300-410 Control Plane Policing (CoPP) Practice Question
This 300-410 practice question tests your understanding of control plane policing (copp). 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.
Which TWO commands are used to troubleshoot Control Plane Policing (CoPP) and identify which traffic is being dropped? (Choose TWO.)
This command displays packet counters for each class in the CoPP policy, including dropped (violate) packets.
B
debug policy-map control-plane
Why wrong: This is not a valid Cisco IOS command; the correct debug is 'debug policy-map' but it is not specific to control plane and can be disruptive.
C
show control-plane host open-ports
This command shows which class map is associated with each open control plane port, helping verify CoPP classification.
D
show ip cache flow
Why wrong: This command displays NetFlow statistics for data plane traffic, not control plane policing drops.
E
show access-lists
Why wrong: This command shows ACL match counts but does not provide CoPP-specific drop information or policy statistics.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
show policy-map control-plane
The 'show policy-map control-plane' command provides per-class packet counters (conform/exceed/violate) to see drops. The 'show control-plane host open-ports' command helps map open ports to CoPP class maps, aiding in identifying misclassification. 'debug policy-map control-plane' is not a valid command; 'debug policy-map' is used but not specific to control plane. 'show ip cache flow' shows NetFlow data, not CoPP drops. 'show access-lists' shows ACL hit counts but not CoPP-specific drop statistics.
Key principle: ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
show policy-map control-plane
Why this is correct
This command displays packet counters for each class in the CoPP policy, including dropped (violate) packets.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
✗
debug policy-map control-plane
Why it's wrong here
This is not a valid Cisco IOS command; the correct debug is 'debug policy-map' but it is not specific to control plane and can be disruptive.
✓
show control-plane host open-ports
Why this is correct
This command shows which class map is associated with each open control plane port, helping verify CoPP classification.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
✗
show ip cache flow
Why it's wrong here
This command displays NetFlow statistics for data plane traffic, not control plane policing drops.
✗
show access-lists
Why it's wrong here
This command shows ACL match counts but does not provide CoPP-specific drop information or policy statistics.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: ACLs stop at the first match
ACLs are processed top to bottom. The first matching entry wins, and an implicit deny usually exists at the end.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
This is not a valid Cisco IOS command; the correct debug is 'debug policy-map' but it is not specific to control plane and can be disruptive.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
ACL questions test precision: source, destination, protocol, port and direction. A generally correct ACL can still fail if it is applied on the wrong interface or in the wrong direction.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
Extended ACLs can match source, destination, protocol and ports.
The first matching ACL entry is used.
There is usually an implicit deny at the end.
TExam Day Tips
→Check inbound versus outbound direction.
→Read the ACL from top to bottom.
→Look for a broader permit or deny above the intended line.
Key takeaway
ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A security administrator must allow nursing staff to reach a patient records server while blocking access from the guest Wi-Fi VLAN. After applying an extended ACL, traffic is still blocked from nursing workstations. The ACL was applied outbound instead of inbound on the wrong interface. Questions like this test ACL direction and placement rules.
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 ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related 300-410 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
Control Plane Policing (CoPP) — This question tests Control Plane Policing (CoPP) — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: show policy-map control-plane — The 'show policy-map control-plane' command provides per-class packet counters (conform/exceed/violate) to see drops. The 'show control-plane host open-ports' command helps map open ports to CoPP class maps, aiding in identifying misclassification. 'debug policy-map control-plane' is not a valid command; 'debug policy-map' is used but not specific to control plane. 'show ip cache flow' shows NetFlow data, not CoPP drops. 'show access-lists' shows ACL hit counts but not CoPP-specific drop statistics.
What should I do if I get this 300-410 question wrong?
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related 300-410 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
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