The answer is that the LDP session is operational and actively exchanging label information. This is directly confirmed by the 'State: Oper' field in the show mpls ldp neighbor output, which is the definitive indicator of an operational LDP session. The additional details—such as the 'Downstream' label distribution mode and the non-zero sent/received message counters (100/100)—prove that label bindings are being successfully exchanged between the peers. On the Cisco CCNP ENARSI 300-410 exam, verifying the LDP session operational state is a core troubleshooting skill, often tested by presenting a neighbor output and asking you to interpret the session health. A common trap is confusing the 'Oper' state with the 'Initialization' or 'OpenSent' states, which indicate an incomplete session. Remember the memory tip: "Oper means labels are swapping"—if you see 'Oper', the session is up and labels are flowing.
300-410 Device Access Control Practice Question
This 300-410 practice question tests your understanding of device access control. Examine the command output carefully: the correct answer depends on what the output actually shows, not on general recall alone. 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.
A network engineer runs the following command on Router R1:
R1# show mpls ldp neighbor
Peer LDP Ident: 192.168.2.2:0, Local LDP Ident: 192.168.1.1:0
TCP connection: 10.1.1.2.646 - 10.1.1.1.646
State: Oper; Msgs sent/rcvd: 100/100; Downstream
Up time: 00:45:00
LDP discovery sources:
GigabitEthernet0/0, Src IP addr: 10.1.1.2
Addresses bound to peer LDP Ident:
10.1.1.2 192.168.2.2
Based on this output, what is the state of the LDP session?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The LDP session is operational and exchanging label information.
The output shows 'State: Oper', which indicates the LDP session is operational. The 'Downstream' label distribution mode and the fact that messages have been sent and received (100/100) confirm that the session is actively exchanging label information. This matches the correct answer that the LDP session is operational and exchanging label information.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
The LDP session is operational and exchanging label information.
Why this is correct
The 'State: Oper' indicates the session is operational, and the message counts confirm label exchange.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The LDP session is in a down state due to a TCP reset.
Why it's wrong here
The state is 'Oper', not down.
✗
The LDP session is in initialization state because no labels have been exchanged.
Why it's wrong here
The session is operational, so labels have been exchanged.
✗
The LDP session is using UDP instead of TCP.
Why it's wrong here
LDP uses TCP for session establishment, as shown by the TCP connection.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between LDP discovery (UDP) and session establishment (TCP), and the trap here is that candidates may confuse the 'Oper' state with an initialization state or incorrectly assume UDP is used for the entire LDP process.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
LDP uses TCP for session establishment, as shown by the TCP connection.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
LDP uses UDP (port 646) for neighbor discovery via hello messages, but once a peer is discovered, a TCP session (port 646) is established for reliable label exchange. The 'Downstream' mode indicates that the router advertises labels for all FECs to its peers, which is the default behavior in Cisco IOS. In real-world MPLS deployments, understanding the LDP session state is critical for troubleshooting label distribution failures that can cause traffic blackholing.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A network engineer at a university connects two campus buildings via a fibre link. Both routers run OSPF, but no adjacency forms — even though both routers can ping each other. The engineer finds one router is in area 0 and the other in area 1. OSPF adjacency requires matching area numbers, hello/dead timers, and network type. IP reachability alone is not enough.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this 300-410 question in full detail.
Device Access Control — This question tests Device Access Control — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The LDP session is operational and exchanging label information. — The output shows 'State: Oper', which indicates the LDP session is operational. The 'Downstream' label distribution mode and the fact that messages have been sent and received (100/100) confirm that the session is actively exchanging label information. This matches the correct answer that the LDP session is operational and exchanging label information.
What should I do if I get this 300-410 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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