Quick Answer
The correct construct is a contract with filter and subject. This is required for ACI microsegmentation because the contract defines the explicit communication rules between EPGs, the filter specifies the L4/L7 parameters such as protocol and ports, and the subject binds the filter to the contract, enabling policy enforcement based solely on EPG membership rather than IP address. On the Cisco DCCOR 350-601 exam, this concept tests your understanding of how intra-VRF microsegmentation decouples policy from IP addressing, a common trap being the mistaken belief that a simple filter alone suffices—without the subject, the filter has no binding to a contract. Remember the mnemonic: "Contract connects, filter defines, subject binds."
This 350-601 practice question tests your understanding of security. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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.
An ACI fabric administrator wants to enable microsegmentation for workloads in a Virtual Routing and Forwarding (VRF) instance. The security policy must allow communication between two endpoints based on their EPG (Endpoint Group) membership, regardless of IP address. Which construct must be used?
Contract with filter and subject
Contracts in ACI define allowed traffic between EPGs based on filters.
vzAny
Why wrong: vzAny applies contracts to all EPGs in a VRF, not specific microsegmentation.
VRF
Why wrong: VRF provides separation but does not define microsegmentation policies.
Bridge Domain (BD)
Why wrong: BD is a Layer 2 forwarding construct.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Contract with filter and subject
A contract with a filter and subject is required to enable microsegmentation in ACI because it defines the explicit rules for communication between EPGs. The contract specifies which EPGs can talk to each other, the filter defines the L4/L7 parameters (e.g., protocol, ports), and the subject binds the filter to the contract, allowing policy enforcement regardless of IP address. This is the only construct that supports EPG-based security policies for intra-VRF microsegmentation.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Contract with filter and subject
Why this is correct
Contracts in ACI define allowed traffic between EPGs based on filters.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
vzAny
Why it's wrong here
vzAny applies contracts to all EPGs in a VRF, not specific microsegmentation.
VRF
Why it's wrong here
VRF provides separation but does not define microsegmentation policies.
Bridge Domain (BD)
Why it's wrong here
BD is a Layer 2 forwarding construct.
Common exam traps
Cisco often tests the misconception that vzAny or the VRF itself can replace a contract for EPG-to-EPG microsegmentation, but the trap is that vzAny is a global policy object and the VRF is only a routing context—neither provides the granular, EPG-specific permit/deny rules that a contract with filter and subject enforces.
Detailed technical explanation
In ACI, microsegmentation uses contracts with filters to allow or deny traffic based on EPG membership, leveraging the OpFlex protocol to push policies to leaf switches. The contract subject can include a 'reverse filter' flag for stateful inspection, and the filter can match on Ethernet type, IP protocol, or port ranges, but the key is that the EPG identity is derived from the endpoint's encapsulation (e.g., VXLAN VNID), not its IP address. A real-world scenario is isolating PCI-compliant workloads in a shared VRF, where only specific EPGs (e.g., 'Web' and 'App') can communicate via a contract, while others are blocked, regardless of IP subnet.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the 350-601 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
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FAQ
Security — This question tests Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Contract with filter and subject — A contract with a filter and subject is required to enable microsegmentation in ACI because it defines the explicit rules for communication between EPGs. The contract specifies which EPGs can talk to each other, the filter defines the L4/L7 parameters (e.g., protocol, ports), and the subject binds the filter to the contract, allowing policy enforcement regardless of IP address. This is the only construct that supports EPG-based security policies for intra-VRF microsegmentation.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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