easyMultiple Choice
350-401 Practice Question: An enterprise is deploying Cisco SD-WAN with…
An enterprise is deploying Cisco SD-WAN with vManage, vSmart, vBond, and vEdge routers. The architect must design the control plane to securely onboard new vEdge routers and establish DTLS/TLS tunnels. Which component is responsible for the initial authentication and coordination of control plane connections?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the misconception that vManage handles all initial authentication because it is the central management interface, but vBond is specifically designed for orchestrating the initial control plane connections.
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
✓
vBond
In Cisco SD-WAN, vBond is the orchestrator responsible for the initial authentication and coordination of control plane connections. When a new vEdge router attempts to join the fabric, it first contacts vBond, which authenticates the device using its serial number and certificate, then provides the IP addresses of the vSmart controllers and vManage. This establishes the DTLS/TLS tunnels for the control plane.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
vManage
Why it's wrong here
vManage is the SD-WAN management plane, providing centralized dashboards, configuration templates, and software upgrade control. It does not generate or verify the certificate-based identity credentials that vEdge routers present during onboarding. Instead, vManage relies on vBond to authenticate new devices and then shows their status in the management UI.
- ✗
vSmart
Why it's wrong here
vSmart functions as the central control plane, exchanging OMP routes and propagating policies to vEdge routers. Its control connections are established only after vBond validates a vEdge router's serial number and certificate. Therefore, vSmart has no part in the initial authentication handshake and would reject an unauthenticated vEdge.
- ✓
vBond
Why this is correct
vBond is the SD-WAN's trust anchor and the first server a vEdge router contacts. It verifies the router's certificate against a preconfigured list, performs NAT traversal, and supplies the router with the list of active vSmart and vManage controllers. Without this orchestration, a vEdge router has no secure path to join the overlay network.
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vEdge
Why it's wrong here
vEdge routers sit at the branch sites and form the data plane, forwarding user packets and applying local data policies. They are the devices being authenticated; they lack the software components to validate other routers' credentials. A vEdge router can barely reach the SD-WAN fabric until vBond has successfully authenticated it.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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