The answer is that the consumer EPG is not configured to consume the contract, even though the provider EPG has it applied. In Cisco ACI, a contract is a unidirectional policy that must be explicitly provided by one EPG and consumed by another; without the consumer EPG actively selecting the contract under its Contract & Graphs tab, the contract is never enforced, and traffic is dropped regardless of how correct the provider-side configuration appears. This scenario is a classic trap on the Cisco DCCOR / CCNP Data Center Core 350-601 exam, testing your understanding that contract application is a two-sided operation—many candidates assume a single configuration is sufficient. The contract statistics showing zero permitted packets are the key clue: they confirm the contract is not being applied to the traffic flow at all. Memory tip: think of it as a handshake—both sides must reach out, or the connection fails.
350-601 Security Practice Question
This 350-601 practice question tests your understanding of security. Examine the command output carefully: the correct answer depends on what the output actually shows, not on general recall alone. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A Cisco ACI fabric has contracts configured to allow traffic between two EPGs. After deployment, traffic between endpoints in these EPGs is being dropped, but contract statistics show no packets have been permitted. The administrator checks the contract configuration and it looks correct. What is the most likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The contract is configured only on the provider EPG, but the consumer EPG is not consuming the contract.
The most likely cause is that the contract is configured on the provider EPG but the consumer EPG is not configured to consume it. In Cisco ACI, a contract must be explicitly provided by one EPG and consumed by another for traffic to be permitted. If the consumer EPG does not have the contract applied, the contract will not be enforced, and traffic will be dropped even if the contract configuration appears correct. The contract statistics showing no permitted packets confirm that the contract is not being applied to the traffic flow.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
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 contract is configured only on the provider EPG, but the consumer EPG is not consuming the contract.
Why this is correct
The consumer EPG must also consume the contract; otherwise, traffic is denied.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The contract is applied to the wrong VRF.
Why it's wrong here
Contracts are within a VRF, but the VRF is not the issue here.
✗
The filter direction is set to both, but the contract is using an incorrect filter.
Why it's wrong here
Filter direction likely not the cause if contract stats show no permits.
✗
The endpoints are in different VMM domains.
Why it's wrong here
VMM domains are not required for contract enforcement.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the misconception that configuring a contract on the provider EPG alone is enough to permit traffic, when in fact the consumer EPG must also explicitly consume the contract for the policy to take effect.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Filter direction likely not the cause if contract stats show no permits.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In Cisco ACI, contracts are enforced at the leaf switch level using a zone-based firewall model. The contract is only instantiated on the leaf when both the provider and consumer EPGs are present and the consumer explicitly references the contract. If the consumer EPG does not have the contract applied, the leaf switch will not install the corresponding hardware policy TCAM entries, resulting in all traffic being dropped by default. This is a common misconfiguration where administrators assume that defining a contract on the provider EPG alone is sufficient, but ACI requires explicit consumption to activate the policy.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A security administrator must allow nursing staff to reach a patient records server while blocking access from the guest Wi-Fi VLAN. After applying an extended ACL, traffic is still blocked from nursing workstations. The ACL was applied outbound instead of inbound on the wrong interface. Questions like this test ACL direction and placement rules.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Security — This question tests Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The contract is configured only on the provider EPG, but the consumer EPG is not consuming the contract. — The most likely cause is that the contract is configured on the provider EPG but the consumer EPG is not configured to consume it. In Cisco ACI, a contract must be explicitly provided by one EPG and consumed by another for traffic to be permitted. If the consumer EPG does not have the contract applied, the contract will not be enforced, and traffic will be dropped even if the contract configuration appears correct. The contract statistics showing no permitted packets confirm that the contract is not being applied to the traffic flow.
What should I do if I get this 350-601 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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