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200-201 Practice Question: Which two are best practices for deploying…
Which two are best practices for deploying network-based intrusion detection systems? (Choose two.)
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between NIDS and IPS, and the trap here is that candidates confuse 'detection' with 'prevention,' leading them to select inline mode (Option D) even though the question specifically asks about intrusion detection systems, not prevention systems.
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
✓
Use tap or SPAN ports to ensure traffic visibility.
Network-based intrusion detection systems (NIDS) must have full visibility into network traffic to detect malicious activity. Using a network tap or a SPAN (Switched Port Analyzer) port on a switch provides a copy of all traffic traversing a segment without introducing latency or single points of failure, ensuring the sensor can inspect packets without interfering with production traffic.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Place sensors behind firewalls to reduce false positives.
Why it's wrong here
This can miss attacks that bypass or target the firewall.
- ✗
Enable all signatures to maximize detection.
Why it's wrong here
Enabling all signatures leads to high false positive rates.
- ✓
Use tap or SPAN ports to ensure traffic visibility.
Why this is correct
Passive monitoring avoids impacting network performance.
- ✗
Use inline mode for all sensors to enable blocking.
Why it's wrong here
Inline mode is for IPS and may not be necessary for detection.
- ✓
Deploy sensors at network choke points.
Why this is correct
Choke points aggregate traffic, maximizing visibility.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.