300-410 Policy-Based Routing (PBR) Practice Question
This 300-410 practice question tests your understanding of policy-based routing (pbr). Examine the command output carefully: the correct answer depends on what the output actually shows, not on general recall alone. 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 route-map
route-map PBR-ROUTE, permit, sequence 10
Match clauses:
ip address (access-lists): ACL-PBR
Set clauses:
ip next-hop 192.168.1.2
Policy routing matches: 0 packets, 0 bytes
route-map PBR-ROUTE, permit, sequence 20
Match clauses:
Set clauses:
ip next-hop 192.168.2.2
Policy routing matches: 0 packets, 0 bytes
R1# show ip policy
Interface Route-map
GigabitEthernet0/0 PBR-ROUTE
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.
Why wrong: The show ip policy output shows it is applied to GigabitEthernet0/0.
B
The access list ACL-PBR does not exist or matches no traffic.
Zero matches in sequence 10 suggest ACL-PBR is not matching any packets. Sequence 20 has no match clause and would match all, but its counter is also zero, indicating no traffic is being processed by PBR at all, likely because ACL-PBR is missing or incorrect.
C
The next-hop 192.168.1.2 is unreachable.
Why wrong: Even if the next-hop is unreachable, packets would still be matched and counted; the issue is zero matches.
D
The route map is missing a permit statement.
Why wrong: The route map has permit statements; the problem is no traffic matching.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The access list ACL-PBR does not exist or matches no traffic.
The show route-map output shows zero policy routing matches. The route map is applied to the interface, but the access list ACL-PBR may not match any traffic, or traffic is not arriving on GigabitEthernet0/0. The set clause in sequence 20 is applied unconditionally (no match clause), which would normally match all traffic, but sequence 10 must be evaluated first; if ACL-PBR matches nothing, sequence 20 would match all, yet counters still show zero, indicating no traffic is being policy-routed at all.
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 route map is not applied to an interface.
Why it's wrong here
The show ip policy output shows it is applied to GigabitEthernet0/0.
✓
The access list ACL-PBR does not exist or matches no traffic.
Why this is correct
Zero matches in sequence 10 suggest ACL-PBR is not matching any packets. Sequence 20 has no match clause and would match all, but its counter is also zero, indicating no traffic is being processed by PBR at all, likely because ACL-PBR is missing or incorrect.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
✗
The next-hop 192.168.1.2 is unreachable.
Why it's wrong here
Even if the next-hop is unreachable, packets would still be matched and counted; the issue is zero matches.
✗
The route map is missing a permit statement.
Why it's wrong here
The route map has permit statements; the problem is no traffic matching.
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 show ip policy output shows it is applied to GigabitEthernet0/0.
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.
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 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.
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 access list ACL-PBR does not exist or matches no traffic. — The show route-map output shows zero policy routing matches. The route map is applied to the interface, but the access list ACL-PBR may not match any traffic, or traffic is not arriving on GigabitEthernet0/0. The set clause in sequence 20 is applied unconditionally (no match clause), which would normally match all traffic, but sequence 10 must be evaluated first; if ACL-PBR matches nothing, sequence 20 would match all, yet counters still show zero, indicating no traffic is being policy-routed at all.
What should I do if I get this 300-410 question wrong?
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.
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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