Question 1,090 of 2,015

VLANs and Trunking →mediumMatchingObjective-mapped

Quick Answer

The correct match is black-hole VLAN to unused VLAN, where all ports assigned to it are administratively shut down to prevent loops. This works because a black-hole VLAN absorbs any accidentally enabled ports, ensuring no traffic can traverse them, which eliminates the risk of bridging loops or broadcast storms from misconfigured or dormant interfaces. On the ENCOR 350-401 exam, this drag-and-drop task tests your ability to distinguish the five key VLAN types: data, voice, management, native, and black-hole. A common trap is confusing the native VLAN—which carries untagged frames on a trunk and defaults to VLAN 1—with the black-hole VLAN, which is explicitly unused and dropped. Remember that data VLANs carry user traffic, voice VLANs (typically 100–199) carry VoIP, and management VLANs carry SSH or SNMP. For a quick memory tip: think “Black Hole swallows all traffic” to recall that it is a dead-end VLAN used solely for security and loop prevention.

350-401 VLANs and Trunking Practice Question

This 350-401 practice question tests your understanding of vlans and trunking. 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.

Drag and drop each VLAN type on the left to its matching purpose on the right.

Question 1mediummatching

Open the full VLAN trunking answer →

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

✓

data VLAN: Carries user data traffic

Data VLAN carries user traffic. Voice VLAN carries VoIP traffic (typically VLAN 100–199). Management VLAN carries management traffic (e.g., SSH, SNMP). Native VLAN carries untagged frames on a trunk (default VLAN 1). Black-hole VLAN is unused and dropped to prevent loops.

Key principle: A trunk being up does not mean the VLAN is allowed across it. Always verify the allowed VLAN list and whether the VLAN exists on both switches.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: an active trunk can still block the VLAN you need

A trunk being up does not prove every VLAN is crossing it. Check allowed VLAN lists, native VLAN mismatch, VLAN existence and access-port assignment.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

VLAN questions usually combine access-port and trunking clues. The key is to identify whether the issue is local to one switchport, caused by the trunk, or caused by the VLAN not existing where it needs to exist.

KKey Concepts to Remember

Access ports place end devices into a single VLAN.
Trunk ports carry multiple VLANs between switches.
Allowed VLAN lists decide which VLANs can cross a trunk.
Native VLAN mismatch can create confusing symptoms.

TExam Day Tips

Use show vlan brief to verify access VLANs.
Use show interfaces trunk to verify trunk state and allowed VLANs.
Do not treat every same-VLAN issue as a routing problem.

Key takeaway

A trunk being up does not mean the VLAN is allowed across it. Always verify the allowed VLAN list and whether the VLAN exists on both switches.

Real-world example

How this comes up in practice

A help-desk technician troubleshoots why a newly connected PC cannot reach shared printers on the same floor. The cable is good, the switch port is active, but the PC is in VLAN 20 and the printers are in VLAN 10. The uplink trunk only allows VLAN 10. A trunk being up does not mean every VLAN crosses it.

What to study next

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

Review VLAN allowed lists, native VLAN mismatch detection, and how to verify VLAN membership with show vlan brief and show interfaces trunk. Then practise related 350-401 questions on switching, trunking, and access-port configuration.

Related 350-401 practice-question pages

Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.

Architecture practice questions

Practise 350-401 questions linked to Architecture.

Enterprise Network Design practice questions

Practise 350-401 questions linked to Enterprise Network Design.

SD-Access Architecture practice questions

Practise 350-401 questions linked to SD-Access Architecture.

SD-WAN Architecture practice questions

Practise 350-401 questions linked to SD-WAN Architecture.

QoS Architecture practice questions

Practise 350-401 questions linked to QoS Architecture.

Virtualization practice questions

Practise 350-401 questions linked to Virtualization.

Network Function Virtualization practice questions

Practise 350-401 questions linked to Network Function Virtualization.

Virtual Machines and Hypervisors practice questions

Practise 350-401 questions linked to Virtual Machines and Hypervisors.

VRF and Path Isolation practice questions

Practise 350-401 questions linked to VRF and Path Isolation.

Infrastructure practice questions

Practise 350-401 questions linked to Infrastructure.

OSPF practice questions

Practise 350-401 questions linked to OSPF.

BGP practice questions

Practise 350-401 questions linked to BGP.

Practice this exam

Start a free 350-401 practice session

Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.

10 questions 20 questions 30 questions 50 questions Timed 30

350-401 practice-test guide →Study guide →Browse all practice tests

FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this 350-401 question test?

VLANs and Trunking — This question tests VLANs and Trunking — Access ports place end devices into a single VLAN..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: data VLAN: Carries user data traffic — Data VLAN carries user traffic. Voice VLAN carries VoIP traffic (typically VLAN 100–199). Management VLAN carries management traffic (e.g., SSH, SNMP). Native VLAN carries untagged frames on a trunk (default VLAN 1). Black-hole VLAN is unused and dropped to prevent loops.

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

What is the key concept behind this question?

Access ports place end devices into a single VLAN.

About these practice questions

Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →

How Courseiva writes practice questions · Editorial policy

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 each VLAN type on the left to its matching purpose on the right.

medium

✓ P1.data VLAN: Carries user data traffic
✓ P2.voice VLAN: Carries VoIP traffic, typically uses QoS
✓ P3.management VLAN: Used for out-of-band management access
✓ P4.native VLAN: Carries untagged frames on a trunk port
✓ P5.default VLAN: VLAN 1 by default on all Cisco switches

Why P1: Data VLAN carries user traffic; voice VLAN carries VoIP; management VLAN for device access; native VLAN for untagged frames on trunk; default VLAN is VLAN 1.

Last reviewed: Jun 18, 2026

Question Discussion

Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.

Loading comments…

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.