350-501 Services Practice Question
Which two statements about MPLS Layer 3 VPN route target (RT) communities are correct?
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
✓
RTs must be manually configured on every PE router for each VRF.
Route targets (RTs) are BGP extended community attributes used to control the import and export of VPN routes between VRFs on PE routers. Option D is correct. While auto-RT can automatically generate RTs, many deployments require manual configuration on each PE for each VRF, especially when custom RTs are needed; therefore, option A is also correct. Option B is incorrect because loop prevention in MPLS VPNs uses mechanisms like AS-override and allowas-in, not RTs. Option C is incorrect because the next-hop IP address for VPN prefixes is determined by the BGP next-hop attribute, not RTs. Option E is incorrect because RTs are carried within BGP VPNv4 updates as extended communities, not in the IP header.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
RTs must be manually configured on every PE router for each VRF.
Why this is correct
Incorrect: RTs can be auto-generated using the Auto-RT feature.
- ✗
RTs are used to prevent routing loops within the MPLS VPN network.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: Loop prevention is achieved via route distinguishers and AS-override, not RTs.
- ✗
RTs are used to determine the next-hop IP address for VPN prefixes.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: The next-hop is determined by the BGP next-hop attribute, not RTs.
- ✓
RTs control the import and export of routes between VRFs on PE routers.
Why this is correct
Correct: RTs determine which routes are imported into or exported from a VRF.
- ✗
RTs are carried in the IP header to enable per-VPN forwarding.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: RTs are BGP extended communities carried in BGP updates, not in IP headers.
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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.