350-501 Automation and Quality of Services Practice Question
An SP uses traffic policing and shaping to manage bandwidth. Which statement best describes the difference between the two mechanisms?
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
✓
Shaping buffers excess traffic to smooth bursts, while policing drops or re-marks excess traffic.
Shaping buffers excess packets to smooth traffic and reduce bursts, while policing drops or re-marks excess packets to enforce a strict rate limit.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Both mechanisms buffer excess traffic but policing uses a smaller buffer.
Why it's wrong here
Policing typically does not buffer; it drops or re-marks.
- ✗
Shaping drops excess traffic while policing buffers it.
Why it's wrong here
This is the opposite: shaping buffers, policing drops.
- ✗
Policing buffers excess traffic while shaping drops it.
Why it's wrong here
This is reversed; policing drops, shaping buffers.
- ✓
Shaping buffers excess traffic to smooth bursts, while policing drops or re-marks excess traffic.
Why this is correct
Correct definition.
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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.