hardMultiple Choice
CCNP Practice Question: Runs the following command on Router R8: R8# show…
A network engineer runs the following command on Router R8:
R8# show ip dhcp server statistics
Memory usage: 12345 Address pools: 2 Database agents: 0 Automatic bindings: 10 Manual bindings: 2 Expired bindings: 1 Malformed messages: 0
Message Received
BOOTREQUEST 0
DHCPDISCOVER 100 DHCPREQUEST 95 DHCPDECLINE 1 DHCPRELEASE 2 DHCPINFORM 0
Based on this output, what can be concluded?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the ability to interpret DHCP server statistics by presenting numbers that seem to imply a direct relationship (like DISCOVER vs. REQUEST) and expects candidates to understand the DORA flow rather than jumping to conclusions about rejections or malformed messages.
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
✓
The DHCP server has received more DHCPDISCOVER messages than DHCPREQUEST messages, indicating some clients did not proceed to request.
The DHCP server received 100 DHCPDISCOVER messages but only 95 DHCPREQUEST messages. This indicates that 5 clients sent DHCPDISCOVER messages but did not proceed to send a DHCPREQUEST, which could be due to network issues, client configuration, or the client not selecting an offered IP address. The DHCP process requires a client to send a DHCPREQUEST after receiving a DHCPOFFER, so the discrepancy shows incomplete DORA (Discover, Offer, Request, Acknowledge) cycles.
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 DHCP server has received more DHCPDISCOVER messages than DHCPREQUEST messages, indicating some clients did not proceed to request.
Why this is correct
In DORA, a client first sends DHCPDISCOVER to locate servers; after receiving DHCPOFFER, it sends DHCPREQUEST to accept the offered lease. Because the server logged 100 DISCOVERs but only 95 REQUESTs, five clients either received no suitable offer or abandoned the process before accepting. Thus, the count mismatch directly indicates some clients failed to proceed past the offer phase.
- ✗
The DHCP server has 12 active leases.
Why it's wrong here
Although the server may indeed be maintaining 12 active leases—if it has 10 automatic bindings plus 2 manual reservations—this figure is not the conclusion called for by the observed packet counts. The DISCOVER/REQUEST discrepancy is a process issue, not a lease-count statistic. The total active lease count cannot account for the five missing DHCPREQUEST messages, so this option is true but irrelevant.
- ✗
The DHCP server rejected 5 DHCPDISCOVER messages.
Why it's wrong here
A DHCP server never rejects a DHCPDISCOVER; it may ignore it or withhold a DHCPOFFER, but rejection with DHCPNAK is reserved for DHCPREQUEST or DHCPDECLINE messages. The counters show 100 DISCOVERs were received and 95 REQUESTs arrived afterward, yet no NAK counter is mentioned. Therefore, the missing five REQUESTs do not imply the server rejected DISCOVERs; they only show clients did not return to the request phase.
- ✗
The DHCP server has 2 manual bindings that are static reservations.
Why it's wrong here
Manual bindings are indeed statically configured reservations, but stating there are two just describes one slice of the binding table. It does not explain why 100 DHCPDISCOVERs produced only 95 DHCPREQUESTs; static reservations themselves never generate DISCOVER/REQUEST counts. Since the question targets the five-message gap, this option, while factually accurate, is not the best answer.
Visual reference
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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.