350-401 Virtualization Practice Question
A network engineer is troubleshooting a Cisco Nexus 9000 switch configured with VXLAN EVPN. The engineer notices that the switch is not learning remote MAC addresses from the EVPN control plane. The underlay is OSPF, and BGP EVPN peering is established with the spine switches. Which command should the engineer use to verify that the switch is receiving EVPN Type-2 routes?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse data-plane verification commands like 'show nve peers' with control-plane verification commands like 'show bgp l2vpn evpn', or looking at the L2 route table instead of the BGP table.
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
✓
show bgp l2vpn evpn
To verify that the switch is receiving EVPN Type-2 routes, the engineer should use 'show bgp l2vpn evpn'. This command displays the BGP EVPN table, where Type-2 routes appear as '[2]:[MAC/IP]' entries. If these routes are missing, the switch will not learn remote MAC addresses via EVPN. Checking the BGP EVPN table is the first step in troubleshooting control-plane learning issues.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
show ip route vrf all
Why it's wrong here
'show ip route vrf all' displays the IP routing table for all VRFs. It does not show EVPN routes, which are BGP routes in the L2VPN EVPN address family. This command is irrelevant for troubleshooting EVPN MAC address learning. It might be used to verify underlay routing, but the issue is specifically about EVPN control-plane learning.
- ✗
show l2route evpn mac all
Why it's wrong here
'show l2route evpn mac all' displays the MAC addresses learned via EVPN in the Layer 2 routing table. However, if the switch is not receiving Type-2 routes, this table would be empty. To verify the reception of EVPN routes themselves, you need to look at the BGP EVPN table, not the L2 route table. This command shows the result of EVPN learning, not the BGP routes.
- ✗
show nve peers
Why it's wrong here
'show nve peers' displays the state of VXLAN tunnel peers (remote VTEPs). While it can indicate if tunnels are up, it does not show EVPN routes. The issue described is about not learning remote MAC addresses from EVPN, so checking NVE peers would not directly reveal whether Type-2 routes are being received. It is useful for verifying data-plane connectivity but not control-plane EVPN routes.
- ✓
show bgp l2vpn evpn
Why this is correct
The command 'show bgp l2vpn evpn' displays the BGP EVPN table, including Type-2 routes (MAC/IP advertisement routes). If the switch is not receiving Type-2 routes, this command will show an empty table or missing entries for the expected MAC addresses. It is the primary command to verify EVPN route reception and is essential for troubleshooting control-plane learning.
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
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Network Monitoring and Troubleshooting Tools
Key term
Fabric Fundamentals
Fabric Fundamentals is the set of core concepts behind a network fabric, where switches and routers form a single logical system that simplifies traffic forwarding and automation.
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.
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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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