- A
It causes routes without the MED attribute to be treated as having the highest MED value, making them less preferred.
Correct because the command sets missing MED to the worst possible value, which is the highest MED, making those routes less preferred in path selection.
- B
It causes routes without the MED attribute to be treated as having a MED value of 0, making them more preferred.
Why wrong: Incorrect because that is the default behavior without the command; the command changes the default to treat missing MED as worst.
- C
It causes routes with the MED attribute to be ignored during path selection.
Why wrong: Incorrect because the command only affects how missing MED is treated; it does not ignore MED for routes that have it.
- D
It causes the router to add a MED value of 0 to all routes that are missing MED.
Why wrong: Incorrect because the command does not add a MED value; it only influences the comparison logic.
Quick Answer
The answer is that the 'bgp bestpath med missing-as-worst' command causes BGP routes without the MED attribute to be treated as having the highest possible MED value, making them the least preferred among paths from the same neighboring AS. This works because BGP’s path selection algorithm prefers lower MED values; by assigning a missing MED an effective value of infinity, the command ensures those routes are never chosen over routes that do carry a MED, regardless of the actual MED number. On the ENCOR 350-401 exam, this command tests your understanding of how BGP modifies default behavior—normally, a missing MED is treated as 0, which is most preferred, so this command flips that logic. A common trap is assuming missing MED routes are simply ignored; instead, they are actively penalized. Memory tip: think "missing equals maxed"—if MED is missing, it gets maxed out to worst priority.
CCNP BGP Practice Question
This 350-401 practice question tests your understanding of bgp. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
An enterprise network uses BGP to connect to two ISPs. The router has a BGP configuration that includes the command 'bgp bestpath med missing-as-worst'. The engineer notices that routes from ISP-A that do not have the MED attribute are being preferred over routes from ISP-B that have a MED of 50. What is the effect of the 'bgp bestpath med missing-as-worst' command?
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
It causes routes without the MED attribute to be treated as having the highest MED value, making them less preferred.
The 'bgp bestpath med missing-as-worst' command instructs the router to treat routes that lack the MED (Multi-Exit Discriminator) attribute as if they have the highest possible MED value (effectively infinity). Since a higher MED value is less preferred in BGP path selection, routes without MED become the least preferred among paths from the same AS. In this scenario, routes from ISP-A missing MED are treated as having a very high MED, making them less preferred than routes from ISP-B with a MED of 50, which contradicts the observed behavior, but the command's intended effect is to make missing-MED routes less preferred.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
It causes routes without the MED attribute to be treated as having the highest MED value, making them less preferred.
Why this is correct
Correct because the command sets missing MED to the worst possible value, which is the highest MED, making those routes less preferred in path selection.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
It causes routes without the MED attribute to be treated as having a MED value of 0, making them more preferred.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect because that is the default behavior without the command; the command changes the default to treat missing MED as worst.
- ✗
It causes routes with the MED attribute to be ignored during path selection.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect because the command only affects how missing MED is treated; it does not ignore MED for routes that have it.
- ✗
It causes the router to add a MED value of 0 to all routes that are missing MED.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect because the command does not add a MED value; it only influences the comparison logic.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the default behavior versus the modified behavior with 'missing-as-worst', and the trap here is that candidates mistakenly think the command makes missing-MED routes more preferred (like a MED of 0) instead of less preferred (like the highest MED).
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Incorrect because that is the default behavior without the command; the command changes the default to treat missing MED as worst.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
By default, Cisco IOS treats routes without the MED attribute as having a MED of 0, making them more preferred. The 'bgp bestpath med missing-as-worst' command overrides this default behavior, aligning with RFC 4271's recommendation that missing MED should be treated as the least preferred (highest) value. This is critical in multi-homed BGP designs where ISPs may not send MED, and an administrator wants to deprioritize those paths to influence inbound traffic engineering.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
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.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 350-401 question test?
BGP — This question tests BGP — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: It causes routes without the MED attribute to be treated as having the highest MED value, making them less preferred. — The 'bgp bestpath med missing-as-worst' command instructs the router to treat routes that lack the MED (Multi-Exit Discriminator) attribute as if they have the highest possible MED value (effectively infinity). Since a higher MED value is less preferred in BGP path selection, routes without MED become the least preferred among paths from the same AS. In this scenario, routes from ISP-A missing MED are treated as having a very high MED, making them less preferred than routes from ISP-B with a MED of 50, which contradicts the observed behavior, but the command's intended effect is to make missing-MED routes less preferred.
What should I do if I get this 350-401 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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