350-501 Networking Practice Question
A service provider is designing a Layer 2 MPLS VPN to connect multiple customer sites. Which technology should be used to provide end-to-end Ethernet service with MAC address transparency and support for multiple customer VLANs?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between point-to-point (VPWS) and multipoint (VPLS) services, and candidates mistakenly choose VPWS when the question explicitly requires connecting multiple sites with MAC transparency.
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
✓
VPLS (Virtual Private LAN Service)
VPLS (Virtual Private LAN Service) is the correct choice because it emulates an Ethernet bridge across an MPLS core, providing MAC address transparency and supporting multiple customer VLANs through a multipoint-to-multipoint topology. Unlike point-to-point services, VPLS learns MAC addresses and forwards frames based on them, enabling end-to-end Ethernet service across distributed sites.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
MPLS Traffic Engineering (MPLS TE)
Why it's wrong here
MPLS TE optimizes traffic flows, but does not provide Layer 2 VPN services.
- ✓
VPLS (Virtual Private LAN Service)
Why this is correct
VPLS provides multipoint Ethernet services with MAC address transparency and supports multiple VLANs via QinQ or VLAN mapping.
- ✗
VPWS (Virtual Private Wire Service)
Why it's wrong here
VPWS is a point-to-point service, not multipoint, and does not support MAC learning across multiple sites.
- ✗
RSVP-TE signaling
Why it's wrong here
RSVP-TE is used to establish TE tunnels, not to provide L2VPN services.
Visual reference
Quick reference
Access Control Model Comparison
| Model | Acronym | Who Controls Access? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discretionary Access Control | DAC | Resource owner | Small teams, file shares |
| Mandatory Access Control | MAC | System / security labels | Classified govt / military |
| Role-Based Access Control | RBAC | Administrator (via roles) | Enterprise environments |
| Attribute-Based Access Control | ABAC | Policy engine (user + resource attributes) | Fine-grained, dynamic policies |
| Rule-Based Access Control | RuBAC | System rules / ACLs | Firewall rules, network ACLs |
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 350-501 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 350-501 exam.