- A
Capture traffic during a known attack to identify anomalies
Why wrong: This captures malicious patterns, not normal baselines.
- B
Use only firewall logs as they are the most reliable
Why wrong: Firewall logs alone may not capture all traffic types.
- C
Average traffic from multiple different organizations
Why wrong: Baselines must be specific to the organization's network.
- D
Capture traffic over a period of normal operation, such as a week
Normal traffic over time establishes a reliable baseline.
Question 976 of 1,000
200-201 Security Monitoring Practice Question
This 200-201 practice question tests your understanding of security monitoring. Compare every option against the stated constraints before choosing — the best answer satisfies all requirements, not just the most obvious one. 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.
An analyst needs to establish a normal traffic pattern baseline for the network. Which activity is most appropriate for this purpose?
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
✓
Capture traffic over a period of normal operation, such as a week
Option D is correct because establishing a baseline requires capturing traffic during a period of normal operation, typically over a week, to account for daily and weekly usage patterns. This baseline represents the typical volume, protocol mix, and flow characteristics, enabling the analyst to later detect deviations that may indicate security incidents. Using a representative sample from normal conditions is the foundational step in anomaly-based monitoring.
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.
- ✗
Capture traffic during a known attack to identify anomalies
Why it's wrong here
This captures malicious patterns, not normal baselines.
- ✗
Use only firewall logs as they are the most reliable
Why it's wrong here
Firewall logs alone may not capture all traffic types.
- ✗
Average traffic from multiple different organizations
Why it's wrong here
Baselines must be specific to the organization's network.
- ✓
Capture traffic over a period of normal operation, such as a week
Why this is correct
Normal traffic over time establishes a reliable baseline.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the misconception that baselines can be derived from attack traffic or external averages, but the key is that a baseline must be network-specific and captured during normal operations to serve as a valid reference for anomaly detection.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Baseline creation often involves tools like NetFlow, sFlow, or IPFIX to collect flow records over time, capturing metrics such as bytes per second, packets per flow, and protocol distribution. For example, a baseline might show that HTTP/S traffic peaks at 200 Mbps during business hours, while SSH traffic remains below 5 Mbps; any significant deviation from these thresholds triggers an alert. In real-world deployments, baselines are periodically recalculated (e.g., weekly rolling windows) to adapt to organic network growth or seasonal changes.
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 200-201 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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 200-201 question test?
Security Monitoring — This question tests Security Monitoring — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Capture traffic over a period of normal operation, such as a week — Option D is correct because establishing a baseline requires capturing traffic during a period of normal operation, typically over a week, to account for daily and weekly usage patterns. This baseline represents the typical volume, protocol mix, and flow characteristics, enabling the analyst to later detect deviations that may indicate security incidents. Using a representative sample from normal conditions is the foundational step in anomaly-based monitoring.
What should I do if I get this 200-201 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 200-201 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 200-201 exam.
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