This 350-601 practice question tests your understanding of 350-601 exam topics. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
Which protocol is recommended by Cisco for network device administration AAA due to its separation of authentication, authorization, and accounting?
LDAP
Why wrong: LDAP is for directory services, not AAA.
RADIUS
Why wrong: RADIUS combines auth and authz, and is used for 802.1X.
Kerberos
Why wrong: Kerberos is not commonly used for network device AAA.
TACACS+
Cisco recommends TACACS+ for device admin.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
TACACS+
TACACS+ encrypts the entire packet and separates AAA functions.
Key principle: Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Common exam traps
Logging in proves the user can authenticate. It does not automatically mean the user is allowed to enter privileged or configuration mode. Watch for AAA authorization, privilege level and command authorization details.
Detailed technical explanation
This kind of question is testing the difference between identity and permission. A user may successfully log in to a router because authentication is working, but still fail to enter configuration mode because authorization is missing, misconfigured or mapped to a lower privilege level.
Key takeaway
Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
Real-world example
A junior network technician can log in to a core router but cannot reach the enable prompt or configuration mode. The AAA server is authenticating the login — but the authorisation policy only grants privilege level 1, not 15. Authentication (who you are) is working; authorisation (what you can do) is not.
What to study next
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related 350-601 questions on access control and AAA configuration.
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FAQ
Authentication checks who the user is.
The correct answer is: TACACS+ — TACACS+ encrypts the entire packet and separates AAA functions.
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related 350-601 questions on access control and AAA configuration.
Authentication checks who the user is.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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