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CCNP Practice Question: In BGP best path selection, which of the…
In BGP best path selection, which of the following is compared first?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the exact order of BGP path selection attributes, and the trap here is that candidates mistakenly think local preference or AS-path length is the first comparison, because those are more commonly discussed in multi-AS designs, but weight always comes first in Cisco's implementation.
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
✓
Highest weight
BGP best path selection begins by comparing the weight attribute, which is Cisco-proprietary and local to the router. The path with the highest weight is preferred first, making option A correct. Weight is evaluated before any other BGP attribute, including local preference, AS-path length, and MED.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Highest weight
Why this is correct
Correct. Weight is the first attribute compared in BGP best path selection.
- ✗
Highest local preference
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Local preference is compared after weight.
- ✗
Shortest AS-path
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. AS-path length is compared after local preference.
- ✗
Lowest MED
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. MED is compared later in the process.
About these practice questions
This 350-401 question is part of Courseiva's 1,175-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 by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.