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300-410 Practice Question: The default value for the 'active flow timeout'…
What is the default value for the 'active flow timeout' in a Flexible NetFlow monitor on Cisco IOS-XE?
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
✓
30 minutes
The default active flow timeout is 30 minutes, after which long-lived flows are exported regardless of activity.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
15 minutes
Why it's wrong here
The default active timeout is 30 minutes, not 15; 15 minutes is the default for IPFIX or NetFlow v9 on some platforms, not Flexible NetFlow's active timer on IOS-XE. It tempts because 15 minutes is a widely quoted NetFlow default elsewhere.
- ✓
30 minutes
Why this is correct
Flexible NetFlow's active timeout defaults to 30 minutes, flushing a flow cache entry after that interval regardless of ongoing traffic. This satisfies the stem's request for the default value, distinguishing it from the inactive timeout, which defaults to 15 seconds and triggers only when no packets arrive.
- ✗
60 minutes
Why it's wrong here
The default active timeout is 30 minutes, not 60; 60 minutes is the default inactive timeout. It tempts because the two timers are easily transposed, and a longer active timeout would be chosen deliberately when reducing export volume for long-lived flows matters more than timely reporting.
- ✗
5 minutes
Why it's wrong here
The default active timeout is 30 minutes, not 5; 5 minutes is far shorter than any IOS-XE default and would export flows ten times as often. It tempts because short active timeouts are commonly configured manually to speed up flow visibility in troubleshooting or security monitoring.
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Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on 300-410
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Variation 1. What is the default active flow timeout value in Cisco IOS Flexible NetFlow?
easy- A.60 seconds
- ✓ B.1800 seconds
- C.300 seconds
- D.30 seconds
Why B: Cisco IOS Flexible NetFlow uses a default active timeout of 1800 seconds (30 minutes), after which an active flow entry is exported even if traffic is still ongoing. This ensures long-lived flows are periodically reported rather than held indefinitely. The inactive timeout default is 15 seconds.
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.