mediumMultiple Choice
350-401 Practice Question: Runs the following command on Router R1: R1# show…
A network engineer runs the following command on Router R1:
R1# show bgp summary
BGP router identifier 192.168.1.1, local AS number 65001 BGP table version is 10, main routing table version 10
Neighbor V AS MsgRcvd MsgSent TblVer InQ OutQ Up/Down State/PfxRcd 192.168.1.2 4 65002 1024 1020 10 0 0 00:12:34 15 192.168.1.3 4 65003 2048 2040 10 0 0 00:24:56 20
Based on this output, what can be concluded?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between the BGP table version (a change counter) and the prefix count in the State/PfxRcd column, leading candidates to mistakenly interpret the version number as the number of prefixes.
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
✓
Both BGP sessions are in the established state
The 'State/PfxRcd' column shows the number of prefixes received from each neighbor, and the 'Up/Down' column shows the session uptime, both of which indicate that the BGP sessions are fully established. An idle session would show 'Idle' in the State/PfxRcd column, not a prefix count. Therefore, both sessions are in the established state.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Both BGP sessions are in the established state
Why this is correct
The output shows State/PfxRcd counts of 15 and 20 for the two neighbors. In BGP's state machine, only the established state populates the PfxRcd column with a numeric prefix count; any other state (Idle, Connect, Active, OpenSent, OpenConfirm) would display the state name or a placeholder. Consequently, both neighbors are fully peering and exchanging reachability information.
- ✗
The BGP session with 192.168.1.2 is idle
Why it's wrong here
If the session to 192.168.1.2 were idle, the State/PfxRcd column would literally show 'Idle' rather than '15'. Idle is the initial state where BGP has no TCP connection and often indicates missing network statements, wrong neighbor configuration, or failure to reach the peer's IP. Since a prefix count of 15 appears, the neighbor relationship has progressed through TCP establishment and BGP open negotiation to active route exchange.
- ✗
Router R1 is using iBGP with both neighbors
Why it's wrong here
The routing table's neighbors are in AS 65002 and AS 65003, while R1 itself is evidently in a different AS (typically 65001). BGP is considered internal (iBGP) only when both peers share the same autonomous system number; with differing AS numbers, the session is external BGP (eBGP). Additionally, eBGP sessions normally use directly connected interfaces unless the ebgp-multihop command is configured, whereas iBGP often uses loopback addresses and relies on an IGP for reachability—this further supports the eBGP conclusion.
- ✗
The BGP table version is 10, meaning 10 prefixes are in the table
Why it's wrong here
The BGP table version is a monotonically increasing internal revision counter that increments whenever any BGP route is modified, withdrawn, or added; it does not represent the quantity of prefixes in the table. The actual number of prefixes received from each peer is listed in the PfxRcd column (15 and 20), and summing those yields 35, not 10. Thus, table version 10 simply means there have been 10 local BGP database changes, not a count of routes.
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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.