300-410 Infrastructure Services Practice Question
A network engineer is deploying an MPLS L3VPN using BGP as the PE-CE routing protocol. The customer requires that the PE router accept only routes with a specific BGP community and set a local preference of 200 for those routes. Which configuration on the PE router accomplishes this requirement?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse inbound and outbound route-map directions, leading to applying policy on the wrong side of the BGP session.
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
✓
Configure a route-map that matches the community and sets local preference, then apply it as an inbound route-map under the BGP neighbor configuration for the CE.
Inbound route-maps on the PE-CE BGP session are the correct tool to match BGP communities and modify attributes such as local preference. They allow granular control over which routes are accepted and how they are treated within the VRF. Outbound route-maps affect advertisements, distribute-lists cannot set attributes, and the network command does not provide community-based filtering.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Configure a route-map that matches the community and sets local preference, then apply it as an outbound route-map under the BGP neighbor configuration for the CE.
Why it's wrong here
An outbound route-map affects routes advertised to the CE, not routes received from it. The requirement is to control inbound routes from the CE, so applying outbound would not filter or set local preference for incoming updates.
- ✗
Configure a distribute-list with an extended ACL that matches the community and sets local preference under the BGP process.
Why it's wrong here
Distribute-lists can filter routes but cannot set BGP attributes like local preference. They are limited to permit or deny actions based on ACL matches, so they cannot satisfy the requirement to set local preference to 200.
- ✓
Configure a route-map that matches the community and sets local preference, then apply it as an inbound route-map under the BGP neighbor configuration for the CE.
Why this is correct
Applying an inbound route-map on the PE-CE BGP session allows matching the community and setting local preference before the route is installed in the VRF BGP table. This ensures only desired routes are accepted with the correct preference.
- ✗
Use the BGP network command with a backdoor route to inject the routes with the desired local preference.
Why it's wrong here
The network command with a backdoor route is used to change administrative distance for eBGP routes, not to match communities or set local preference. It does not filter based on community and would not achieve the required policy.
Quick reference
Routing Protocol Comparison
| Protocol | Metric | Max Hops | Algorithm | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RIP v2 | Hop count | 15 | Bellman-Ford | Distance vector |
| OSPF | Cost (bandwidth) | Unlimited | Dijkstra (SPF) | Link state |
| EIGRP | Composite metric | Unlimited | DUAL | Hybrid |
| IS-IS | Cost | Unlimited | Dijkstra | Link state |
| BGP | Policy / attributes | Unlimited | Path vector | Path vector |
RIP's 15-hop limit makes it unsuitable for large networks. OSPF and EIGRP dominate modern enterprise deployments.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
VRF-Lite and Multi-Protocol BGP
Key term
MPLS Layer 3 VPN
A technology that uses Multiprotocol Label Switching to create secure, scalable virtual private networks that connect multiple sites at the network layer, where the service provider manages routing between customer sites.
Key term
LDP Protocol
LDP, or Label Distribution Protocol, is a protocol that routers use to automatically exchange labels that enable MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) to create fast, efficient paths for data packets across a network.
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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
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