The answer is the route-map’s implicit deny at the end of the PBR configuration, which drops traffic that does not match ACL 101. When a route-map is applied for policy-based routing, any unmatched traffic hits the implicit deny statement and is discarded, regardless of any configured static default route. This happens because PBR overrides the routing table for matched traffic, but for non-matched traffic, the route-map’s default action is to deny, so the router never consults the global routing table. On the Cisco CCNP ENARSI 300-410 exam, this concept tests your understanding of how route-map sequence numbers and permit/deny logic interact with PBR; a common trap is assuming a static default route will catch unmatched traffic. To prevent dropped traffic, you must add a permit statement with no match clause at the end of the route-map, which allows normal routing to take over. Memory tip: “No match, no catch—add a permit to let the default route dispatch.”
300-410 Policy-Based Routing (PBR) Practice Question
This 300-410 practice question tests your understanding of policy-based routing (pbr). This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 router is configured with PBR using a route-map that sets the next-hop to 192.168.2.1 for traffic matching ACL 101. The engineer also configures 'ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 192.168.1.1' as a default route. Traffic that matches ACL 101 is correctly forwarded to 192.168.2.1, but traffic that does not match ACL 101 is dropped instead of using the default route. What is the most likely explanation?
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.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The route-map has an implicit deny at the end, so unmatched traffic is dropped.
PBR with a route-map that does not have a default action (e.g., 'set ip default next-hop' or an implicit permit) will drop non-matching traffic by default. The route-map must include a permit statement with no match to allow normal routing for unmatched traffic.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
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 route-map has an implicit deny at the end, so unmatched traffic is dropped.
Why this is correct
Route-maps have an implicit deny; unmatched packets are discarded unless a permit sequence with no match is added.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✗
The default route is not installed in the routing table due to administrative distance.
Why it's wrong here
The default route is present, but PBR overrides it for matched traffic; unmatched traffic should fall back to routing.
✗
The ACL 101 is blocking all other traffic.
Why it's wrong here
ACLs only define match criteria; they do not block traffic in PBR.
✗
The 'ip policy route-map' command is applied outbound, causing unmatched traffic to be dropped.
Why it's wrong here
PBR is applied inbound; outbound application would not affect incoming packets.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
→Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
→Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
→Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this 300-410 question in full detail.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related 300-410 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Policy-Based Routing (PBR) — This question tests Policy-Based Routing (PBR) — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The route-map has an implicit deny at the end, so unmatched traffic is dropped. — PBR with a route-map that does not have a default action (e.g., 'set ip default next-hop' or an implicit permit) will drop non-matching traffic by default. The route-map must include a permit statement with no match to allow normal routing for unmatched traffic.
What should I do if I get this 300-410 question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related 300-410 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
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?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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