Question 131 of 2,152

Policy-Based Routing (PBR) →hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Quick Answer

The answer is that the next-hop 10.0.0.2 is unreachable, causing the policy to be rejected. This is because Policy-Based Routing (PBR) requires the specified next-hop to be reachable via the routing table at the moment of packet forwarding; when the debug ip policy output shows “policy match” followed immediately by “policy rejected,” it confirms the route-map matched the traffic but the set clause failed to apply, typically due to an unreachable next-hop or a missing route. On the Cisco CCNP ENARSI 300-410 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of PBR failure behavior—a common trap is assuming the ACL or route-map syntax is wrong, when the real issue is a routing table lookup failure for the next-hop address. Remember the key distinction: a “match” means the ACL criteria are met, but a “rejected” status means the set action could not be executed. Memory tip: “Match means caught, reject means next-hop is wrecked.”

300-410 Policy-Based Routing (PBR) Practice Question

This 300-410 practice question tests your understanding of policy-based routing (pbr). The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 ip policy
Interface     Route-map

GigabitEthernet0/0 PBR-QOS

R1# show route-map PBR-QOS

route-map PBR-QOS, permit, sequence 10 Match clauses:

ip address (access-lists): 120

Set clauses:

ip next-hop 10.0.0.2

Policy routing matches: 500 packets, 45000 bytes

R1# show access-lists 120

Extended IP access list 120

10 permit ip 192.168.1.0 0.0.0.255 any

R1# debug ip policy

Policy routing debugging is on

*Mar  1 00:05:23.123: IP: s=192.168.1.100 (GigabitEthernet0/0), d=8.8.8.8, len 100, policy match
*Mar  1 00:05:23.123: IP: s=192.168.1.100 (GigabitEthernet0/0), d=8.8.8.8, len 100, policy rejected

Based on this output, what is the most likely problem?

Clue words in this question

Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.

Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.

Question 1hardmultiple choice

Study the full QoS explanation →

A
The next-hop 10.0.0.2 is unreachable.
The debug 'policy rejected' after a match typically means the set next-hop is not reachable, so the packet is not policy-routed.
B
The access list 120 is misconfigured.
Why wrong: The debug shows a policy match, so the ACL is working.
C
The route map is applied to the wrong interface.
Why wrong: The debug shows packets arriving on GigabitEthernet0/0, which matches the interface where the route map is applied.
D
The route map sequence number is incorrect.
Why wrong: Sequence numbers are fine; the match occurs.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

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 next-hop 10.0.0.2 is unreachable.

The debug output shows 'policy match' followed by 'policy rejected'. This indicates that the packet matched the route map, but the set clause was not applied because the next-hop is unreachable or the route map's set condition fails (e.g., verify-availability if used, or next-hop not in routing table). The show route-map shows matches, but the packet is rejected and forwarded normally.

Key principle: ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.

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 next-hop 10.0.0.2 is unreachable.
Why this is correct
The debug 'policy rejected' after a match typically means the set next-hop is not reachable, so the packet is not policy-routed.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
✗
The access list 120 is misconfigured.
Why it's wrong here
The debug shows a policy match, so the ACL is working.
✗
The route map is applied to the wrong interface.
Why it's wrong here
The debug shows packets arriving on GigabitEthernet0/0, which matches the interface where the route map is applied.
✗
The route map sequence number is incorrect.
Why it's wrong here
Sequence numbers are fine; the match occurs.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: ACLs stop at the first match

ACLs are processed top to bottom. The first matching entry wins, and an implicit deny usually exists at the end.

Trap categories for this question

Command / output trap
The debug shows a policy match, so the ACL is working.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

ACL questions test precision: source, destination, protocol, port and direction. A generally correct ACL can still fail if it is applied on the wrong interface or in the wrong direction.

KKey Concepts to Remember

Standard ACLs match source addresses.
Extended ACLs can match source, destination, protocol and ports.
The first matching ACL entry is used.
There is usually an implicit deny at the end.

TExam Day Tips

Check inbound versus outbound direction.
Read the ACL from top to bottom.
Look for a broader permit or deny above the intended line.

Key takeaway

ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.

Real-world example

How this comes up in practice

A security administrator must allow nursing staff to reach a patient records server while blocking access from the guest Wi-Fi VLAN. After applying an extended ACL, traffic is still blocked from nursing workstations. The ACL was applied outbound instead of inbound on the wrong interface. Questions like this test ACL direction and placement rules.

What to study next

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related 300-410 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this 300-410 question test?

Policy-Based Routing (PBR) — This question tests Policy-Based Routing (PBR) — Standard ACLs match source addresses..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: The next-hop 10.0.0.2 is unreachable. — The debug output shows 'policy match' followed by 'policy rejected'. This indicates that the packet matched the route map, but the set clause was not applied because the next-hop is unreachable or the route map's set condition fails (e.g., verify-availability if used, or next-hop not in routing table). The show route-map shows matches, but the packet is rejected and forwarded normally.

What should I do if I get this 300-410 question wrong?

Are there clue words in this question I should notice?

Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.

What is the key concept behind this question?

Standard ACLs match source addresses.

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Same concept, more angles

1 more ways 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. A network engineer runs the following command on Router R1: R1# show ip policy Interface Route-map GigabitEthernet0/0 PBR-VOICE R1# show route-map PBR-VOICE route-map PBR-VOICE, permit, sequence 10 Match clauses: ip address (access-lists): 130 Set clauses: ip next-hop 192.168.10.1 Policy routing matches: 0 packets, 0 bytes R1# show access-lists 130 Extended IP access list 130 10 permit udp any any range 16384 32767 R1# show interfaces GigabitEthernet0/0 GigabitEthernet0/0 is up, line protocol is up Internet address is 10.1.1.1/24 R1# show ip route 192.168.10.1 % Network not in routing table Based on this output, what is the most likely problem?

medium

A.The access list 130 is not matching any traffic.
✓ B.The next-hop 192.168.10.1 is not reachable.
C.The interface GigabitEthernet0/0 is down.
D.The route map is missing a permit statement.

Why B: The next-hop 192.168.10.1 is not in the routing table. For PBR to forward packets to a next-hop, that next-hop must be reachable (in the routing table). If it is not, packets that match the route map are forwarded using the normal routing table instead. The zero matches could be because no traffic matching ACL 130 has arrived, or because the next-hop is missing, but the missing route is a clear issue.

Last reviewed: Jun 18, 2026

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