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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
Local preference is the second tie-breaker after weight.
- ✗
AS-path length
Why it's wrong here
AS-path length is the third tie-breaker after weight and local preference.
- ✓
Weight
Why this is correct
Correct: Weight is checked first in the BGP path selection process.
- ✗
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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Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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