350-401 Network Assurance Practice Question
A network engineer is analyzing traffic patterns using Cisco IOS IP Service Level Agreements (IP SLA). The engineer wants to measure the round-trip time (RTT) for HTTP traffic to a web server at 10.1.1.1. Which IP SLA operation type should be configured?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often confuse TCP connect with HTTP; TCP connect only measures the handshake, not the full HTTP request/response cycle.
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
✓
http
The HTTP IP SLA operation is designed to measure the response time of HTTP requests. It sends a request to a web server and measures the time to receive the response. This provides the RTT for HTTP traffic. Other operation types like ICMP echo, TCP connect, or UDP jitter do not measure application-layer HTTP performance. Therefore, the HTTP operation is the correct choice.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
icmp-echo
Why it's wrong here
ICMP echo measures basic network reachability and RTT using ICMP packets. It does not simulate HTTP traffic, so it does not measure HTTP-specific response times. While it can measure RTT to the server, it does not test the HTTP application layer. The engineer needs to measure HTTP response time, so a different operation is required.
- ✓
http
Why this is correct
The HTTP operation type in IP SLA sends HTTP requests to a specified URL and measures the response time. It can be configured to use GET or RAW operations and can measure the time to establish a TCP connection, send the request, and receive the response. This directly measures HTTP traffic RTT, which is what the engineer wants. It is the correct choice for measuring HTTP performance.
- ✗
tcp-connect
Why it's wrong here
TCP connect measures the time to establish a TCP connection to a specified port. It does not send HTTP requests or measure application-layer response time. While HTTP uses TCP, measuring TCP connect time only gives the handshake time, not the full HTTP transaction. Therefore, it is not suitable for measuring HTTP traffic RTT.
- ✗
udp-jitter
Why it's wrong here
UDP jitter measures delay, jitter, and packet loss for UDP traffic. It is typically used for voice and video quality monitoring. It does not simulate HTTP traffic and cannot measure HTTP response times. This operation is not appropriate for the engineer's requirement.
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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
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