350-401 Architecture Practice Question
A network architect at a large university is designing a new campus network that must support seamless roaming for thousands of wireless clients across multiple buildings. The design requires a centralized control plane with a distributed data plane to avoid traffic tromboning. Which Cisco architecture should the architect implement?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently confuse SD-Access with SD-WAN, as both are Cisco SDN solutions but target different network domains.
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
✓
Cisco SD-Access with fabric-enabled switches and a fabric controller
Cisco SD-Access fabric provides a centralized control plane using LISP and a distributed data plane using VXLAN, which enables seamless roaming and avoids traffic tromboning by allowing edge nodes to forward traffic directly. This architecture is specifically designed for campus networks requiring mobility and scalability.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Cisco Digital Network Architecture (DNA) Center with traditional campus switching
Why it's wrong here
Cisco DNA Center is a management and assurance platform, not an architecture that inherently provides centralized control plane with distributed data plane for wireless roaming. Traditional campus switching without a fabric does not prevent traffic tromboning or provide seamless mobility across buildings.
- ✗
Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) with spine-leaf topology
Why it's wrong here
Cisco ACI is a data center SDN solution focused on policy-driven automation for data center fabrics. It does not address campus wireless roaming or provide the seamless mobility features required for a university campus with multiple buildings and thousands of wireless clients.
- ✗
Cisco Software-Defined WAN (SD-WAN) with vManage and vSmart controllers
Why it's wrong here
Cisco SD-WAN is designed for WAN connectivity between branches and data centers, not for campus wireless roaming. It uses overlay tunnels over transport networks but does not provide the fabric-based mobility and micro-segmentation needed for a campus environment with thousands of wireless clients.
- ✓
Cisco SD-Access with fabric-enabled switches and a fabric controller
Why this is correct
Cisco SD-Access uses a fabric with a centralized control plane (LISP) and distributed data plane (VXLAN), enabling seamless mobility and preventing traffic tromboning by allowing edge nodes to forward traffic directly. This matches the requirement for centralized control and distributed data plane.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Network Architecture Fundamentals
Key term
Cisco Virtual Topology System
Cisco Virtual Topology System is a software-defined networking solution that creates and manages virtual network overlays across physical and virtual infrastructure for enterprise networks.
Key term
Cisco SD-Access
Cisco Software-Defined Access is a network architecture that uses a central controller to automate and secure user and device access across an enterprise network.
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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 350-401 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 350-401 exam.