority command with bandwidth guarantees; the priority command provides strict priority, while bandwidth remaining percent only guarantees a minimum share after priority traffic is served.
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
✓
priority
In MQC, the priority command within a policy map enables strict priority queuing, ensuring that voice traffic is scheduled before other classes. The bandwidth remaining percent command allocates minimum bandwidth but not strict priority; shape average shapes traffic; and police enforces rate limits. Only priority provides the strict priority behavior required for voice.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
shape average
Why it's wrong here
The shape average command is used to shape traffic to a specified rate, smoothing out bursts. It does not provide strict priority scheduling; instead, it delays packets to conform to the rate. While shaping can be used for traffic conditioning, it is not the mechanism for strict priority queuing, so it does not satisfy the voice requirement.
- ✓
priority
Why this is correct
The priority command in an MQC policy map enables strict priority queuing, which means that traffic in this class is serviced before any other queues as long as the queue is not empty. It also allows configuration of a policer to limit the priority traffic. This is the correct mechanism to ensure voice traffic receives strict priority scheduling, as required.
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police
Why it's wrong here
The police command is used to rate-limit traffic, dropping or marking packets that exceed a specified rate. It does not provide strict priority scheduling; it enforces a maximum rate. While policing can be used within a priority class to limit voice traffic, it is not the mechanism that provides strict priority itself. Therefore, it is not the correct answer.
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bandwidth remaining percent
Why it's wrong here
The bandwidth remaining percent command is used to allocate a percentage of the remaining bandwidth after strict priority queues are serviced. It does not provide strict priority scheduling. It is suitable for guaranteeing minimum bandwidth to other classes but not for voice traffic that requires strict priority. Therefore, it does not meet the requirement for strict priority for voice.
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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.