350-501 Architecture Practice Question
Which network architecture model separates the control plane and data plane in a way that allows for centralized control and distributed forwarding?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the misconception that MPLS or VPN architectures inherently separate control and data planes, but they do not centralize control—they still rely on distributed protocols like LDP or MP-BGP, which is the key distinction from SDN.
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
✓
SDN architecture
Software-Defined Networking (SDN) architecture explicitly separates the control plane from the data plane, centralizing network intelligence in a controller while leaving packet forwarding to distributed switches and routers. This decoupling enables programmatic, centralized control of the network, with the controller (e.g., OpenDaylight, Cisco APIC) making forwarding decisions and pushing flow entries to devices via protocols like OpenFlow or OpFlex. The result is a logically centralized brain with physically distributed forwarding, which is the defining characteristic of SDN.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
SDN architecture
Why this is correct
SDN centralizes control while keeping forwarding distributed.
- ✗
MPLS architecture
Why it's wrong here
MPLS is a forwarding mechanism; control plane can be distributed.
- ✗
VPN architecture
Why it's wrong here
VPN provides overlay networks; control plane is not necessarily centralized.
- ✗
QoS architecture
Why it's wrong here
QoS deals with traffic prioritization, not separation of planes.
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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.