The correct answer is that the route 10.3.3.0/24 is added from EIGRP 100 because it has a lower administrative distance than OSPF. This occurs because when a router learns the same prefix from multiple routing protocols within a VRF, the route with the lowest administrative distance is selected as the best path and installed in the routing table. In the debug output, OSPF 200 carries an administrative distance of 110, while EIGRP 100 has a distance of 90, so the router explicitly logs "closer admin distance" and adds the EIGRP route. On the Cisco CCNP ENARSI 300-410 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how route redistribution interacts with VRF-Lite and administrative distance—a common trap is assuming metric or protocol preference alone determines the winner, when in fact AD is the primary tiebreaker. Remember the mnemonic: "Lower AD wins the seat," meaning the protocol with the smaller administrative distance gets installed in the routing table regardless of metric.
300-410 VRF-Lite Practice Question
This 300-410 practice question tests your understanding of vrf-lite. 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 to troubleshoot a VRF-Lite redistribution issue:
R1# debug ip routing vrf CUSTOMER_E
Output:
RT: add 10.3.3.0/24 via 10.1.1.2, ospf 200 metric [110/20]
RT: add 10.3.3.0/24 via 10.1.1.2, eigrp 100 metric [90/131072] tag 0
RT: closer admin distance for 10.3.3.0/24, adding via eigrp 100
RT: add 10.3.3.0/24 to routing table, via eigrp 100
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The route 10.3.3.0/24 is added from EIGRP 100 because it has a lower administrative distance than OSPF.
The 'debug ip routing vrf' command shows route insertion and selection events for a specific VRF. The output shows that route 10.3.3.0/24 is learned from both OSPF 200 (with administrative distance 110) and EIGRP 100 (with administrative distance 90). Because EIGRP has a lower administrative distance, it is chosen as the best path and added to the routing table.
Key principle: OSPF neighbour adjacency depends on matching area, hello/dead timers, network type, and authentication — IP reachability alone is not enough.
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 10.3.3.0/24 is added from OSPF 200 because it has a lower metric.
The route 10.3.3.0/24 is added from both OSPF and EIGRP, creating an equal-cost path.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Only one route is added (EIGRP), as indicated by 'closer admin distance'.
✗
The route 10.3.3.0/24 is not added to the routing table due to a tag mismatch.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. The route is added successfully via EIGRP.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: OSPF can fail even when IP connectivity looks correct
OSPF neighbour formation depends on matching areas, timers, network type, authentication and passive-interface behaviour. Do not choose an answer only because the devices can ping.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
OSPF questions usually test the details that control adjacency and route selection. Read the neighbour state, area, router ID and interface configuration before deciding what is wrong.
KKey Concepts to Remember
OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters.
Router ID selection can affect neighbour relationships and LSDB output.
OSPF cost influences the preferred path.
A route can appear in OSPF information but not become the installed route.
TExam Day Tips
→Check area mismatch first when OSPF adjacency fails.
→Review passive interfaces when a network is advertised but no neighbour forms.
→Use show ip ospf neighbor and show ip route clues carefully.
Key takeaway
OSPF neighbour adjacency depends on matching area, hello/dead timers, network type, and authentication — IP reachability alone is not enough.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A network engineer at a university connects two campus buildings via a fibre link. Both routers run OSPF, but no adjacency forms — even though both routers can ping each other. The engineer finds one router is in area 0 and the other in area 1. OSPF adjacency requires matching area numbers, hello/dead timers, and network type. IP reachability alone is not enough.
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 OSPF neighbour requirements — matching area type, hello and dead timers, network type, stub flags, and authentication. Study show ip ospf neighbor states (INIT, 2-WAY, FULL). Then practise related 300-410 OSPF questions on adjacency and route selection.
VRF-Lite — This question tests VRF-Lite — OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The route 10.3.3.0/24 is added from EIGRP 100 because it has a lower administrative distance than OSPF. — The 'debug ip routing vrf' command shows route insertion and selection events for a specific VRF. The output shows that route 10.3.3.0/24 is learned from both OSPF 200 (with administrative distance 110) and EIGRP 100 (with administrative distance 90). Because EIGRP has a lower administrative distance, it is chosen as the best path and added to the routing table.
What should I do if I get this 300-410 question wrong?
Review OSPF neighbour requirements — matching area type, hello and dead timers, network type, stub flags, and authentication. Study show ip ospf neighbor states (INIT, 2-WAY, FULL). Then practise related 300-410 OSPF questions on adjacency and route selection.
What is the key concept behind this question?
OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters.
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