easyMultiple Select
CCNP Practice Question: Which three statements about Syslog severity…
Which three statements about Syslog severity levels are true? (Choose three.)
⚠ Common exam trap
350-401 often tests the counterintuitive numeric ordering of syslog severities — candidates assume higher numbers mean higher severity (like most scales) and misjudge comparisons such as Warning (4) vs. Error (3).
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
✓
Severity level 0 (Emergency) indicates that the system is unusable.
Option A is correct because Syslog severity level 0 is Emergency, meaning the system is unusable and requires immediate attention. Option B is correct because severity level 5 is Notice, defined as a normal but significant condition that is not an error. Option D is correct because severity level 7 is Debugging, the lowest severity level in the Syslog scale, used for debug-level messages. Option C is incorrect because severity level 6 is Informational, which covers normal operational messages that do not require immediate action. Option E is incorrect because severity level 4 (Warning) is less severe than level 3 (Error), since lower numeric values indicate higher severity in Syslog.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Severity level 0 (Emergency) indicates that the system is unusable.
Why this is correct
Severity 0 maps to Emergency, defined in RFC 5424 as the system being unusable — the highest-urgency condition, where the device can no longer perform its function. This satisfies the stem's requirement for a true statement about Syslog severity levels, since level 0 is the most severe classification.
- ✓
Severity level 5 (Notice) is a normal but significant condition.
Why this is correct
Severity 5 (Notice) denotes a normal but significant condition, sitting between Informational (6) and Warning (4) on Syslog's 0–7 scale. This satisfies the stem's requirement for a true statement about severity levels, since Notice signals unusual events warranting attention without indicating any error or failure.
- ✗
Severity level 6 (Informational) is used for informational messages that require immediate action.
Why it's wrong here
Level 6 (Informational) carries routine messages needing no action; immediate-action events map to levels 0-3. It tempts because Informational sits above Debug and can accompany notable events, but any severity demanding immediate response is Emergency, Alert, Critical or Error, never Informational.
- ✓
Severity level 7 (Debugging) is the lowest severity level.
Why this is correct
Severity 7 (Debugging) sits at the bottom of the Syslog scale, where lower numbers denote greater urgency and higher numbers denote decreasing severity. It satisfies the stem's requirement for a true statement by correctly identifying the least severe level, used for diagnostic detail rather than operational faults.
- ✗
Severity level 4 (Warning) is more severe than level 3 (Error).
Why it's wrong here
Syslog severity numbers run inversely: lower values are more severe, so level 3 (Error) outranks level 4 (Warning). The option inverts that ordering. It tempts because the words themselves imply Warning sounds graver than Error, yet the numeric scale, not the label, defines precedence.
About these practice questions
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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
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.