350-601 Network Practice Question
Which VLAN trunking protocol is used by default on Cisco Nexus switches to carry multiple VLANs over a single link?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the misconception that DTP or VTP is a trunking protocol, but the trap here is that candidates confuse negotiation or management protocols with the actual encapsulation method used to carry VLAN traffic over a trunk link.
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
✓
802.1Q
802.1Q is the IEEE standard trunking protocol used by default on Cisco Nexus switches to carry multiple VLANs over a single link. Unlike older Cisco switches that defaulted to ISL, Nexus switches exclusively support 802.1Q encapsulation for VLAN trunking, as ISL is not supported on the NX-OS platform.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
VTP
Why it's wrong here
VTP is a VLAN propagation protocol, not a trunking protocol.
- ✗
DTP
Why it's wrong here
DTP is a protocol for dynamic trunk negotiation, not trunking itself.
- ✗
ISL
Why it's wrong here
ISL is a Cisco proprietary trunking protocol not used on Nexus switches.
- ✓
802.1Q
Why this is correct
802.1Q is the standard trunking protocol used on Nexus switches.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.