hardMultiple SelectObjective-mapped
300-410 Practice Question: Which TWO statements correctly describe the…
Which TWO statements correctly describe the behavior of Policy-Based Routing (PBR) when using the 'set ip next-hop' and 'set ip default next-hop' commands? (Choose TWO.)
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 'set ip next-hop' command overrides the routing table only when the next-hop address is reachable; if unreachable, the packet is dropped unless a default route exists.
PBR uses route maps to override the routing table. The 'set ip next-hop' command is applied only if the packet matches the match criteria; if the next hop is unreachable, the packet is dropped (unless a default route exists). The 'set ip default next-hop' command is used only when the routing table has no explicit route for the destination. The 'set ip next-hop verify-availability' option tracks reachability using CEF. The 'set interface' command does not require a next-hop IP but can be used for directly connected networks.
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 'set ip next-hop' command overrides the routing table only when the next-hop address is reachable; if unreachable, the packet is dropped unless a default route exists.
Why this is correct
Correct. PBR with 'set ip next-hop' requires the next hop to be reachable; if not, the packet is forwarded using the routing table (if a default route exists) or dropped.
- ✗
The 'set ip default next-hop' command is used to forward packets that match the route-map permit statement, regardless of whether a route exists in the routing table.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. 'set ip default next-hop' is only applied when the routing table has no explicit route for the destination; if a route exists, the command is ignored.
- ✗
The 'set ip next-hop verify-availability' feature uses ICMP echo requests to verify next-hop reachability before applying PBR.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. 'set ip next-hop verify-availability' uses CEF (Cisco Express Forwarding) adjacency information, not ICMP, to verify reachability.
- ✓
When using 'set interface' in a PBR route map, the router forwards the packet out the specified interface without requiring a next-hop IP address, but the interface must be up/up.
Why this is correct
Correct. 'set interface' can be used to forward packets out a specific interface; the next hop is resolved via ARP or the routing table, but the interface must be operational.
- ✗
If a route map with 'set ip next-hop' is applied inbound on an interface, PBR processes only the first packet of a flow; subsequent packets use the routing table.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. PBR processes every packet that matches the route map, not just the first; fast switching or CEF may cache the result, but the policy is applied per packet.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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