hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
300-410 Practice Question: Runs the following command to troubleshoot PAT…
A network engineer runs the following command to troubleshoot PAT exhaustion:
R1# show ip nat statistics
Total active translations: 1024 (0 static, 1024 dynamic; 1024 extended) Outside interfaces: GigabitEthernet0/1 Inside interfaces: GigabitEthernet0/0 Hits: 50000 Misses: 10 CEF Translated packets: 45000, CEF Punted packets: 5000 Expired translations: 2000 Dynamic mappings: -- Inside Source
[Id: 1] access-list NAT permit ip 10.0.0.0 0.255.255.255 any
refcount 1024, pool MyPool pool MyPool: netmask 255.255.255.240 start 203.0.113.1 end 203.0.113.14 type generic, total addresses 14, allocated 14 (100%), misses 0
What is the most likely issue?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the misconception that PAT exhaustion only occurs when the pool has a single address, but here the trap is that even with multiple addresses, all can be fully allocated, leading to port exhaustion per address.
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
✓
The pool is exhausted; PAT is using all addresses, but port exhaustion may occur.
The output shows that the NAT pool 'MyPool' has 14 addresses, all of which are allocated (100% usage), and there are 1024 active translations. With only 14 public IPs, PAT can theoretically support up to 14 * 65535 = 917,490 ports, but the pool exhaustion indicates that all addresses are in use, and the high number of translations suggests that port exhaustion is imminent or occurring, as each address can only handle a finite number of simultaneous sessions before ports are exhausted.
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 pool is exhausted; PAT is using all addresses, but port exhaustion may occur.
Why this is correct
All 14 addresses are allocated, meaning PAT is using them, but with 1024 translations, ports may be running out.
- ✗
The access list is misconfigured, blocking traffic.
Why it's wrong here
The access list is correct; it matches the inside network.
- ✗
The outside interface is down.
Why it's wrong here
No indication of interface issues.
- ✗
Static translations are missing.
Why it's wrong here
Static translations are not needed here.
Visual reference
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
One of 1,966 original 300-410 practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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.