The answer is HSRP, the Hot Standby Router Protocol, because it is the Cisco-proprietary First Hop Redundancy Protocol that enables seamless failover without host reconfiguration. HSRP allows multiple routers to share a virtual IP and MAC address; hosts are configured with this virtual IP as their default gateway, so when the active router fails, the standby router automatically takes over forwarding traffic. On the ENCOR 350-401 exam, this question tests your understanding of FHRP technologies and their role in high-availability campus network design. A common trap is confusing HSRP with VRRP or GLBP—remember that HSRP is Cisco proprietary and uses an active/standby model with a unique virtual MAC (0000.0c07.acXX). A helpful memory tip: HSRP stands for Hot Standby, so think of a hot spare router ready to take over instantly, just like a backup generator that kicks in without anyone flipping a switch.
350-401 Architecture Practice Question
This 350-401 practice question tests your understanding of architecture. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 is designing a campus network with high availability for critical services. Which Cisco technology enables traffic to be forwarded to an alternate next hop in the event of a first-hop router failure, without requiring any configuration changes on the hosts?
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.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
HSRP
HSRP (Hot Standby Router Protocol) is a Cisco-proprietary FHRP that allows multiple routers to share a virtual IP and MAC address, providing transparent failover. Hosts are configured with the virtual IP as their default gateway, so when the active router fails, the standby router takes over without any host configuration changes. This directly meets the requirement for high availability without host reconfiguration.
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.
✗
Static default route with a floating static
Why it's wrong here
Floating static routes require host configuration changes and are not transparent to hosts.
✗
GLBP
Why it's wrong here
GLBP provides load balancing along with redundancy, but HSRP is more commonly used for simple failover.
✗
VRRP
Why it's wrong here
VRRP is a standard protocol similar to HSRP but not Cisco proprietary.
✓
HSRP
Why this is correct
HSRP is a Cisco proprietary FHRP that provides transparent failover without host configuration changes.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between proprietary (HSRP) and open standard (VRRP) protocols, leading candidates to pick VRRP because it is non-proprietary, but the question explicitly asks for 'Cisco technology,' making HSRP the intended correct answer.
Trap categories for this question
Similar concept trap
VRRP is a standard protocol similar to HSRP but not Cisco proprietary.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
HSRP uses an active/standby model with a virtual IP and virtual MAC (0000.0c07.acXX), and failover occurs when the active router stops sending hello messages (default 3-second hello, 10-second hold). A subtle behavior is that HSRP version 2 supports IPv6 and uses different multicast addresses (224.0.0.102 for v1, 224.0.0.102 for v2) and group numbers up to 4095, which can cause interoperability issues if mismatched. In real-world scenarios, HSRP preemption can be configured to ensure a preferred router regains active role after recovery, preventing suboptimal routing.
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 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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this 350-401 question in full detail.
Architecture — This question tests Architecture — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: HSRP — HSRP (Hot Standby Router Protocol) is a Cisco-proprietary FHRP that allows multiple routers to share a virtual IP and MAC address, providing transparent failover. Hosts are configured with the virtual IP as their default gateway, so when the active router fails, the standby router takes over without any host configuration changes. This directly meets the requirement for high availability without host reconfiguration.
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.
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?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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