- A
Shaping buffers excess traffic; policing drops or re-marks
Correct; shaping buffers, policing drops.
- B
Shaping is only for ingress; policing for egress
Why wrong: Incorrect; both can be applied in either direction.
- C
Shaping drops excess traffic; policing buffers it
Why wrong: Incorrect; opposite.
- D
Both perform the same function
Why wrong: Incorrect; they are different.
Question 144 of 1,000
350-501 Automation and Quality of Services Practice Question
This 350-501 practice question tests your understanding of automation and quality of services. 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.
What is the main difference between traffic shaping and traffic policing?
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; policing drops or re-marks
Traffic shaping buffers excess traffic that exceeds the configured rate, smoothing bursts and delaying packets to conform to the desired rate. Traffic policing, on the other hand, immediately drops or re-marks packets that exceed the rate limit, without buffering. This fundamental difference in handling excess traffic—buffering versus dropping/re-marking—is the key distinction between the two QoS mechanisms.
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.
- ✓
Shaping buffers excess traffic; policing drops or re-marks
Why this is correct
Correct; shaping buffers, policing drops.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Shaping is only for ingress; policing for egress
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect; both can be applied in either direction.
- ✗
Shaping drops excess traffic; policing buffers it
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect; opposite.
- ✗
Both perform the same function
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect; they are different.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the misconception that shaping and policing are interchangeable or that shaping drops traffic, when in fact the core difference is buffering versus immediate action (drop/re-mark).
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Shaping uses a token bucket or leaky bucket algorithm to queue packets that exceed the committed information rate (CIR), allowing bursts up to the committed burst size (Bc) and excess burst size (Be). Policing also uses a token bucket but does not queue; instead, it immediately applies an action (e.g., drop, set IP precedence, or set DSCP) when the token bucket is empty. In real-world scenarios, shaping is preferred for egress traffic to avoid TCP global synchronization, while policing is often used at network ingress to enforce service-level agreements (SLAs) without introducing delay.
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.
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Automation and Quality of Services — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 350-501 question test?
Automation and Quality of Services — This question tests Automation and Quality of Services — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Shaping buffers excess traffic; policing drops or re-marks — Traffic shaping buffers excess traffic that exceeds the configured rate, smoothing bursts and delaying packets to conform to the desired rate. Traffic policing, on the other hand, immediately drops or re-marks packets that exceed the rate limit, without buffering. This fundamental difference in handling excess traffic—buffering versus dropping/re-marking—is the key distinction between the two QoS mechanisms.
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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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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.
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