mediumMultiple Select
CCNP Practice Question: Which two statements about SD-WAN control plane…
Which two statements about SD-WAN control plane components are true? (Choose two.)
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse the management plane (vManage) with the control plane (vSmart), and assuming edge routers are control plane devices because they run OMP.
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 vSmart controller is responsible for distributing OMP routes and policies to all edge devices in the SD-WAN fabric.
Option A is correct because the vSmart controller is the centralized control plane component in Cisco SD-WAN that runs OMP and distributes OMP routes, TLOCs, and policies to all vEdge and cEdge devices in the fabric. Option B is correct because the vBond orchestrator handles authentication and initial onboarding of edge devices, validating their certificates and providing the vManage and vSmart information needed to join the overlay. Option C is incorrect because vManage is the management plane (GUI, API, configuration), not the control plane, and it does not establish OMP sessions with edge routers. Option D is incorrect because vEdge and cEdge routers are data plane/edge devices that participate in OMP as clients, not control plane devices. Option E is incorrect because OMP runs between vSmart and the edge devices (and between vSmarts), not between vManage and vSmart.
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 vSmart controller is responsible for distributing OMP routes and policies to all edge devices in the SD-WAN fabric.
Why this is correct
The vSmart controller holds the centralised control plane: it peers with every edge device over DTLS and advertises OMP routes, policies and TLOCs, so edges never need full-mesh routing adjacencies. This satisfies the stem's requirement for a true control plane component statement.
- ✓
The vBond orchestrator is responsible for authenticating and onboarding vEdge and cEdge routers into the SD-WAN overlay.
Why this is correct
The vBond orchestrator is the only component reachable publicly; it validates edge credentials and serial numbers, then brokers NAT traversal and DTLS connections between edges and controllers. This authenticating, onboarding role matches the stem's control plane component claim.
- ✗
The vManage controller is the primary control plane component that establishes OMP sessions with all edge routers.
Why it's wrong here
vManage is the management plane, providing configuration and monitoring, not the control plane that forms OMP sessions; those sessions are established by the vSmart controllers. It is tempting because vManage is the central UI administrators interact with daily, but that role is management, not control-plane peering.
- ✗
vEdge and cEdge routers are both control plane devices that participate in OMP route exchange.
Why it's wrong here
vEdge and cEdge routers are data plane devices; they forward traffic and participate in OMP, but they are not control plane components. It is tempting because edges do exchange OMP routes with vSmart, yet the control plane itself comprises vManage, vSmart and vBond.
- ✗
The OMP protocol runs between vManage and vSmart to exchange routing information and policy updates.
Why it's wrong here
OMP runs between vSmart controllers and WAN edge routers, not between vManage and vSmart; vManage handles management, configuration and monitoring over NETCONF. It is tempting because vManage and vSmart are both centralised controllers, but OMP's endpoints are the edges.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Cisco exam blueprint
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