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300-410 Practice Question: Router R3 has the following configuration: ```…

Router R3 has the following configuration:

```

interface GigabitEthernet0/4
 ip address 10.3.3.3 255.255.255.0
 ip policy route-map PBR-IN

! route-map PBR-IN permit 10 match ip address 102 set ip next-hop verify-availability 192.168.2.1 10 track 1 !

access-list 102 permit ip 10.3.3.0 0.0.0.255 any

``` What is the effect of the 'set ip next-hop verify-availability' command?

⚠ Common exam trap

Watch out — candidates often confuse the sequence number (10) with a timer or interval, leading candidates to pick option C, or assuming that 'verify-availability' requires a sequence number, leading to option D. The key is to recognize that 'track 1' makes the next-hop conditional on the track object's state, and the number is just an ordering sequence.

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 192.168.2.1 is used only if track object 1 is up; otherwise, normal routing applies.

The command 'set ip next-hop verify-availability 192.168.2.1 10 track 1' in a route-map specifies that the next-hop 192.168.2.1 should be used only if the tracked object (track 1) is in the 'up' state. The number 10 is the sequence number for this next-hop entry, allowing multiple next-hops to be tried in order. If track 1 is down, the policy-based routing (PBR) action for that sequence is skipped, and the router falls back to the normal routing table to forward the packet. Thus, option A correctly describes this conditional behavior.

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 192.168.2.1 is used only if track object 1 is up; otherwise, normal routing applies.

    Why this is correct

    The `verify-availability` keyword ties next-hop reachability to tracked object 1, so policy-based routing via 192.168.2.1 only occurs while that track is up. If the track fails, the route-map clause no longer sets the next hop, and the packet falls through to the routing table, satisfying the requirement for automatic failover to normal forwarding.

  • ✗

    The next-hop 192.168.2.1 is always used regardless of track status.

    Why it's wrong here

    The track 1 keyword ties the next-hop to tracked object 1: if the track state is down, the set clause is skipped and normal destination-based routing applies. The option is tempting because plain 'set ip next-hop' does apply unconditionally, but verify-availability exists precisely to make the next-hop conditional.

  • ✗

    The router pings 192.168.2.1 every 10 seconds to verify reachability.

    Why it's wrong here

    The 10 is the sequence number ordering this next-hop entry, not a timer; reachability is determined by the tracked object's state, not by periodic pings from the router. The option is tempting because 10 looks like an interval, but tracking uses the configured tracking protocol, not ICMP polling by the route-map.

  • ✗

    The configuration is invalid because 'verify-availability' requires a sequence number.

    Why it's wrong here

    The syntax 'set ip next-hop verify-availability <ip> <sequence> track <object>' requires the sequence number, which is present here as 10, so the configuration parses and installs correctly. The option is tempting because sequence numbers are optional in some route-map commands, but verify-availability mandates one to order multiple tracked next-hops.

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Same concept, more angles

1 more way 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. When using 'set ip next-hop verify-availability', what mechanism does the router use to determine if the next-hop is reachable?

medium
  • A.It sends an ICMP echo request to the next-hop every 10 seconds.
  • B.It checks the ARP table for the next-hop MAC address.
  • ✓ C.It uses a tracked object that can be based on IP SLA, interface state, or other criteria.
  • D.It performs a recursive routing table lookup to see if the next-hop is reachable.

Why C: The 'verify-availability' option uses a tracked object (configured with the 'track' command) which can be based on IP SLA, interface line-protocol, or other criteria. It does not use ARP or ICMP by default.

JA

Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security

Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva

Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Cisco exam blueprint

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.