350-501 Services Practice Question
A service provider is implementing QoS on a PE router for customer traffic. Which tool should be used to classify traffic based on application layer information?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between classification tools (NBAR, ACLs) and QoS actions (shaping, policing), so the trap here is that candidates confuse a QoS action (like shaping or policing) with the classification mechanism itself.
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
✓
MQC with NBAR
NBAR (Network-Based Application Recognition) is a deep packet inspection (DPI) engine within the Modular QoS CLI (MQC) that can identify applications by inspecting payloads up to Layer 7. This allows classification of traffic based on application-layer information such as HTTP, DNS, or proprietary protocols, which is exactly what the question requires.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Access-list
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Access-lists classify based on IP addresses, ports, and protocols, not application layer.
- ✓
MQC with NBAR
Why this is correct
Correct. NBAR can classify traffic based on application signatures.
- ✗
Shaping
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Shaping is an action to smooth traffic rates, not classify.
- ✗
Policy-map with police
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Police is an action to enforce a rate, not a classification mechanism.
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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.