350-401 Architecture Practice Question
A network engineer is designing a large-scale campus network using Cisco SD-Access. The fabric must support thousands of endpoints and provide optimal forwarding paths. Which control plane component is responsible for maintaining the mapping of endpoint IP addresses to fabric edge nodes?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is attributing the endpoint mapping function to the management platform or edge nodes, when in fact it is the dedicated control plane node that holds the mapping database.
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
✓
Fabric control plane node
In Cisco SD-Access, the fabric control plane node uses LISP to maintain a mapping database of endpoint IP addresses to their current fabric edge nodes. This enables fabric edge nodes to query the control plane and forward traffic directly to the correct edge node, ensuring optimal paths and scalability for thousands of endpoints.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Fabric intermediate node
Why it's wrong here
Fabric intermediate nodes are used in multi-site SD-Access to connect fabric sites over a transit network. They forward VXLAN traffic between sites but do not maintain endpoint mapping databases. Their role is purely to provide connectivity between fabric sites, not to handle control plane mapping.
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Cisco DNA Center
Why it's wrong here
Cisco DNA Center is the management and automation platform used to design, provision, and monitor the SD-Access fabric. It does not participate in the data plane or control plane for endpoint mapping. While it configures the fabric, the actual mapping database is maintained by the fabric control plane node.
- ✓
Fabric control plane node
Why this is correct
The fabric control plane node, which runs LISP map-server and map-resolver functions, maintains the database of endpoint IP addresses and their associated fabric edge nodes. It provides the mapping service that allows fabric edge nodes to locate endpoints and establish optimal forwarding paths, making it essential for large-scale SD-Access deployments.
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Fabric edge node
Why it's wrong here
Fabric edge nodes register endpoints with the control plane and encapsulate traffic, but they do not maintain the global mapping database. Their primary role is to enforce policy and forward traffic based on mappings received from the control plane node, not to store the mappings themselves.
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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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