This 350-701 practice question tests your understanding of security concepts. 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.
Exhibit
Router1#show crypto ipsec sa peer 10.1.1.2
interface: Tunnel0
Crypto map tag: VPN-CM, local addr 10.1.1.1
protected vrf: (none)
local ident (addr/mask/prot/port): (10.1.1.0/255.255.255.0/0/0)
remote ident (addr/mask/prot/port): (10.2.2.0/255.255.255.0/0/0)
current_peer 10.1.1.2 port 500
PERMIT, flags={origin_is_acl,}
#pkts encaps: 0, #pkts encrypt: 0, #pkts digest: 0
#pkts decaps: 0, #pkts decrypt: 0, #pkts verify: 0
#send errors 0, #recv errors 0
local crypto endpt.: 10.1.1.1, remote crypto endpt.: 10.1.1.2
path mtu 1500, ipsec overhead 66, media mtu 1500
current outbound spi: 0x0(0)
PFS (Y/N): N, DH group: none
inbound esp sas:
spi: 0x0(0)
transform: esp-aes 256 esp-sha-hmac ,
in use settings ={Tunnel, }
conn id: 0, flow_id: 0, sibling_flags 80000040, crypto map: VPN-CM
sa timing: remaining key lifetime (k/sec): (0/0)
IV size: 16 bytes
replay detection support: Y
inbound ah sas:
inbound pcp sas:
outbound esp sas:
spi: 0x0(0)
transform: esp-aes 256 esp-sha-hmac ,
in use settings ={Tunnel, }
conn id: 0, flow_id: 0, sibling_flags 80000040, crypto map: VPN-CM
sa timing: remaining key lifetime (k/sec): (0/0)
IV size: 16 bytes
replay detection support: Y
outbound ah sas:
outbound pcp sas:
Router1#show crypto isakmp sa
dst src state conn-id slot
10.1.1.2 10.1.1.1 MM_NO_STATE 1 0
Refer to the exhibit. An IPsec VPN tunnel between two routers is not passing traffic. IKE phase 1 is not complete (MM_NO_STATE). Phase 2 has no SA. Which issue is most likely causing the problem?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
IKE policy mismatch (e.g., encryption, hash, or pre-shared key) causes phase 1 failure.
The IKE phase 1 state is MM_NO_STATE, which indicates that the Internet Key Exchange (IKE) Main Mode negotiation has not completed. This typically occurs when the peers cannot agree on the IKE policy parameters (encryption, hash, Diffie-Hellman group, authentication method, or pre-shared key). Since phase 2 (IPsec SA) depends on a successful phase 1, the failure cascades, making an IKE policy mismatch the most likely root cause.
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 remote peer is not reachable due to a routing issue.
Why it's wrong here
Would show 'NO IKE SA' but not necessarily MM_NO_STATE; peer is reachable as it responds.
✓
IKE policy mismatch (e.g., encryption, hash, or pre-shared key) causes phase 1 failure.
Why this is correct
MM_NO_STATE indicates no IKE SA; common cause is policy or PSK mismatch.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The ACL defining interesting traffic is misconfigured.
Why it's wrong here
Would affect phase 2, not phase 1 state.
✗
Mismatched IPsec transform sets between the peers.
Why it's wrong here
The transform set appears but phase 1 is the issue.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between IKE phase 1 and phase 2 failures, and the trap here is that candidates confuse a phase 2 issue (like ACL or transform set mismatch) with a phase 1 issue, but MM_NO_STATE specifically indicates phase 1 is incomplete.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Would show 'NO IKE SA' but not necessarily MM_NO_STATE; peer is reachable as it responds.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
IKE phase 1 uses UDP port 500 and negotiates a secure channel via Main Mode or Aggressive Mode. The 'show crypto isakmp sa' output displays MM_NO_STATE when the IKE SA has not been established, often due to mismatched pre-shared keys or policy parameters like encryption (AES vs 3DES), hash (SHA vs MD5), or Diffie-Hellman group (2 vs 5). In real-world scenarios, a common subtlety is that the pre-shared key must match exactly on both peers, including case sensitivity and any leading/trailing spaces, which can cause this exact failure.
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 security administrator must allow nursing staff to reach a patient records server while blocking access from the guest Wi-Fi VLAN. After applying an extended ACL, traffic is still blocked from nursing workstations. The ACL was applied outbound instead of inbound on the wrong interface. Questions like this test ACL direction and placement rules.
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 Concepts — This question tests Security Concepts — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: IKE policy mismatch (e.g., encryption, hash, or pre-shared key) causes phase 1 failure. — The IKE phase 1 state is MM_NO_STATE, which indicates that the Internet Key Exchange (IKE) Main Mode negotiation has not completed. This typically occurs when the peers cannot agree on the IKE policy parameters (encryption, hash, Diffie-Hellman group, authentication method, or pre-shared key). Since phase 2 (IPsec SA) depends on a successful phase 1, the failure cascades, making an IKE policy mismatch the most likely root cause.
What should I do if I get this 350-701 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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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