This 350-701 practice question tests your understanding of secure network access, visibility and enforcement. Examine the command output carefully: the correct answer depends on what the output actually shows, not on general recall alone. 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 engineer notices that the 'show authentication sessions' command on a switch shows a session in 'CRITICAL' state. What does this indicate?
The host is being authenticated via MAB
Why wrong: MAB would show 'Running' or 'Authc in progress'.
The authentication server is unreachable and the port is using the critical VLAN
CRITICAL state indicates critical fallback.
The port is administratively down
Why wrong: Would show 'Down' state.
The authentication attempt was rejected by the RADIUS server
Why wrong: That would show 'Authz Failed' or 'Unauthorized'.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
The authentication server is unreachable and the port is using the critical VLAN
Option C is correct because a CRITICAL state means the port has fallen back to the critical VLAN due to authentication server unavailability. Option A is incorrect because 'Authz Failed' indicates a different failure. Option B is incorrect because administratively down would show different state. Option D is incorrect because MAB is a method, not a state.
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.
The host is being authenticated via MAB
Why it's wrong here
MAB would show 'Running' or 'Authc in progress'.
The authentication server is unreachable and the port is using the critical VLAN
Why this is correct
CRITICAL state indicates critical fallback.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
The port is administratively down
Why it's wrong here
Would show 'Down' state.
The authentication attempt was rejected by the RADIUS server
Why it's wrong here
That would show 'Authz Failed' or 'Unauthorized'.
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.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
MAB would show 'Running' or 'Authc in progress'.
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 help-desk technician troubleshoots why a newly connected PC cannot reach shared printers on the same floor. The cable is good, the switch port is active, but the PC is in VLAN 20 and the printers are in VLAN 10. The uplink trunk only allows VLAN 10. A trunk being up does not mean every VLAN crosses it.
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 350-701 questions on access control and AAA configuration.
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FAQ
Secure Network Access, Visibility and Enforcement — This question tests Secure Network Access, Visibility and Enforcement — Authentication checks who the user is..
The correct answer is: The authentication server is unreachable and the port is using the critical VLAN — Option C is correct because a CRITICAL state means the port has fallen back to the critical VLAN due to authentication server unavailability. Option A is incorrect because 'Authz Failed' indicates a different failure. Option B is incorrect because administratively down would show different state. Option D is incorrect because MAB is a method, not a state.
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related 350-701 questions on access control and AAA configuration.
Authentication checks who the user is.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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