mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
350-701 Practice Question: Refer to the exhibit
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 0Refer 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?
⚠ Common exam trap
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.
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
✓
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.
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.
- ✗
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.
Quick reference
VPN Protocol Comparison
| Protocol | Port | Encryption | Authentication | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IKEv2 / IPsec | UDP 500 / 4500 | AES-256 | Certificates / PSK | Site-to-site & remote access |
| SSL / TLS VPN | TCP 443 | TLS 1.3 | Certificates / MFA | Clientless remote access |
| L2TP / IPsec | UDP 1701 | AES (IPsec) | PSK / Certificates | Legacy remote access |
| WireGuard | UDP 51820 | ChaCha20 | Public keys | Modern high-performance VPN |
| PPTP | TCP 1723 | MPPE (weak) | MS-CHAPv2 | Legacy — avoid in production |
PPTP is considered insecure. IKEv2/IPsec and SSL VPN are the current recommended options.
Go deeper
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 350-701 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 350-701 exam.