mediumMultiple Choice
300-410 Practice Question: In VRF-Lite, which routing protocols can be used…
In VRF-Lite, which routing protocols can be used within a VRF?
⚠ Common exam trap
300-410 often tests the misconception that VRF-Lite is limited to static routing or a subset of protocols, when in fact it supports the full suite of dynamic routing protocols per VRF.
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
✓
OSPF, EIGRP, RIP, and BGP can all be configured per VRF.
VRF-Lite supports running any standard routing protocol independently within each VRF, including OSPF, EIGRP, RIP, and BGP. Each VRF maintains its own routing table and protocol instance, so you configure the protocol under the VRF address family or with the 'vrf' keyword. This per-VRF isolation is the core value of VRF-Lite — multiple virtual routing domains on one physical router.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Only static routing is supported in VRF-Lite.
Why it's wrong here
VRF-Lite supports static routing alongside OSPF, EIGRP, RIP and BGP within each VRF; the limitation is that no MPLS or route targets are used. Claiming static-only is tempting because VRF-Lite is often deployed with simple static routes, and static routing would be correct in minimal designs without dynamic peering.
- ✓
OSPF, EIGRP, RIP, and BGP can all be configured per VRF.
Why this is correct
VRF-Lite maintains separate routing and forwarding tables per VRF, so each instance runs its own OSPF, EIGRP, RIP, or BGP process independently. This satisfies the requirement that multiple protocols coexist per VRF without leaking between them.
- ✗
Only OSPF and EIGRP are supported in VRF-Lite.
Why it's wrong here
VRF-Lite supports OSPF, EIGRP, RIP, BGP and static routing per VRF, not just OSPF and EIGRP. Restricting to those two is tempting because they are the most common dynamic protocols in enterprise VRFs, and either would be correct when a design mandates a single IGP per VRF.
- ✗
BGP cannot be used within a VRF in VRF-Lite.
Why it's wrong here
BGP is fully supported inside a VRF in VRF-Lite, commonly for PE-CE peering without MPLS; the VRF simply isolates the routing table. Denying BGP is tempting because VRF-Lite lacks route targets, and BGP would be the correct choice when exchanging customer prefixes across an MPLS-less provider edge.
Visual reference
Quick reference
Routing Protocol Comparison
| Protocol | Metric | Max Hops | Algorithm | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RIP v2 | Hop count | 15 | Bellman-Ford | Distance vector |
| OSPF | Cost (bandwidth) | Unlimited | Dijkstra (SPF) | Link state |
| EIGRP | Composite metric | Unlimited | DUAL | Hybrid |
| IS-IS | Cost | Unlimited | Dijkstra | Link state |
| BGP | Policy / attributes | Unlimited | Path vector | Path vector |
RIP's 15-hop limit makes it unsuitable for large networks. OSPF and EIGRP dominate modern enterprise deployments.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Advanced EIGRP Features (Stub, Load Balancing, Named Mode)
Key term
MPLS Layer 3 VPN
A technology that uses Multiprotocol Label Switching to create secure, scalable virtual private networks that connect multiple sites at the network layer, where the service provider manages routing between customer sites.
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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.