This 300-410 practice question tests your understanding of route summarization. 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.
Which TWO commands can be used to verify route summarization on a Cisco router running OSPF? (Choose TWO.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
show ip route summary
The 'show ip route summary' command provides a summary of the routing table including the number of routes and the memory used, while 'show ip ospf border-routes' displays the OSPF route table entries for ABRs and ASBRs, which can include summary routes. 'show ip protocols' does not directly show summarization details. 'show ip route' alone does not summarize. 'show ip ospf database' shows the LSDB, not the summarized 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.
✓
show ip route summary
Why this is correct
This command provides a summary of the routing table, including the number of routes and memory usage, which helps verify summarization.
This command shows routing protocol parameters and timers, but not the summarized routes themselves.
✗
show ip route
Why it's wrong here
This command shows the full routing table without summarization; it does not provide a summary view.
✗
show ip ospf database
Why it's wrong here
This command displays the OSPF link-state database, which is not a direct verification of route summarization.
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.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
This command shows routing protocol parameters and timers, but not the summarized routes themselves.
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.
Route Summarization — This question tests Route Summarization — OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: show ip route summary — The 'show ip route summary' command provides a summary of the routing table including the number of routes and the memory used, while 'show ip ospf border-routes' displays the OSPF route table entries for ABRs and ASBRs, which can include summary routes. 'show ip protocols' does not directly show summarization details. 'show ip route' alone does not summarize. 'show ip ospf database' shows the LSDB, not the summarized 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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