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.
Which THREE of the following are valid methods to secure the control plane on a Cisco Nexus 9000 switch?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Enable control plane policing (CoPP) to rate-limit control plane traffic.
Control plane policing (CoPP) is a valid method to secure the control plane on a Cisco Nexus 9000 switch. CoPP uses a policy map applied to the control plane to rate-limit or drop traffic destined to the supervisor module, protecting the CPU from excessive or malicious traffic. This is a direct control plane security mechanism defined in Cisco NX-OS.
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.
✓
Enable control plane policing (CoPP) to rate-limit control plane traffic.
Why this is correct
CoPP protects the control plane from DoS attacks.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Configure management access lists to restrict SSH/SNMP access.
Why this is correct
Management ACLs limit who can access the switch.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Disable unused services such as HTTP/HTTPS server.
Why this is correct
Reducing attack surface by disabling unnecessary services.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Enable Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD) on all interfaces.
Routing protocol auth secures routing updates, not the control plane itself.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between control plane security (CoPP, management ACLs, disabling services) and other security features like BFD or routing authentication, which protect different planes or functions.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
CoPP on Nexus 9000 switches uses a class-map to match control plane traffic (e.g., ARP, BGP, SSH) and a policy-map to apply actions like drop or police. The control plane is a virtual interface (control-plane) in NX-OS, and the policy is applied globally. In real-world scenarios, CoPP is critical during DDoS attacks to prevent CPU overload while allowing legitimate OSPF or BGP keepalives.
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 network engineer at a university connects two campus buildings via a fibre link. Both routers run OSPF, but no adjacency forms — even though both routers can ping each other. The engineer finds one router is in area 0 and the other in area 1. OSPF adjacency requires matching area numbers, hello/dead timers, and network type. IP reachability alone is not enough.
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: Enable control plane policing (CoPP) to rate-limit control plane traffic. — Control plane policing (CoPP) is a valid method to secure the control plane on a Cisco Nexus 9000 switch. CoPP uses a policy map applied to the control plane to rate-limit or drop traffic destined to the supervisor module, protecting the CPU from excessive or malicious traffic. This is a direct control plane security mechanism defined in Cisco NX-OS.
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.
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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