Question 1,492 of 2,015

VPN Technologies →mediumDrag & DropObjective-mapped

Quick Answer

The correct order ends with traffic flowing directly between spokes, because FlexVPN’s spoke-to-spoke dynamic tunnel creation relies on the hub as a bootstrap intermediary rather than a forwarding point. The process begins when a spoke sends an IKEv2 authentication request to the hub, which authenticates the spoke and replies with an IKEv2 configuration payload containing the remote spoke’s address. The originating spoke then initiates a direct IKEv2 session to the remote spoke, and both spokes complete IKEv2 authentication and IPsec SA setup before traffic flows directly between them without traversing the hub. On the ENCOR 350-401 exam, this drag-and-drop sequence tests your understanding of how FlexVPN offloads traffic from the hub using dynamic spoke-to-spoke tunnels, a common trap being the mistaken belief that the hub remains in the data path. A useful memory tip is “Auth, Address, Direct, Secure, Flow”—the five key steps in order, reminding you that the hub only facilitates the initial address exchange.

350-401 VPN Technologies Practice Question

This 350-401 practice question tests your understanding of vpn technologies. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.

Drag and drop the steps of FlexVPN spoke-to-spoke dynamic tunnel creation into the correct order, from first to last.

Clue words in this question

Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.

Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.

Question 1mediumdrag order

Read the full VPN explanation →

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

✓

Spoke sends IKEv2 auth request to hub

In FlexVPN, a spoke sends an IKEv2 authentication request to the hub. The hub authenticates the spoke and sends back the IKEv2 configuration payload with the remote spoke's address. The originating spoke then initiates a direct IKEv2 session to the remote spoke. Both spokes complete IKEv2 authentication and IPsec SA setup. Finally, traffic flows directly between the spokes without going through the hub.

Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic

NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.

KKey Concepts to Remember

Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.

TExam Day Tips

Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.

Key takeaway

NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.

Real-world example

How this comes up in practice

A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.

What to study next

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related 350-401 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this 350-401 question test?

VPN Technologies — This question tests VPN Technologies — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: Spoke sends IKEv2 auth request to hub — In FlexVPN, a spoke sends an IKEv2 authentication request to the hub. The hub authenticates the spoke and sends back the IKEv2 configuration payload with the remote spoke's address. The originating spoke then initiates a direct IKEv2 session to the remote spoke. Both spokes complete IKEv2 authentication and IPsec SA setup. Finally, traffic flows directly between the spokes without going through the hub.

What should I do if I get this 350-401 question wrong?

Are there clue words in this question I should notice?

Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.

What is the key concept behind this question?

Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.

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Same concept, more angles

1 more ways this is tested on 350-401

These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.

Variation 1. Drag and drop the steps of FlexVPN spoke-to-spoke dynamic tunnel creation into the correct order, from first to last.

medium

✓ A.Spoke1 sends IKEv1 request to hub for Spoke2
✓ B.Hub sends redirect notification with Spoke2 address
✓ C.Spoke1 initiates IKEv2 SA with Spoke2
✓ D.Spoke2 authenticates Spoke1 via hub
✓ E.Spoke1 and Spoke2 establish IPsec SA

Why A: In FlexVPN, when a spoke needs to reach another spoke, it first sends an IKEv2 request to the hub. The hub redirects the spoke to the destination spoke's public address. The requesting spoke then initiates a direct IKEv2 SA with the destination spoke, and after authentication, they establish an IPsec SA for data transfer.

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