hardMultiple SelectObjective-mapped
300-410 Practice Question: Which TWO statements about IPsec site-to-site VPN…
Which TWO statements about IPsec site-to-site VPN troubleshooting using 'show crypto session' and 'show crypto ipsec sa' are correct? (Choose TWO.)
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between IKEv1 and IKEv2 commands, so the trap here is that candidates mistakenly use 'show crypto isakmp sa' for IKEv2 SAs, not realizing that IKEv2 has its own dedicated 'show crypto ikev2 sa' command.
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
✓
'show crypto session' displays the IKEv2 SA status and the IPsec SA status.
The 'show crypto session' command provides a concise summary of both IKEv2 SA (phase 1) and IPsec SA (phase 2) status, including the state (UP-ACTIVE) and peer IP. This makes it a quick troubleshooting tool for verifying that both security associations are established without needing separate commands for each phase.
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 crypto session' displays the IKEv2 SA status and the IPsec SA status.
Why this is correct
Correct. This command shows both IKE and IPsec session information.
- ✓
'show crypto ipsec sa' shows the number of packets that have been encrypted and decrypted.
Why this is correct
Correct. The output includes 'pkts encaps' and 'pkts decaps' counters.
- ✗
'show crypto isakmp sa' is the correct command to view IKEv2 SAs.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. 'show crypto isakmp sa' is for IKEv1; for IKEv2 use 'show crypto ikev2 sa'.
- ✗
The 'pkts encaps' counter in 'show crypto ipsec sa' increments on the inbound SA.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. 'pkts encaps' increments on the outbound SA; inbound SA uses 'pkts decaps'.
- ✗
'show crypto map' displays the current packet count for each IPsec SA.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. 'show crypto map' shows the crypto map configuration, not packet counters.
Quick reference
VPN Protocol Comparison
| Protocol | Port | Encryption | Authentication | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IKEv2 / IPsec | UDP 500 / 4500 | AES-256 | Certificates / PSK | Site-to-site & remote access |
| SSL / TLS VPN | TCP 443 | TLS 1.3 | Certificates / MFA | Clientless remote access |
| L2TP / IPsec | UDP 1701 | AES (IPsec) | PSK / Certificates | Legacy remote access |
| WireGuard | UDP 51820 | ChaCha20 | Public keys | Modern high-performance VPN |
| PPTP | TCP 1723 | MPPE (weak) | MS-CHAPv2 | Legacy — avoid in production |
PPTP is considered insecure. IKEv2/IPsec and SSL VPN are the current recommended options.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Site-to-Site VPN and IPSec
Key term
FlexVPN
FlexVPN is a Cisco VPN solution that combines multiple VPN technologies (site-to-site, remote access, and hub-and-spoke) under a single, modular framework based on IKEv2.
Key term
Site-to-Site VPN Troubleshooting
The process of identifying and fixing problems in a permanent encrypted tunnel that connects two separate office networks over the internet.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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