350-501 Automation and Quality of Service Practice Question
This 350-501 practice question tests your understanding of automation and quality of service. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
An SP engineer implements LLQ for VoIP traffic on a DS3 link. The policy-map calls for a priority queue of 500 kbps. The actual VoIP traffic averages 400 kbps with bursts to 600 kbps. What is the expected behavior during bursts?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The priority queue drops all traffic above the configured 500 kbps during the burst.
C is correct because the priority queue in a Low Latency Queueing (LLQ) policy is policed at the configured rate (500 kbps). When VoIP traffic bursts exceed this rate, the excess packets are dropped immediately by the policer, not queued or reclassified. This ensures that the priority queue does not starve other queues and maintains low latency for conforming traffic.
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.
✗
The excess traffic is reclassified to best-effort and placed in the default queue.
Why it's wrong here
No automatic reclassification; drops occur.
✗
The priority queue uses tail-drop and discards only when the queue is full.
Why it's wrong here
Priority queue has a policer; drops based on rate, not queue depth.
✓
The priority queue drops all traffic above the configured 500 kbps during the burst.
Why this is correct
LLQ polices the priority queue to its configured rate; excess is dropped.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The excess traffic is queued in the priority queue until bandwidth is available.
Why it's wrong here
Priority queue is rate-limited; excess is dropped, not queued.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the misconception that the priority queue can buffer excess traffic or reclassify it, when in fact LLQ uses a policer to drop traffic exceeding the configured bandwidth to protect other queues.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, LLQ implements a class-based policer for the priority queue using a token bucket mechanism. The configured 500 kbps is the policed rate, and bursts up to the configured burst size (default is based on the interface MTU) are allowed, but sustained bursts above the rate are dropped. In real-world scenarios, this can cause VoIP call quality degradation during micro-bursts if the policer is too restrictive, making it critical to size the priority queue bandwidth based on peak traffic analysis.
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.
Automation and Quality of Service — This question tests Automation and Quality of Service — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The priority queue drops all traffic above the configured 500 kbps during the burst. — C is correct because the priority queue in a Low Latency Queueing (LLQ) policy is policed at the configured rate (500 kbps). When VoIP traffic bursts exceed this rate, the excess packets are dropped immediately by the policer, not queued or reclassified. This ensures that the priority queue does not starve other queues and maintains low latency for conforming traffic.
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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Question Discussion
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