The answer is EVPN Route Type 2, the MAC/IP Advertisement route, because it supports explicit MAC address withdrawal through BGP Withdraw messages. When a PE detects that a MAC address has become inactive, it sends a BGP Withdraw for the specific Route Type 2 route, removing that MAC from the control plane of all other PEs. This ensures only active MACs are advertised, directly meeting the customer requirement. On the Cisco SPCOR 350-501 exam, this concept tests your understanding of how EVPN-MPLS handles MAC mobility and stale entries—a common trap is confusing Route Type 2 withdrawal with the MAC mass-withdrawal mechanism of Route Type 4 (Ethernet Segment). Remember: for individual MAC withdrawal, think Type 2; for all MACs on a failed link, think Type 4. A helpful memory tip is “Type 2: one MAC, one withdraw.”
350-501 Architecture Practice Question
This 350-501 practice question tests your understanding of architecture. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
A service provider is deploying EVPN-MPLS for L2VPN services. The customer requires that MAC addresses learned from one PE are not advertised to other PEs unless they are active. Which EVPN route type is used for MAC address withdrawal?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Route Type 2: MAC/IP Advertisement
Option C is correct because EVPN Route Type 2 (MAC/IP Advertisement) carries both MAC addresses and their associated IP addresses, and it supports a 'sticky' or 'withdraw' mechanism via the BGP Withdraw message. When a MAC address becomes inactive on a PE, the PE sends a BGP Withdraw for the specific Route Type 2 route, effectively removing that MAC from the control plane of other PEs. This ensures that only active MAC addresses are advertised, meeting the customer requirement.
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.
✗
Route Type 5: IP Prefix
Why it's wrong here
Type 5 is for inter-subnet forwarding, not MAC withdrawal.
✗
Route Type 1: Ethernet Auto-Discovery (A-D)
Why it's wrong here
A-D routes are used for redundancy and aliasing, not MAC withdrawal.
✓
Route Type 2: MAC/IP Advertisement
Why this is correct
MAC addresses are advertised in Type 2 routes; withdrawal is done by withdrawing the route.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Route Type 3: Inclusive Multicast Ethernet Tag
Why it's wrong here
Type 3 is for multicast forwarding, not MAC withdrawal.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between Route Type 2 for individual MAC withdrawal and Route Type 1 for mass Ethernet segment withdrawal, leading candidates to confuse the two when the question specifies 'MAC addresses learned from one PE' rather than a segment-level failure.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, EVPN Route Type 2 carries the MAC address, IP address (optional), Ethernet Tag ID, and MPLS labels. Withdrawal is performed by sending a BGP UPDATE with the withdrawn route's NLRI, which removes the MAC from the remote PE's MAC-VRF table. In real-world scenarios, this is critical for preventing stale MAC entries in large data center fabrics or service provider networks where hosts move frequently, ensuring fast convergence and avoiding blackholing traffic.
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 practitioner preparing for the 350-501 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
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.
Architecture — This question tests Architecture — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Route Type 2: MAC/IP Advertisement — Option C is correct because EVPN Route Type 2 (MAC/IP Advertisement) carries both MAC addresses and their associated IP addresses, and it supports a 'sticky' or 'withdraw' mechanism via the BGP Withdraw message. When a MAC address becomes inactive on a PE, the PE sends a BGP Withdraw for the specific Route Type 2 route, effectively removing that MAC from the control plane of other PEs. This ensures that only active MAC addresses are advertised, meeting the customer requirement.
What should I do if I get this 350-501 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.
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