Quick Answer
The answer is the Multi-Exit Discriminator (MED) attribute, which is preferred with the lowest value. This is because MED is a metric used to influence inbound traffic into an autonomous system (AS) when multiple entry points exist; a lower MED value tells a neighboring AS to prefer that specific path over others with higher values, effectively making it a tie-breaking mechanism for routes learned from the same neighbor AS. On the ENCOR 350-401 exam, this concept tests your understanding of BGP path selection, specifically the fourth step in the decision process after weight, local preference, and locally originated routes. A common trap is confusing MED with local preference—remember that local preference is higher-is-better for outbound traffic, while MED is lower-is-better for inbound traffic. To lock it in, think of the mnemonic "MED is the lowest bidder"—just like a contractor wins a bid with the lowest price, the lowest MED wins the traffic.
This 350-401 practice question tests your understanding of network function virtualization. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
Which BGP attribute is preferred with the lowest value?
MED
Correct. Lower MED is preferred in BGP path selection.
Local Preference
Why wrong: Incorrect. Higher Local Preference is preferred.
Weight
Why wrong: Incorrect. Higher Weight is preferred.
Origin
Why wrong: Incorrect. Origin types have a preference order: IGP (i) < EGP (e) < incomplete (?). Lower is not always better; it is a comparison of type, not value.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
MED
MED (Multi-Exit Discriminator) is a BGP attribute that is preferred with the lowest value. It is used to influence inbound traffic to an AS when multiple entry points exist, and a lower MED value is more preferred over a higher one.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
MED
Why this is correct
Correct. Lower MED is preferred in BGP path selection.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Local Preference
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Higher Local Preference is preferred.
Weight
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Higher Weight is preferred.
Origin
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Origin types have a preference order: IGP (i) < EGP (e) < incomplete (?). Lower is not always better; it is a comparison of type, not value.
Common exam traps
Cisco often tests the confusion between attributes that use 'lowest is best' (like MED and IGP metric) versus 'highest is best' (like Local Preference and Weight), so candidates mistakenly apply the 'highest is best' rule to MED.
Detailed technical explanation
MED is an optional non-transitive attribute exchanged between neighboring ASes, typically set using the 'set metric' route-map command or the 'default-metric' command under BGP. In real-world scenarios, MED is used to prefer a specific path when multiple links exist to the same neighbor AS, but it is only compared if the paths come from the same neighboring AS (unless 'bgp always-compare-med' is configured).
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
Network Function Virtualization — This question tests Network Function Virtualization — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: MED — MED (Multi-Exit Discriminator) is a BGP attribute that is preferred with the lowest value. It is used to influence inbound traffic to an AS when multiple entry points exist, and a lower MED value is more preferred over a higher one.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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.
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