200-901 Network Fundamentals Practice Question
A network engineer is configuring a new Cisco switch and needs to assign an IP address to a VLAN interface so that the switch can be managed remotely over the network. The engineer enters the commands: interface vlan 10, then ip address 192.168.10.2 255.255.255.0, then no shutdown. However, the interface remains down. What is the most likely cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that configuring an SVI is sufficient for it to come up, ignoring the dependency on active physical ports in the VLAN.
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
✓
The switch does not have any physical ports assigned to VLAN 10, so the VLAN interface is down.
A VLAN interface (SVI) on a Cisco switch remains down until the VLAN is active, which requires at least one physical port to be up and assigned to that VLAN. Simply creating the SVI and assigning an IP address is not enough. The engineer must assign an access port to VLAN 10 and ensure it is operational to bring the SVI up.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
The switch does not have any physical ports assigned to VLAN 10, so the VLAN interface is down.
Why this is correct
A VLAN interface (SVI) remains in a down state until the VLAN is active, which requires at least one physical port to be up and assigned to that VLAN, or the VLAN to be manually activated. Without an active port in VLAN 10, the SVI cannot come up. The engineer must assign an access port to VLAN 10 and ensure it is connected and up.
- ✗
The no shutdown command must be issued from global configuration mode, not interface configuration mode.
Why it's wrong here
The no shutdown command is valid in interface configuration mode and is used to administratively enable the interface. Issuing it from global configuration mode would not target the specific interface. The engineer correctly entered it in interface configuration mode. The persistent down state indicates a lower-layer issue, such as the VLAN not being active, rather than a command mode error.
- ✗
The IP address is incorrectly configured because the subnet mask should be in CIDR notation.
Why it's wrong here
Cisco IOS accepts subnet masks in dotted decimal format, such as 255.255.255.0, for the ip address command. CIDR notation is not required and is typically used in other contexts. The command syntax is correct, so the issue is not the mask format. The interface down state is unrelated to how the mask is written, pointing to a Layer 2 dependency instead.
- ✗
VLAN 10 has not been created on the switch.
Why it's wrong here
On Cisco switches, entering interface vlan 10 automatically creates VLAN 10 if it does not exist. The VLAN interface will be created and can be configured. The down state is more likely due to the VLAN not being active because no physical ports are assigned to it or the VLAN is shut down. While VLAN existence is important, it is not the cause of the interface remaining down in this scenario.
Visual reference
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Cisco exam blueprint
This 200-901 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 200-901 exam.