This 350-401 practice question tests your understanding of acls and copp. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A network engineer is configuring CoPP on a Cisco router to protect the control plane from excessive traffic. The engineer creates a class-map that matches traffic with a specific ACL that permits TCP port 22 (SSH) from a management subnet (192.168.1.0/24) and denies all other traffic. The CoPP policy applies a police rate of 1 Mbps to this class. After applying the policy, the engineer notices that SSH sessions from the management subnet are being dropped intermittently. The engineer checks the CoPP statistics and sees that the traffic rate is 500 kbps. What is the most likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The CoPP policy has a conform-action of drop, which drops all traffic matching the class.
The correct answer is that the CoPP policy has a conform-action of drop, which drops all traffic matching the class, regardless of rate. Option B is incorrect because the traffic rate is below the police rate. Option C is incorrect because the ACL permits SSH from the management subnet. Option D is incorrect because the CoPP policy is applied to the control plane, not an interface.
Key principle: Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
The CoPP policy has a conform-action of drop, which drops all traffic matching the class.
Why this is correct
Correct because if the conform-action is set to drop, all traffic in that class is dropped, even if it is within the police rate.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
The police rate is too low, and the traffic is being dropped due to exceeding the rate.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect because the traffic rate is 500 kbps, which is below the 1 Mbps police rate.
✗
The ACL is denying SSH traffic from the management subnet.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect because the ACL permits SSH from the management subnet.
✗
The CoPP policy is applied to the wrong interface, so it is not affecting SSH traffic.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect because CoPP is applied to the control plane, not an interface.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: usable hosts are not the same as total addresses
Subnetting questions often tempt you into counting all addresses. In normal IPv4 subnets, the network and broadcast addresses are not usable host addresses.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Subnetting questions test whether you can identify the network, broadcast address, usable range, mask and correct subnet. Slow down enough to calculate the block size correctly.
KKey Concepts to Remember
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
Block size helps identify subnet boundaries.
Network and broadcast addresses are not usable hosts in normal IPv4 subnets.
The required host count determines the smallest suitable subnet.
TExam Day Tips
→Write the block size before choosing the subnet.
→Check whether the question asks for hosts, subnets or a specific address range.
→Do not confuse /24, /25, /26 and /27 host counts.
Key takeaway
Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A security administrator must allow nursing staff to reach a patient records server while blocking access from the guest Wi-Fi VLAN. After applying an extended ACL, traffic is still blocked from nursing workstations. The ACL was applied outbound instead of inbound on the wrong interface. Questions like this test ACL direction and placement rules.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related 350-401 subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.
ACLs and CoPP — This question tests ACLs and CoPP — CIDR notation defines the prefix length..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The CoPP policy has a conform-action of drop, which drops all traffic matching the class. — The correct answer is that the CoPP policy has a conform-action of drop, which drops all traffic matching the class, regardless of rate. Option B is incorrect because the traffic rate is below the police rate. Option C is incorrect because the ACL permits SSH from the management subnet. Option D is incorrect because the CoPP policy is applied to the control plane, not an interface.
What should I do if I get this 350-401 question wrong?
Review block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related 350-401 subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
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