hardMultiple Choice
350-401 Practice Question: Runs the following command on Switch SW7: SW7#…
A network engineer runs the following command on Switch SW7:
SW7# show interfaces port-channel 1
Port-channel1 is up, line protocol is up (connected) Hardware is EtherChannel, address is aaaa.bbbb.cccc (bia aaaa.bbbb.cccc) Description: Link to Core Internet address is 192.168.1.1/30 MTU 1500 bytes, BW 2000000 Kbit/sec, DLY 10 usec, reliability 255/255, txload 1/255, rxload 1/255
Encapsulation ARPA, loopback not set
Keepalive set (10 sec) Full-duplex, 1000Mb/s, link type is auto, media type is unknown input flow-control is off, output flow-control is unsupported ARP type: ARPA, ARP Timeout 04:00:00 Last input 00:00:00, output 00:00:00, output hang never Last clearing of "show interface" counters never Input queue: 0/2000/0/0 (size/max/drops/flushes); Total output drops: 0 Queueing strategy: fifo Output queue: 0/40 (size/max) 5 minute input rate 1000 bits/sec, 2 packets/sec 5 minute output rate 500 bits/sec, 1 packets/sec 12345 packets input, 1234567 bytes, 0 no buffer Received 0 broadcasts (0 IP multicasts) 0 runts, 0 giants, 0 throttles 0 input errors, 0 CRC, 0 frame, 0 overrun, 0 ignored 0 watchdog, 0 multicast, 0 pause input 0 input packets with dribble condition detected 67890 packets output, 9876543 bytes, 0 underruns 0 output errors, 0 collisions, 2 interface resets 0 unknown protocol drops 0 babbles, 0 late collision, 0 deferred 0 lost carrier, 0 no carrier, 0 pause output 0 output buffer failures, 0 output buffers swapped out
Based on this output, what can be concluded?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the misconception that a port-channel with an IP address must be a Layer 2 interface, but in reality, a port-channel can be configured as a Layer 3 routed interface (no switchport) and still have an IP address, so candidates should not confuse Layer 2 vs Layer 3 based solely on the presence of an IP address.
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 bandwidth of 2 Gbps suggests that two 1 Gbps links are aggregated.
The output shows a bandwidth of 2000000 Kbit/sec, which equals 2 Gbps. Since each individual link in the EtherChannel is operating at 1000 Mb/s (1 Gbps) and full-duplex, the total bandwidth of 2 Gbps indicates that two 1 Gbps links have been successfully aggregated into the Port-channel 1. This is a direct conclusion from the 'BW 2000000 Kbit/sec' field in the show interfaces port-channel output.
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 port-channel is a Layer 2 interface because it has an IP address.
Why it's wrong here
The statement is incorrect because an IP address on a port-channel interface does not make it Layer 2; rather, it designates the interface as a Layer 3 (routed) port. In Cisco IOS, assigning an IP address to a port-channel creates a routed interface, whereas a Layer 2 port-channel requires the 'switchport' command and operates as a VLAN trunk or access port, without an IP address. Therefore, the presence of an IP address is evidence of Layer 3 operation, not Layer 2.
- ✓
The bandwidth of 2 Gbps suggests that two 1 Gbps links are aggregated.
Why this is correct
The bandwidth of 2 Gbps (shown as 2000000 Kbit/sec) correctly suggests that two 1 Gbps links are aggregated into this EtherChannel. In an EtherChannel, the logical interface bandwidth is the sum of the bandwidths of all member links, and with two full-duplex 1 Gbps member ports, the combined bandwidth becomes 2 Gbps. This aligns with the expected output for a two-member PortChannel and confirms the aggregation is active.
- ✗
The interface is experiencing input errors due to CRC errors.
Why it's wrong here
The claim that the interface is experiencing input errors due to CRC errors is false because the provided output shows '0 input errors' and '0 CRC' counters. CRC errors, such as those caused by physical layer noise or faulty cabling, would appear as a non-zero value in the input error and CRC error fields. Since both counters are zero, there is no evidence of any input error or CRC-related problem on this port-channel.
- ✗
The port-channel is operating at half-duplex.
Why it's wrong here
The statement that the port-channel is operating at half-duplex is directly contradicted by the interface output, which explicitly shows 'Full-duplex'. EtherChannel member links must operate in full-duplex mode to avoid collisions and ensure proper aggregation, and the output confirms that this requirement is satisfied. A half-duplex operation would be a misconfiguration and would appear as 'Half-duplex' in the show output, which is not the case here.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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