350-501 Networking Practice Question
A service provider is implementing MPLS L3VPN and needs to ensure that BGP route advertisement uses a specific next-hop. Which technique ensures BGP advertises the PE-CE next-hop instead of the PE-PE loopback?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between `next-hop-self` (used to force the PE's own address as the next-hop) and `next-hop-unchanged` (used to preserve the original next-hop in inter-AS scenarios), and candidates confuse these two commands.
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
✓
next-hop-self
In MPLS L3VPN, the PE-CE next-hop (the PE interface facing the CE) must be advertised to the remote PE so that the remote PE knows to forward traffic directly to the local PE's CE-facing interface. The `next-hop-self` command on the PE forces BGP to set the next-hop to the PE's own IP address (typically the loopback or the interface used for BGP peering), which overrides the default behavior of preserving the original next-hop. This ensures that the remote PE uses the correct next-hop for VPN traffic.
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-map with set next-hop
Why it's wrong here
Possible but not the standard direct method.
- ✗
next-hop-unchanged
Why it's wrong here
This preserves the original next-hop, not desired.
- ✓
next-hop-self
Why this is correct
Sets the next-hop to the router's own address for iBGP advertisements.
- ✗
Disable next-hop-check
Why it's wrong here
Disabling check does not change the next-hop value.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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