easyMultiple Choice
300-410 Practice Question: Which SNMPv2c PDU type is used by the manager to…
Which SNMPv2c PDU type is used by the manager to request a large amount of data efficiently, such as an entire routing table?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the misconception that GetNextRequest is the most efficient way to retrieve large tables, but the trap here is that GetBulkRequest was specifically designed for bulk retrieval and is the correct answer when efficiency is explicitly mentioned.
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
✓
GetBulkRequest
C is correct because SNMPv2c introduced the GetBulkRequest PDU specifically to allow a manager to retrieve large amounts of data, such as an entire routing table, in a single request. Unlike GetNextRequest, which requires repeated requests to walk through a MIB subtree, GetBulkRequest uses a non-repeaters and max-repetitions mechanism to fetch multiple variable bindings in one operation, significantly reducing network overhead and latency.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
GetRequest
Why it's wrong here
GetRequest retrieves a single object instance per PDU, so walking a routing table would need one request per row. It tempts because it is the basic read operation, and it would be correct for fetching one known OID value.
- ✗
GetNextRequest
Why it's wrong here
GetNextRequest returns the lexicographically next OID, requiring repeated round trips to traverse a table. It tempts because it enables sequential walks, and it would be correct for retrieving a table when GetBulk is unavailable, as in SNMPv1.
- ✓
GetBulkRequest
Why this is correct
GetBulkRequest retrieves large MIB tables in a single transaction by returning multiple variable bindings per request, unlike GetNextRequest which walks one object at a time, making it efficient for bulk data such as routing tables.
- ✗
SetRequest
Why it's wrong here
SetRequest writes values to managed objects, so it cannot retrieve a routing table. It is tempting because it is a manager-issued PDU, and it would be correct when the manager must modify an agent's configuration rather than read bulk data.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
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