mediumMultiple Choice
CCNP Practice Question: Runs the following command on Switch SW1: SW1#…
A network engineer runs the following command on Switch SW1:
SW1# show etherchannel summary
Flags: D - down P - bundled in port-channel I - stand-alone s - suspended H - Hot-standby (LACP only) R - Layer3 S - Layer2 U - in use N - not in use, no aggregation f - failed to allocate aggregator
M - not in use, minimum links not met u - unsuitable for bundling w - waiting to be aggregated d - default port
Number of channel-groups in use: 1 Number of aggregators: 1
Group Port-channel Protocol Ports ------+-------------+-----------+-------------------------------------------- 1 Po1(SU) LACP Gi0/1(P) Gi0/2(P) Gi0/3(D)
Based on this output, what can be concluded?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the interpretation of the 'show etherchannel summary' flags, where candidates mistakenly assume a port listed in the output is active, ignoring the specific flag character (e.g., 'D' vs 'P').
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 EtherChannel has two active member links.
The output shows that Gi0/1 and Gi0/2 have a flag of 'P' (bundled in port-channel), while Gi0/3 has a flag of 'D' (down). Therefore, only two ports are actively bundled, making option D correct. The 'SU' flags on Po1 indicate the port-channel is Layer 2 (S) and in use (U), not Layer 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.
- ✗
The EtherChannel is using PAgP.
Why it's wrong here
The EtherChannel is using PAgP. The output clearly shows the EtherChannel protocol as LACP (Link Aggregation Control Protocol, IEEE 802.3ad), not PAgP (Port Aggregation Protocol, Cisco proprietary). In the 'show etherchannel summary' output, the 'Protocol' column would list LACP, confirming that PAgP is not in use. PAgP and LACP are mutually exclusive, so this option is factually incorrect.
- ✗
Port Gi0/3 is bundled in the channel.
Why it's wrong here
Port Gi0/3 is bundled in the channel. In 'show etherchannel summary', each member port is assigned a flag: 'P' means the port is bundled and actively participating in the channel, while 'D' means the port is down or administratively down. Gi0/3 shows the flag 'D', not 'P', so it is not part of the active EtherChannel bundle. Only ports with the 'P' flag are actively forwarding traffic.
- ✗
The port-channel is a Layer 3 interface.
Why it's wrong here
The port-channel is a Layer 3 interface. The output identifies the port-channel's layer type via a flag on the logical interface: 'S' signifies a Layer 2 port-channel, whereas 'R' would denote a Layer 3 routed port-channel. Since the flag shown is 'S', the EtherChannel is operating at Layer 2, making this statement incorrect. A Layer 3 port-channel would require an 'R' flag and an IP address configured on the logical interface.
- ✓
The EtherChannel has two active member links.
Why this is correct
The EtherChannel has two active member links. The 'P' flag appears on both Gi0/1 and Gi0/2, indicating that exactly two physical interfaces are bundled into the port-channel and are actively forwarding traffic. Since no other ports display the 'P' flag, the EtherChannel is active with two member links. Other ports, such as Gi0/3, show 'D' and are not part of the operational bundle, confirming the two-link count.
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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.