- A
The firewall is in a different VRF; service graphs require the firewall to be in the same VRF as the endpoints or use a shared VRF with appropriate route leaking.
ACI service graph redirection typically works within the same VRF or with PBR; different VRFs break the redirection.
- B
The firewall is not reachable from the leaf switches due to a routing issue.
Why wrong: Reachability is not the primary issue; the redirection mechanism itself is flawed due to VRF mismatch.
- C
The contract filter is misconfigured, allowing direct communication without redirection.
Why wrong: The contract filter specifies the protocol, but redirection is a separate service graph configuration.
- D
The contract is applied only to intra-EPG traffic, not inter-EPG traffic.
Why wrong: Contracts define inter-EPG traffic, not intra-EPG.
350-601 Security Practice Question
This 350-601 practice question tests your understanding of security. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 large enterprise data center uses Cisco ACI with a spine-leaf architecture. The security team requires that all traffic between the Web and App tiers be inspected by a firewall, but traffic within the same tier should be allowed directly. The Web EPG is in VRF PROD with Bridge Domain WEB-BD, and App EPG is in VRF PROD with Bridge Domain APP-BD. The firewall is connected as a service graph device in a different VRF (FW-VRF). The administrator configures a contract between Web and App EPGs that redirects traffic through the firewall. However, after implementation, traffic from Web to App is not passing through the firewall; instead, it is forwarded directly. The contract is applied correctly. 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 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 firewall is in a different VRF; service graphs require the firewall to be in the same VRF as the endpoints or use a shared VRF with appropriate route leaking.
In Cisco ACI, service graphs redirect traffic through firewall devices by inserting the firewall as a Layer 4-Layer 7 device in the traffic path. However, the service graph device must reside in the same VRF as the consumer and provider EPGs, or a shared VRF with proper route leaking must be configured, because ACI uses VRF isolation to enforce policy-based redirect (PBR). Since the firewall is in FW-VRF while both EPGs are in VRF PROD, the leaf switches cannot redirect traffic to the firewall without a common routing context, causing the contract to bypass the firewall and forward traffic directly.
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 firewall is in a different VRF; service graphs require the firewall to be in the same VRF as the endpoints or use a shared VRF with appropriate route leaking.
Why this is correct
ACI service graph redirection typically works within the same VRF or with PBR; different VRFs break the redirection.
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 firewall is not reachable from the leaf switches due to a routing issue.
Why it's wrong here
Reachability is not the primary issue; the redirection mechanism itself is flawed due to VRF mismatch.
- ✗
The contract filter is misconfigured, allowing direct communication without redirection.
Why it's wrong here
The contract filter specifies the protocol, but redirection is a separate service graph configuration.
- ✗
The contract is applied only to intra-EPG traffic, not inter-EPG traffic.
Why it's wrong here
Contracts define inter-EPG traffic, not intra-EPG.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the misconception that a service graph device can be in any VRF as long as the contract is applied correctly, but in reality, the VRF alignment is mandatory for the redirect to function.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
ACI service graphs use Policy-Based Redirect (PBR) to steer traffic through a firewall by installing hardware forwarding entries in the leaf switches' Ternary Content-Addressable Memory (TCAM). The firewall must be in the same VRF as the endpoints because the PBR next-hop is resolved via the VRF's routing table; if the firewall is in a different VRF, the leaf cannot resolve the redirect destination, and the traffic follows the default forwarding path. In real-world deployments, administrators often place the firewall in a shared VRF (e.g., common tenant) and use route leaking or a transit VRF to enable cross-VRF redirection.
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 small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 350-601 question test?
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 firewall is in a different VRF; service graphs require the firewall to be in the same VRF as the endpoints or use a shared VRF with appropriate route leaking. — In Cisco ACI, service graphs redirect traffic through firewall devices by inserting the firewall as a Layer 4-Layer 7 device in the traffic path. However, the service graph device must reside in the same VRF as the consumer and provider EPGs, or a shared VRF with proper route leaking must be configured, because ACI uses VRF isolation to enforce policy-based redirect (PBR). Since the firewall is in FW-VRF while both EPGs are in VRF PROD, the leaf switches cannot redirect traffic to the firewall without a common routing context, causing the contract to bypass the firewall and forward traffic directly.
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.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
This 350-601 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 350-601 exam.
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