The answer is that the BGP neighbor is administratively shut down with the **neighbor shutdown** command. This is the most likely cause because the **BGP neighbor idle state** output shows "State is never active," which means the session has never attempted to transition to the Active state—a clear indicator that BGP is not even trying to initiate a TCP connection. In BGP neighbor idle state troubleshooting, an Idle state with "never active" points to a configuration error that prevents the session from starting, such as a missing neighbor statement, an incorrect remote AS, or an administrative shutdown. On the Cisco CCNP ENARSI 300-410 exam, this scenario tests your ability to differentiate between Idle states caused by configuration issues versus those caused by network reachability problems; a common trap is assuming a missing route when the real issue is a shutdown. Memory tip: "Never active means never started—check for shutdown or a missing neighbor statement first."
300-410 BGP Troubleshooting Practice Question
This 300-410 practice question tests your understanding of bgp troubleshooting. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
A network engineer runs the following command on Router R1:
R1# show ip bgp neighbors 10.1.12.2
BGP neighbor is 10.1.12.2, remote AS 65002, external link
BGP version 4, remote router ID 10.2.2.2
BGP state = Idle
Last read 00:00:00, last write 00:00:00, hold time is 180, keepalive interval is 60 seconds
Neighbor sessions:
1 active, is not multisession capable (disabled)
Neighbor capabilities:
Route refresh: advertised and received(new)
Four-octets ASN Capability: advertised and received
Address family IPv4 Unicast: advertised and received
Enhanced Refresh Capability: advertised
Multisession Capability:
State is never active
Message statistics:
InQ depth is 0
OutQ depth is 0
Based on this output, what is the most likely cause of the BGP session being in Idle state?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Clue: "never"
Why it matters: Absolute qualifier. True only if the statement has zero exceptions — be cautious of options that seem obvious but break down in edge cases.
The neighbor 10.1.12.2 is not reachable via IP routing.
Why wrong: Unreachability would cause Active state, not Idle.
B
The BGP neighbor is administratively shut down (neighbor shutdown).
Idle state with 'never active' often indicates the neighbor is shut down or the BGP process is not configured correctly. A shutdown command would keep the session in Idle.
C
The remote AS number is misconfigured.
Why wrong: A misconfigured AS would typically cause Active state as the router tries to connect but receives a wrong AS notification.
D
The BGP update timer is too long.
Why wrong: There is no BGP update timer; the issue is with session establishment.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The BGP neighbor is administratively shut down (neighbor shutdown).
Idle state typically indicates that BGP is not attempting to connect, often due to a configuration issue such as a missing neighbor statement, incorrect AS number, or a shutdown. The 'State is never active' suggests the session has never transitioned to Active, pointing to a configuration problem.
Key principle: OSPF neighbour adjacency depends on matching area, hello/dead timers, network type, and authentication — IP reachability alone is not enough.
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 neighbor 10.1.12.2 is not reachable via IP routing.
Why it's wrong here
Unreachability would cause Active state, not Idle.
✓
The BGP neighbor is administratively shut down (neighbor shutdown).
Why this is correct
Idle state with 'never active' often indicates the neighbor is shut down or the BGP process is not configured correctly. A shutdown command would keep the session in Idle.
Clue confirmation
The clue words "most likely", "never" in the question point toward this answer.
A misconfigured AS would typically cause Active state as the router tries to connect but receives a wrong AS notification.
✗
The BGP update timer is too long.
Why it's wrong here
There is no BGP update timer; the issue is with session establishment.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: OSPF can fail even when IP connectivity looks correct
OSPF neighbour formation depends on matching areas, timers, network type, authentication and passive-interface behaviour. Do not choose an answer only because the devices can ping.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
OSPF questions usually test the details that control adjacency and route selection. Read the neighbour state, area, router ID and interface configuration before deciding what is wrong.
KKey Concepts to Remember
OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters.
Router ID selection can affect neighbour relationships and LSDB output.
OSPF cost influences the preferred path.
A route can appear in OSPF information but not become the installed route.
TExam Day Tips
→Check area mismatch first when OSPF adjacency fails.
→Review passive interfaces when a network is advertised but no neighbour forms.
→Use show ip ospf neighbor and show ip route clues carefully.
Key takeaway
OSPF neighbour adjacency depends on matching area, hello/dead timers, network type, and authentication — IP reachability alone is not enough.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A network engineer at a university connects two campus buildings via a fibre link. Both routers run OSPF, but no adjacency forms — even though both routers can ping each other. The engineer finds one router is in area 0 and the other in area 1. OSPF adjacency requires matching area numbers, hello/dead timers, and network type. IP reachability alone is not enough.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this 300-410 question in full detail.
Review OSPF neighbour requirements — matching area type, hello and dead timers, network type, stub flags, and authentication. Study show ip ospf neighbor states (INIT, 2-WAY, FULL). Then practise related 300-410 OSPF questions on adjacency and route selection.
BGP Troubleshooting — This question tests BGP Troubleshooting — OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The BGP neighbor is administratively shut down (neighbor shutdown). — Idle state typically indicates that BGP is not attempting to connect, often due to a configuration issue such as a missing neighbor statement, incorrect AS number, or a shutdown. The 'State is never active' suggests the session has never transitioned to Active, pointing to a configuration problem.
What should I do if I get this 300-410 question wrong?
Review OSPF neighbour requirements — matching area type, hello and dead timers, network type, stub flags, and authentication. Study show ip ospf neighbor states (INIT, 2-WAY, FULL). Then practise related 300-410 OSPF questions on adjacency and route selection.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely", "never". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters.
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