Drag and drop each OSPF area type on the left to its matching characteristic on the right.
Drag a concept onto its matching description — or click a concept then click the description.
Must connect all other areas and cannot be a stub
Blocks Type 5 LSAs; uses a default route for external destinations
Blocks Type 3 and Type 5 LSAs; uses a default route for all inter-area and external destinations
Allows Type 7 LSAs for external routes; ABR translates them to Type 5
Permits all LSA types including Type 3, 4, and 5
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Backbone (Area 0): Must connect all other areas and cannot be a stub
The backbone area (Area 0) connects all other areas. A stub area blocks Type 5 LSAs and uses a default route. A totally stubby area blocks both Type 3 and Type 5 LSAs, using only a default route. An NSSA (Not-So-Stubby Area) allows Type 7 LSAs for external routes and converts them to Type 5 at the ABR.
Visual reference
Quick reference
| Protocol | Metric | Max Hops | Algorithm | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RIP v2 | Hop count | 15 | Bellman-Ford | Distance vector |
| OSPF | Cost (bandwidth) | Unlimited | Dijkstra (SPF) | Link state |
| EIGRP | Composite metric | Unlimited | DUAL | Hybrid |
| IS-IS | Cost | Unlimited | Dijkstra | Link state |
| BGP | Policy / attributes | Unlimited | Path vector | Path vector |
RIP's 15-hop limit makes it unsuitable for large networks. OSPF and EIGRP dominate modern enterprise deployments.
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Variation 1. Drag and drop each OSPF area type on the left to its matching characteristic on the right.
mediumWhy P1: Backbone area (0) connects all other areas; Stub area blocks Type 5 LSAs but allows Type 3; Totally stubby area blocks both Type 5 and Type 3 (default route only); NSSA allows Type 7 LSAs for external routes but blocks Type 5; NSSA totally stubby blocks Type 5 and Type 3 but allows Type 7.
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.