mediumMultiple Select
300-410 Practice Question: Which TWO statements about NetFlow version 9 and…
Which TWO statements about NetFlow version 9 and Flexible NetFlow are true? (Choose TWO.)
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often confuse NetFlow v5's fixed-format structure with v9's template-based flexibility, and assuming Flexible NetFlow is limited to v9 export or IPv4 only, when it actually supports multiple export protocols and IPv6.
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
✓
Flexible NetFlow is built upon the NetFlow version 9 template architecture.
Option B is correct because Flexible NetFlow is Cisco's implementation that directly builds on the NetFlow version 9 export architecture, reusing its template-based mechanism to define and export flow data. Option D is correct because NetFlow version 9 introduced templates that allow user-defined flow records, enabling customizable field sets (such as IPv6 fields, MPLS labels, or BGP attributes) rather than a fixed record layout. Option A is incorrect because NetFlow version 9 does not use a fixed-format packet structure; that describes NetFlow version 5, whereas version 9 uses templates to define record formats dynamically. Option C is incorrect because Flexible NetFlow can export data using multiple protocols, including NetFlow version 9 and IPFIX (NetFlow version 10), not exclusively version 9. Option E is incorrect because Flexible NetFlow supports both IPv4 and IPv6 traffic monitoring, along with other protocols such as MPLS and multicast.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
NetFlow version 9 uses a fixed-format packet structure for flow export.
Why it's wrong here
Version 9 introduced template-based export, so its packet structure is extensible rather than fixed; the fixed-format claim describes version 5. It is tempting because version 5's rigid layout is genuinely fixed, and that legacy simplicity is what version 9 replaced to support Flexible NetFlow's custom records.
- ✓
Flexible NetFlow is built upon the NetFlow version 9 template architecture.
Why this is correct
Flexible NetFlow reuses NetFlow version 9's template-based export architecture, where flow records are defined by templates sent to the collector. This shared template mechanism is the foundation on which Flexible NetFlow's configurable records and caches are built.
- ✗
Flexible NetFlow can only export data using NetFlow version 9.
Why it's wrong here
Flexible NetFlow exports via version 9, IPFIX, and version 5, so restricting it to version 9 alone is false. It is tempting because version 9 is the most common Flexible NetFlow export format, and IPFIX, its IETF successor, shares the same template architecture.
- ✓
NetFlow version 9 supports user-defined flow records through templates.
Why this is correct
NetFlow version 9 introduces template-based export, letting administrators define custom flow record fields rather than relying on the fixed v5 format. This satisfies the question's requirement for user-defined records, since templates describe the layout of each exported flow record, enabling flexible field selection on supporting Cisco devices.
- ✗
Flexible NetFlow only supports IPv4 traffic monitoring.
Why it's wrong here
Flexible NetFlow records are defined by user-built flow records and can match IPv6, MPLS and non-IP fields, not IPv4 alone. IPv4-only monitoring describes original NetFlow v5, which is why the claim is tempting; Flexible NetFlow's customisable cache and export make it protocol-agnostic.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
ACL-Based Traffic Filtering and Policy-Based Routing
Key term
NetFlow Configuration
NetFlow Configuration is the process of setting up Cisco devices to collect and export metadata about network traffic flows for monitoring, analysis, and troubleshooting.
Key term
LDP Protocol
LDP, or Label Distribution Protocol, is a protocol that routers use to automatically exchange labels that enable MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) to create fast, efficient paths for data packets across a network.
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Same concept, more angles
1 more way 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. Which TWO statements about NetFlow version 9 and Flexible NetFlow export format are true? (Choose TWO.)
hard- ✓ A.NetFlow version 9 uses a template-based architecture that allows the collector to dynamically learn the fields being exported.
- B.Flexible NetFlow can only export data using NetFlow version 5 format.
- ✓ C.The default UDP port for NetFlow export is 2055.
- D.The template refresh interval is fixed at 20 minutes and cannot be changed.
- E.NetFlow version 9 supports only IPv4 flow data; IPv6 requires version 5.
Why A: Option A is correct because NetFlow version 9 introduced a template-based export architecture in which the exporter periodically sends template records that define the layout and semantics of the fields in the data FlowSets, allowing the collector to dynamically learn which fields are being exported rather than relying on a fixed format as in version 5. Option C is correct because the default UDP destination port used for NetFlow export (including Flexible NetFlow and NetFlow v9) is 2055, although it can be changed by configuration. Option B is incorrect because Flexible NetFlow exports using NetFlow version 9 (or IPFIX), not the fixed NetFlow version 5 format. Option D is incorrect because the template refresh interval is configurable (commonly 20 packets or 30 minutes by default depending on platform) and is not fixed at 20 minutes. Option E is incorrect because NetFlow version 9 supports IPv4, IPv6, MPLS, and other protocols through its template-based field definitions, whereas version 5 is limited to IPv4.
JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Cisco exam blueprint
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.