350-501 Automation and Quality of Services Practice Question
A service provider is implementing QoS for voice traffic using the DiffServ model. Which DSCP value should be assigned to voice packets to ensure the highest priority treatment?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between voice bearer (DSCP 46/EF) and voice signaling (DSCP 26/AF31), so the trap here is that candidates may confuse DSCP 26 (signaling) with the highest priority for voice payloads.
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
✓
DSCP 46
DSCP 46 (binary 101110) corresponds to the Per-Hop Behavior (PHB) of Expedited Forwarding (EF), which is defined in RFC 3246 for low-loss, low-latency, and low-jitter treatment. Voice traffic requires the highest priority in a DiffServ domain, and EF (DSCP 46) is the standard marking for voice bearer packets to ensure they receive strict priority queuing.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
DSCP 26
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect; DSCP 26 is not a standard EF value.
- ✓
DSCP 46
Why this is correct
Correct; DSCP 46 (EF) is used for voice.
- ✗
DSCP 34
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect; DSCP 34 is AF41 voice-admit, not standard voice.
- ✗
DSCP 0
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect; DSCP 0 is best effort.
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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.