easyMultiple Choice
CCNP Practice Question: Runs the following command on Switch SW5: SW5#…
A network engineer runs the following command on Switch SW5:
SW5# show spanning-tree vlan 50
VLAN0050 Spanning tree enabled protocol ieee Root ID Priority 24626 Address aabb.cc00.0800 Cost 4 Port 1 (GigabitEthernet0/1) Hello Time 2 sec Max Age 20 sec Forward Delay 15 sec
Bridge ID Priority 32768 (priority 32768 sys-id-ext 50) Address aabb.cc00.0900 Hello Time 2 sec Max Age 20 sec Forward Delay 15 sec Aging Time 300 sec
Interface Role Sts Cost Prio.Nbr Type
------------------- ---- --- --------- -------- ------------------------------ Gi0/1 Root FWD 4 128.1 P2p Gi0/2 Desg FWD 4 128.2 P2p Gi0/3 Desg FWD 4 128.3 P2p Gi0/4 Altn BLK 4 128.4 P2p
Based on this output, how many ports are in the Forwarding state?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the ability to distinguish between port roles and port states; candidates may confuse the number of ports in a role (e.g., Root, Designated) with the number in the Forwarding state, or mistakenly count the Alternate port as forwarding because it has a role, ignoring its BLK state.
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
✓
3
The output shows four interfaces: Gi0/1 (Root FWD), Gi0/2 (Desg FWD), Gi0/3 (Desg FWD), and Gi0/4 (Altn BLK). Three ports (Gi0/1, Gi0/2, Gi0/3) are in the Forwarding state, while Gi0/4 is in the Blocking state. Therefore, the correct answer is 3.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
1
Why it's wrong here
Option 1 is incorrect because the spanning-tree output shows more than one port in the Forwarding state. Specifically, Gi0/1, Gi0/2, and Gi0/3 all report state FWD, so counting only a single forwarding port ignores two additional active interfaces. A single forwarding port would only be true if the other two were in Listening, Learning, or Blocking, which is not the case here.
- ✗
2
Why it's wrong here
Option 2 is incorrect because the output reveals three interfaces, not two, are in the Forwarding state. While Gi0/1 and Gi0/2 might be easily noticed as forwarding, Gi0/3 is also in FWD state, and omitting it undercounts the forwarding ports on this switch. The actual count must include every non-blocking interface that is fully converged and passing traffic, which totals three.
- ✓
3
Why this is correct
Option 3 is correct. The `show spanning-tree` output for this VLAN/instance lists Gi0/1, Gi0/2, and Gi0/3 in the Forwarding (FWD) state, meaning these three ports are actively forwarding Ethernet frames. Gi0/4 is shown in the Blocking (BLK) state, so it is not forwarding user traffic. Therefore, exactly three ports are in the forwarding state, making answer 3 the correct choice.
- ✗
4
Why it's wrong here
Option 4 is incorrect because Gi0/4 is not in the Forwarding state; the spanning-tree output clearly marks it as BLK (Blocking). A Blocking port does not forward user frames and only listens for BPDUs to maintain STP participation. Since Gi0/4 is blocked, counting it as a forwarding port would overstate the number of active forwarding interfaces, which remains three.
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.