The answer is the missing 'send-community' command under the neighbor configuration. This is correct because BGP communities are considered an optional transitive attribute, and by default, Cisco routers do not include them in updates to any neighbor. Even if a route-map correctly sets the community values on the local router, the neighbor will never see those communities unless the send-community command is explicitly applied to the neighbor statement—this command tells the router to actually advertise the community attribute in the BGP update. On the Cisco SPCOR / CCNP Service Provider Core 350-501 exam, this concept frequently appears as a common trap: candidates focus on the route-map logic but forget that community propagation requires an explicit neighbor-level directive. The exam tests your understanding that setting a community is only half the task; sending it is a separate configuration step. A helpful memory tip is "Set it, then send it"—the route-map sets the community, but the neighbor needs the send-community command to transmit it.
350-501 Architecture Practice Question
This 350-501 practice question tests your understanding of architecture. 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.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
router bgp 65000
neighbor 10.0.0.1 remote-as 65001
neighbor 10.0.0.1 route-map SET-COMMUNITY out
!
route-map SET-COMMUNITY permit 10
match ip address prefix-list CUSTOMER_PREFIXES
set community 65000:100 65000:200
!
ip prefix-list CUSTOMER_PREFIXES seq 5 permit 192.168.0.0/24
Refer to the exhibit. A network engineer configures a BGP route-map to set communities on routes advertised to a neighbor. After applying the configuration, the engineer checks the BGP table on the neighbor router and does not see the communities. What is the most likely reason?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Refer to the exhibit.
router bgp 65000
neighbor 10.0.0.1 remote-as 65001
neighbor 10.0.0.1 route-map SET-COMMUNITY out
!
route-map SET-COMMUNITY permit 10
match ip address prefix-list CUSTOMER_PREFIXES
set community 65000:100 65000:200
!
ip prefix-list CUSTOMER_PREFIXES seq 5 permit 192.168.0.0/24
A
The prefix-list does not match the exact prefix
Why wrong: The prefix-list matches 192.168.0.0/24 exactly.
B
The community values are not in the format 'AA:NN'
Why wrong: The format 65000:100 is valid.
C
The neighbor is missing the 'send-community' command
Without 'send-community', communities are not advertised.
D
The route-map needs to be applied inbound
Why wrong: The route-map is applied outbound, which is correct for setting communities on outgoing updates.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The neighbor is missing the 'send-community' command
C is correct because BGP communities are not sent to a neighbor by default. Even if a route-map sets the community values correctly, the neighbor will not receive them unless the 'send-community' command is configured under the neighbor statement. This command enables the advertisement of the community attribute in BGP updates.
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 prefix-list does not match the exact prefix
Why it's wrong here
The prefix-list matches 192.168.0.0/24 exactly.
✗
The community values are not in the format 'AA:NN'
Why it's wrong here
The format 65000:100 is valid.
✓
The neighbor is missing the 'send-community' command
Why this is correct
Without 'send-community', communities are not advertised.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The route-map needs to be applied inbound
Why it's wrong here
The route-map is applied outbound, which is correct for setting communities on outgoing updates.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the fact that BGP attributes like communities are not sent by default, and candidates mistakenly focus on route-map logic or prefix matching rather than the explicit neighbor command required to propagate the attribute.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
BGP communities are transitive optional attributes that must be explicitly enabled for transmission using the 'neighbor x.x.x.x send-community' command (or 'send-community extended' for extended communities). Without this command, the router strips the community attribute from outbound updates, even if set via a route-map. In real-world scenarios, this is a common misconfiguration when deploying community-based routing policies, such as in MPLS VPNs or traffic engineering.
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 network engineer at a university connects two campus buildings via a fibre link. Both routers run OSPF, but no adjacency forms — even though both routers can ping each other. The engineer finds one router is in area 0 and the other in area 1. OSPF adjacency requires matching area numbers, hello/dead timers, and network type. IP reachability alone is not enough.
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.
Architecture — This question tests Architecture — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The neighbor is missing the 'send-community' command — C is correct because BGP communities are not sent to a neighbor by default. Even if a route-map sets the community values correctly, the neighbor will not receive them unless the 'send-community' command is configured under the neighbor statement. This command enables the advertisement of the community attribute in BGP updates.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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