The answer is that BGP EVPN advertises MAC addresses and IP addresses as routes, and the VXLAN underlay network provides IP connectivity between VTEPs. The first statement is true because BGP EVPN functions as the control plane for VXLAN, using MP-BGP to distribute MAC/IP address information as Network Layer Reachability Information (NLRI) across the overlay, enabling hosts to be reached without flooding. The second statement is correct because the underlay—typically an IP fabric running OSPF or IS-IS—establishes basic IP reachability between VTEPs, which is a prerequisite for VXLAN tunnel encapsulation and decapsulation. On the Cisco DCCOR 350-601 exam, this concept tests your understanding of how the control plane and data plane interact in modern data center fabrics; a common trap is confusing the underlay’s routing protocol with the overlay’s EVPN route advertisement. Remember the memory tip: “Underlay gets you there; EVPN tells you who is there.”
350-601 Network Practice Question
This 350-601 practice question tests your understanding of network. 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.
Which TWO statements about VXLAN BGP EVPN control plane are true? (Choose two.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The underlay network provides IP connectivity between VTEPs
Option A is correct because the VXLAN underlay network (typically an IP-based fabric using protocols like OSPF or IS-IS) provides IP connectivity between VTEPs, enabling them to encapsulate and decapsulate VXLAN packets. Without this underlay reachability, VTEPs cannot communicate, making it a foundational requirement for VXLAN operation.
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 underlay network provides IP connectivity between VTEPs
The control plane is responsible for actual data forwarding
Why it's wrong here
The control plane distributes routes; data plane forwards packets.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between the 24-bit VNI (VXLAN Network Identifier) and the 32-bit VXLAN segment ID used in some older documentation, leading candidates to mistakenly select a 32-bit identifier.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In VXLAN BGP EVPN, the underlay network uses IP routing (e.g., ECMP) to forward encapsulated VXLAN packets between VTEPs, while the overlay control plane uses BGP EVPN address family (AFI 25, SAFI 70) to advertise Type-2 (MAC/IP) and Type-3 (IMET) routes. This separation allows the underlay to be a simple IP fabric, while the overlay provides multi-tenancy and host mobility without requiring the underlay to know about MAC addresses or VLANs.
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.
Network — This question tests Network — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The underlay network provides IP connectivity between VTEPs — Option A is correct because the VXLAN underlay network (typically an IP-based fabric using protocols like OSPF or IS-IS) provides IP connectivity between VTEPs, enabling them to encapsulate and decapsulate VXLAN packets. Without this underlay reachability, VTEPs cannot communicate, making it a foundational requirement for VXLAN operation.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. In a VXLAN EVPN fabric, which protocol is used to exchange MAC and IP address reachability information among VTEPs?
easy
✓ A.BGP
B.IS-IS
C.EIGRP
D.OSPF
Why A: In a VXLAN EVPN fabric, BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) is used as the control plane protocol to exchange MAC and IP address reachability information among VTEPs. Specifically, MP-BGP (Multiprotocol BGP) with EVPN address family (AFI L2VPN / SAFI EVPN) carries Type-2 routes (MAC/IP advertisement) to distribute host reachability across the overlay network, enabling efficient MAC learning and ARP suppression.
Variation 2. In a BGP EVPN deployment, route type 2 (MAC/IP advertisement) is used to advertise MAC addresses. What additional information is carried in route type 2 for IP routing?
hard
A.IP address and route distinguisher
✓ B.IP address and MAC address
C.IP prefix and next-hop
D.MAC address and VNI
Why B: In BGP EVPN, route type 2 (MAC/IP Advertisement Route) is used to advertise both MAC addresses and their associated IP addresses. The additional information carried for IP routing is the IP address and the MAC address, enabling the control plane to support both Layer 2 bridging and Layer 3 routing (e.g., host route advertisement for IP-based forwarding). This is defined in RFC 7432, where the route type 2 NLRI includes a MAC address field and an optional IP address field.
Variation 3. In an EVPN-VXLAN fabric, a network engineer notices that MAC addresses learned from an external router are not being advertised as EVPN type-2 routes. The external router is connected to a leaf switch via a Layer 3 port. Which additional configuration is needed on the leaf switch?
hard
A.Configure `redistribute host-routes` under the BGP address-family l2vpn evpn.
B.Configure `evpn` under the VLAN interface associated with the external router's VLAN.
✓ C.Configure `ip arp evpn` on the Layer 3 interface.
D.Configure `routing-config` under BGP to enable both MAC-VRF and IP-VRF.
Why C: Option C is correct because when an external router is connected via a Layer 3 port, the leaf switch learns the router's MAC address through ARP, not through a VLAN. To advertise this MAC as an EVPN type-2 route, the `ip arp evpn` command must be configured on the Layer 3 interface. This command enables the switch to synchronize ARP entries into the EVPN BGP control plane, allowing MAC/IP advertisement for directly connected hosts on routed interfaces.
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Question Discussion
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