mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
300-410 Practice Question: An engineer configured IP SLA 60 to monitor the…
An engineer configured IP SLA 60 to monitor the reachability of a WAN link's next-hop (203.0.113.1) using ICMP echo. The IP SLA is used in a track object for a floating static route. The engineer notices that the primary route (EIGRP) is present, but the floating static route is not installed when the primary fails. The track object shows 'Down' after the primary fails. What should the engineer check?
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
✓
Verify that the static route's administrative distance is higher than the EIGRP route (e.g., 170 vs 90).
A floating static route with tracking requires the administrative distance to be higher than the primary route. If the AD is lower or equal, the static route will not be installed as a backup. Also, the track object must be correctly referenced.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Verify that the static route's administrative distance is higher than the EIGRP route (e.g., 170 vs 90).
Why this is correct
If the static route has an AD lower than EIGRP (e.g., 1), it would be installed even when the primary is up, causing issues. For a floating static, AD must be higher.
- ✗
Check if the IP SLA probe is configured with a timeout greater than the frequency.
Why it's wrong here
Timeout configuration does not affect route installation; the track is already 'Down'.
- ✗
Ensure the primary route is removed from the routing table before the static route is installed.
Why it's wrong here
The static route should be installed when the primary route is removed; the issue is likely AD-related.
- ✗
Reboot the router to clear the routing table.
Why it's wrong here
Rebooting is unnecessary; the issue is configuration-related.
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.
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Same concept, more angles
3 more ways this is tested on 300-410
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A network engineer configured IP SLA 70 to monitor a remote site's LAN gateway (172.16.1.1) using ICMP echo. The IP SLA is linked to a track object that is used in a static route for a backup link. The engineer notices that the IP SLA state is 'Active', but the backup static route is installed in the routing table even when the primary route is available. What is the most likely cause?
medium- ✓ A.The static route is configured without the 'track' keyword, so it is always installed regardless of the IP SLA state.
- B.The IP SLA probe is failing intermittently, causing the track object to flap.
- C.The primary route has a higher administrative distance than the static route.
- D.The track object is configured with a delay that causes the static route to be installed prematurely.
Why A: If the backup static route is installed while the primary route is available, the static route likely has a lower administrative distance than the primary route, or the track object is not being used correctly (e.g., the static route does not have the 'track' keyword).
Variation 2. A network engineer configured IP SLA 90 to monitor a remote router's loopback (10.0.0.1) using ICMP echo. The IP SLA is linked to a track object that is used in a static route. The engineer notices that the IP SLA state is 'Active', but the static route is not installed. The track object shows 'Up'. The engineer checks the routing table and sees a different route to the same destination with a lower administrative distance. What should the engineer do to ensure the IP SLA-tracked route is used when the primary fails?
easy- ✓ A.Increase the administrative distance of the IP SLA-tracked static route to be higher than the primary route.
- B.Remove the primary route from the routing table.
- C.Change the IP SLA probe to use UDP instead of ICMP.
- D.Add a 'set metric' command to the IP SLA configuration.
Why A: To ensure the IP SLA-tracked static route is used when the primary fails, it should be configured as a floating static route. This is done by setting its administrative distance (AD) higher than that of the primary route. When the primary route is unavailable (due to IP SLA tracking), the tracked route with higher AD will be installed. Option A achieves this. Option B (removing the primary route) is a temporary workaround that removes redundancy and is not a proper configuration. Options C and D do not affect route selection based on AD.
Variation 3. An engineer configures IP SLA with an ICMP echo operation and uses it to track a static route. The engineer also configures a backup static route with a higher administrative distance. The engineer notices that when the primary route is removed due to IP SLA failure, the backup route is installed, but when the IP SLA operation recovers, the primary route is not reinstalled. The show ip sla statistics shows the operation is 'Active' and 'Success'. The show track shows the track object is 'Up'. Which is the most likely explanation?
hard- ✓ A.The primary static route has a higher administrative distance than the backup route.
- B.The IP SLA operation has a frequency that is too low, causing a delay in detection of recovery.
- C.The track object has a 'delay up' configured, causing a delay before the primary route is reinstalled.
- D.The backup static route is configured with a permanent keyword, preventing the primary route from being reinstalled.
Why A: When a tracked static route is removed and the backup route is installed, the primary route may not be reinstalled if the primary route's administrative distance is not lower than the backup route. However, in this scenario, the track object is up, so the primary route should be reinstalled. The most likely edge case is that the primary static route has a higher administrative distance than the backup route, which would prevent it from being reinstalled even when the track object is up. This can happen if the engineer misconfigured the AD values.
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 300-410 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 300-410 exam.