350-401 Network Assurance Practice Question
A network engineer is troubleshooting why a Cisco Catalyst 9300 switch is not exporting flow data to a NetFlow collector. The engineer verified that the flow record and exporter are correctly configured and that the collector is reachable. Which additional configuration is required on the switch to enable Flexible NetFlow?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that defining the flow record and exporter is sufficient, overlooking the mandatory step of applying the flow monitor to an interface.
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
✓
Apply the flow monitor to an interface in the ingress direction.
Flexible NetFlow requires three main components: a flow record, a flow exporter, and a flow monitor. The monitor ties the record and exporter together and must be applied to an interface to activate flow accounting. Without applying the monitor, no flows are processed or exported, regardless of other configurations. The other options are either incorrect commands or optional features.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Apply the flow monitor to an interface in the ingress direction.
Why this is correct
Flexible NetFlow requires a flow monitor to be applied to an interface to activate flow accounting. Without applying the monitor, no flows are tracked or exported, even if the record and exporter are correctly defined. The ingress direction is typical for capturing incoming traffic, and this step is mandatory for the feature to function.
- ✗
Add the collector IP address to the flow record using the collect counter bytes command.
Why it's wrong here
The flow record defines which fields (keys and non-keys) are included in the flow data, such as source and destination IP, ports, and counters. The collector IP address is specified in the flow exporter, not the record. The collect counter bytes command adds byte counters to the record but does not direct flows to a collector. This option misplaces the collector configuration.
- ✗
Enable NetFlow version 9 globally with the ip flow-export version 9 command.
Why it's wrong here
Flexible NetFlow does not use the legacy ip flow-export command; it uses flow exporters and flow monitors. The version is specified within the exporter configuration, not with a global command. Therefore, this command is not only unnecessary but also incorrect for Flexible NetFlow, and it would not resolve the export issue.
- ✗
Configure a flow sampler to reduce CPU overhead.
Why it's wrong here
A flow sampler is optional and used to reduce the volume of flow data by sampling packets. While it can be beneficial in high-traffic environments, it is not required for basic Flexible NetFlow operation. The absence of a sampler would not prevent flow export; it would only affect the granularity of the data. Thus, this is not the missing configuration.
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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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