Quick Answer
The answer is the Multi-Exit Discriminator (MED), which is the BGP attribute where the lowest value is preferred. This preference exists because MED is a metric used to tell neighboring autonomous systems which path to use when multiple entry points exist into your AS, with a lower MED indicating a more preferred ingress point. On the ENCOR 350-401 exam, this concept tests your understanding of path selection and how MED differs from attributes like Local Preference, where a higher value is preferred. A common trap is confusing MED with weight or local preference, so remember that MED is the only major BGP attribute where lower is better for influencing inbound traffic. For a quick memory tip, think "MED is low to go" — a lower MED means traffic should enter through that link.
This 350-401 practice question tests your understanding of sd-access architecture. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
Which BGP attribute is preferred when it has the lowest value?
MED (Multi-Exit Discriminator)
The MED attribute is used to indicate the preferred path into an AS; lower MED is better.
Local Preference
Why wrong: Local Preference is higher-is-better.
Weight
Why wrong: Weight is Cisco-proprietary and higher-is-better.
AS Path
Why wrong: AS Path is shorter-is-better, not lower value.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
MED (Multi-Exit Discriminator)
The Multi-Exit Discriminator (MED) is a BGP path attribute used to influence inbound traffic to an AS from multiple entry points. A lower MED value is preferred over a higher one, making it the correct answer among the options where the lowest value is preferred.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
MED (Multi-Exit Discriminator)
Why this is correct
The MED attribute is used to indicate the preferred path into an AS; lower MED is better.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Local Preference
Why it's wrong here
Local Preference is higher-is-better.
Weight
Why it's wrong here
Weight is Cisco-proprietary and higher-is-better.
AS Path
Why it's wrong here
AS Path is shorter-is-better, not lower value.
Common exam traps
Cisco often tests the distinction between attributes where higher is preferred (Local Preference, Weight) versus lower is preferred (MED, AS Path length), and the trap here is that candidates might confuse MED with Local Preference or Weight, both of which use higher values as better.
Detailed technical explanation
MED is an optional non-transitive attribute defined in RFC 4271, typically used in multi-homed BGP scenarios to suggest to a neighboring AS which path to use for incoming traffic. It is compared only when the paths come from the same neighboring AS (unless the 'bgp always-compare-med' command is used), and a lower MED is preferred, with a default value of 0 if not set.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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FAQ
SD-Access Architecture — This question tests SD-Access Architecture — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: MED (Multi-Exit Discriminator) — The Multi-Exit Discriminator (MED) is a BGP path attribute used to influence inbound traffic to an AS from multiple entry points. A lower MED value is preferred over a higher one, making it the correct answer among the options where the lowest value is preferred.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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