hardMultiple Choice
CCNP Practice Question: Runs the following command on Router R1: R1# show…
A network engineer runs the following command on Router R1:
R1# show bgp ipv4 unicast 10.0.0.0/8
BGP routing table entry for 10.0.0.0/8, version 25 Paths: (2 available, best #2, table default) Advertised to update-groups: 1 Refresh Epoch 1 65050 65100
10.0.1.2 from 10.0.1.2 (10.0.0.2)
Origin IGP, metric 0, localpref 100, weight 0, valid, external rx pathid: 0, tx pathid: 0x0 65050
10.0.1.3 from 10.0.1.3 (10.0.0.3)
Origin IGP, metric 0, localpref 100, weight 0, valid, external, best rx pathid: 0, tx pathid: 0x0
Based on this output, what can be concluded?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the BGP best-path selection order, and the trap here is that candidates may assume that a longer AS_PATH indicates a more specific or preferred route, or that the path with the higher neighbor IP address is chosen, when in fact BGP strictly prefers the shortest AS_PATH at this stage of the decision process.
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
✓
Path #2 is the best path because it has a shorter AS_PATH.
BGP selects the best path based on a set of well-defined tie-breaking rules. After comparing weight, local preference, and origin, the next step is AS_PATH length. Path #2 has an AS_PATH of '65050' (one AS), while Path #1 has '65050 65100' (two ASes). Since a shorter AS_PATH is preferred, Path #2 is chosen as the best path, making option B correct.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Path #1 is the best path because it has a longer AS_PATH, indicating more specific routing.
Why it's wrong here
A longer AS_PATH is never a sign of more specific routing; BGP uses the AS_PATH length to select the path with the fewest AS hops, because a longer AS path suggests more intermediate domains and thus higher network complexity. The specificity of a route is determined by the prefix length (e.g., /24 vs /16), not by AS_PATH length. Since Path #1 has an AS_PATH of 65050 65100 (length 2) versus Path #2's length 1, Path #2 is strongly preferred by this well-defined BGP rule.
- ✓
Path #2 is the best path because it has a shorter AS_PATH.
Why this is correct
BGP's best-path algorithm evaluates attributes in a fixed order: after comparing Weight, Local Preference, and locally-originated paths, it selects the route with the shortest AS_PATH. Here Path #2 carries only AS 65050 in its AS_SEQUENCE, giving it a path length of 1, while Path #1 lists 65050 65100, a length of 2. Because AS_PATH comparison occurs before any tie-breaking steps, Path #2 wins as the best path solely based on this shorter AS path.
- ✗
Both paths are equally preferred, and BGP uses tie-breaking rules like router ID.
Why it's wrong here
The two paths are not equal because their AS_PATH lengths are 2 and 1, so BGP resolves the selection at the shortest-AS_PATH step and never advances to tie-breaking criteria. Router ID and other tie-breakers, such as Neighbor ID or lowest BGP router ID, are only considered when all previous attributes—including AS_PATH length—are identical. Since Path #2 has a shorter AS path, it is selected immediately, and router ID comparison is not performed.
- ✗
Path #2 is the best path because it is received from a higher IP address.
Why it's wrong here
The IP address of the BGP neighbor that advertised a route is not a recognized factor in the BGP best-path selection process; attributes like Weight, Local Preference, AS_PATH, and MED are evaluated instead. Even if a higher neighbor IP were relevant, it would only be used as a late tie-breaker after AS_PATH and other attributes are equal. Because Path #2 has a shorter AS_PATH (1 vs 2), it is selected based on that attribute, not on the neighbor IP address.
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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.