The correct conclusion is that interface Gi0/1 has higher latency than Gi0/0, as shown by its higher Mean SRTT value of 15 ms compared to 12 ms. The Mean SRTT, or Smooth Round-Trip Time, represents the average time in milliseconds for an EIGRP packet to reach a neighbor and receive an acknowledgment, making it a direct measure of path latency. On the ENCOR 350-401 exam, this EIGRP interface SRTT latency interpretation tests your ability to read the show ip eigrp interfaces output and understand that SRTT is a key indicator of delay, which EIGRP incorporates into its composite metric calculation. A common trap is confusing SRTT with the Hold Time or Pacing Time columns, so focus on the “Mean SRTT” column specifically. Memory tip: “SRTT = Slow Round-Trip Time” — higher numbers mean slower paths.
350-401 EIGRP Practice Question
This 350-401 practice question tests your understanding of eigrp. Examine the command output carefully: the correct answer depends on what the output actually shows, not on general recall alone. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A network engineer runs the following command on Router R1:
R1# show ip eigrp interfaces
EIGRP-IPv4 Interfaces for AS(100)
Interface Peers Xmit Queue Mean Pacing Time Multicast Pending
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Interface Gi0/1 has higher latency than Gi0/0.
The 'Mean SRTT' (Smooth Round-Trip Time) column shows the average time in milliseconds for EIGRP packets to reach a neighbor and receive an acknowledgment. Gi0/1 has an SRTT of 15 ms, while Gi0/0 has an SRTT of 12 ms, indicating higher latency on Gi0/1. This directly correlates to the path's delay, which EIGRP uses in its composite metric calculation.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
Interface Gi0/1 has higher latency than Gi0/0.
Why this is correct
The Mean SRTT is higher on Gi0/1 (15 ms) compared to Gi0/0 (12 ms), indicating higher round-trip time.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Both interfaces have pending routes to send.
Why it's wrong here
Pending Routes is 0 for both.
✗
The router is using EIGRP named mode.
Why it's wrong here
The output shows 'EIGRP-IPv4 Interfaces for AS(100)', which is classic mode.
✗
There is a queue backlog on Gi0/0.
Why it's wrong here
Xmit Queue is 0/0, indicating no backlog.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the ability to interpret the 'show ip eigrp interfaces' output, specifically the 'Mean SRTT' column, and the trap here is that candidates confuse SRTT with interface bandwidth or fail to recognize that a higher SRTT means higher latency, not necessarily a problem with queue or pending routes.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
The output shows 'EIGRP-IPv4 Interfaces for AS(100)', which is classic mode.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The SRTT is calculated using an exponential weighted moving average (EWMA) of the round-trip time for reliable EIGRP packets, and it directly influences the retransmission timeout (RTO) as RTO = SRTT * 6 (by default). In real-world scenarios, a higher SRTT on one interface could indicate a slower or more congested link, which EIGRP would factor into its metric via the delay component, potentially affecting path selection.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A network engineer at a university connects two campus buildings via a fibre link. Both routers run OSPF, but no adjacency forms — even though both routers can ping each other. The engineer finds one router is in area 0 and the other in area 1. OSPF adjacency requires matching area numbers, hello/dead timers, and network type. IP reachability alone is not enough.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this 350-401 question in full detail.
EIGRP — This question tests EIGRP — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Interface Gi0/1 has higher latency than Gi0/0. — The 'Mean SRTT' (Smooth Round-Trip Time) column shows the average time in milliseconds for EIGRP packets to reach a neighbor and receive an acknowledgment. Gi0/1 has an SRTT of 15 ms, while Gi0/0 has an SRTT of 12 ms, indicating higher latency on Gi0/1. This directly correlates to the path's delay, which EIGRP uses in its composite metric calculation.
What should I do if I get this 350-401 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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