mediumMultiple Choice
300-410 Practice Question: Which BGP attribute is used as the first…
Which BGP attribute is used as the first tie-breaker when multiple paths are available for the same prefix, assuming default settings?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the order of BGP path selection attributes, and the trap here is that candidates mistakenly remember Local Preference as the first tie-breaker because it is the first global attribute, but Weight (which is local to the router) actually takes precedence.
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
✓
Weight
C is correct because, under default BGP settings, the Weight attribute is the first tie-breaker when multiple paths exist for the same prefix. Weight is a Cisco-proprietary attribute that is locally significant to the router and is evaluated before any other BGP path selection criteria, including Local Preference and AS-path length.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Local preference
Why it's wrong here
Weight is the first tie-breaker under default settings; local preference is evaluated second, after weight. Local preference is the correct first discriminator when weight is left at its default of zero on all candidate paths.
- ✗
AS-path length
Why it's wrong here
AS-path length is evaluated after weight, local preference and locally originated routes, so it is not the first tie-breaker under default settings. It is tempting because it is the first attribute that compares paths across different autonomous systems, and it would be correct once those earlier attributes tie.
- ✓
Weight
Why this is correct
Weight is Cisco-proprietary and locally significant, so it is evaluated before all other attributes in the best-path algorithm. With default settings, the path with the highest weight wins, making it the first tie-breaker for the same prefix. Microsoft Entra ID is unrelated here; this concerns Cisco IOS BGP path selection.
- ✗
MED (Multi-Exit Discriminator)
Why it's wrong here
MED is compared later in the process, typically after AS-path length.
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