mediumMultiple Choice
350-401 Practice Question: Runs the following command on switch SW2: SW2#…
A network engineer runs the following command on switch SW2:
SW2# show cts role-based sgt-map
Active IPv4-SGT Mapping Table:
IP Address SGT 192.168.1.10 10 192.168.1.20 20 192.168.1.30 30
Total number of entries: 3
Based on this output, what can be concluded?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between the mapping table itself and the method used to populate it; the trap here is assuming that seeing a populated SGT map implies a specific authentication method (like 802.1X or MAB), when in fact the table can be populated by multiple mechanisms including static configuration or SXP.
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
✓
The switch maintains a mapping table that associates IP addresses with SGTs for TrustSec policy enforcement.
The command 'show cts role-based sgt-map' displays the active IPv4-to-SGT mapping table that the switch uses for Cisco TrustSec policy enforcement. This table is dynamically populated or statically configured to associate IP addresses with Security Group Tags (SGTs), which are then used to apply role-based access control. The output confirms the switch maintains this mapping, making option C correct.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The switch is using 802.1X to assign SGTs to endpoints.
Why it's wrong here
The output does not show how the mappings were learned; they could be static or dynamic. The 'show cts role-based sgt-map' command displays only the resulting IP-to-SGT bindings used for enforcement, not the authentication method that produced them. While 802.1X authentication with SGT attributes can populate this table, the absence of any session or authentication details means you cannot correctly infer that 802.1X was used.
- ✗
The switch has a static mapping of IP addresses to SGTs.
Why it's wrong here
The output does not indicate whether the mappings are static or learned via SGT Exchange Protocol. A static IP-to-SGT mapping is configured locally on the switch, while SXP populates the same table dynamically—both appear identical in this command. Without a source flag or configuration detail, calling these entries static is an unsupported assumption.
- ✓
The switch maintains a mapping table that associates IP addresses with SGTs for TrustSec policy enforcement.
Why this is correct
The command 'show cts role-based sgt-map' displays the IP-to-SGT mapping table, which is the exact table TrustSec policy enforcement uses. Each row binds a source IP address to a Security Group Tag, and this mapping is what the switch consults when applying SGACLs to traffic. This is the most defensible conclusion because the output is literally this table.
- ✗
The switch is using MAB to assign SGTs to endpoints.
Why it's wrong here
MAC Authentication Bypass is a port-level authentication method that can assign SGTs, but this output shows no port, session, or authentication information. The mapping table here is global and does not differentiate between authentication methods. Nothing in the output references MAB, so concluding MAB was used is not grounded in the displayed evidence.
Quick reference
Access Control Model Comparison
| Model | Acronym | Who Controls Access? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discretionary Access Control | DAC | Resource owner | Small teams, file shares |
| Mandatory Access Control | MAC | System / security labels | Classified govt / military |
| Role-Based Access Control | RBAC | Administrator (via roles) | Enterprise environments |
| Attribute-Based Access Control | ABAC | Policy engine (user + resource attributes) | Fine-grained, dynamic policies |
| Rule-Based Access Control | RuBAC | System rules / ACLs | Firewall rules, network ACLs |
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Network Access Control and AAA
Key term
Cisco TrustSec
Cisco TrustSec is a security architecture that uses identity-based access control and encryption to protect network traffic, rather than relying only on IP addresses and VLANs.
Key term
SGACL
SGACL stands for Security Group Access Control List, a Cisco technology that controls network traffic based on the security group membership of the source and destination devices rather than IP addresses.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.