hardMultiple Select
350-401 Practice Question: Which three statements about VRF route targets…
Which three statements about VRF route targets are true? (Choose three.)
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap is conflating route targets with route distinguishers — candidates assume they are the same BGP attribute because both are used in MPLS VPNs, but RD makes prefixes unique while RT controls import/export policy.
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
✓
Route targets are used to control which routes are imported into a VRF.
Option A is correct because route targets (RTs) are extended BGP community attributes attached to VPNv4/VPNv6 routes that determine which routes a VRF imports into its routing table, based on matching the VRF's import RT list. Option B is correct because the export RT attached to a VRF's routes identifies which remote VRFs are allowed to import those routes, thereby controlling which routes leave the VRF into the MP-BGP VPN table. Option C is correct because IOS/IOS-XE and similar platforms allow multiple import and export RTs per VRF (e.g., 'route-target import 65000:1' and 'route-target export 65000:2' can be repeated), enabling complex many-to-many VPN topologies. Option D is incorrect because the route distinguisher (RD) is an 8-byte field prepended to the IPv4 prefix to make it unique in the VPNv4 address family, while the route target is an extended community used for import/export policy — they are distinct BGP attributes with different functions. Option E is incorrect because route targets are also used in VRF-lite deployments (typically with MP-BGP between PE routers) to control route import/export between VRFs, not exclusively in MPLS VPNs.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Route targets are used to control which routes are imported into a VRF.
Why this is correct
Import route targets are attached to VRFs; when MP-BGP receives a VPNv4 route, the route target extended community is matched against the VRF's import list, determining whether that route enters the VRF's routing table. This satisfies the constraint of controlling route import.
- ✓
Route targets are used to control which routes are exported from a VRF.
Why this is correct
Export route targets are attached to routes redistributed into MP-BGP from a VRF, tagging them with an extended community. Receiving PE routers match that tag against their VRFs' import targets, so export targets govern which routes leave the VRF.
- ✓
A VRF can have multiple import and export route targets configured.
Why this is correct
VRF configuration supports multiple route-target import and export statements, allowing a VRF to participate in several VPN topologies simultaneously. This satisfies the requirement that a single VRF can import from and export to more than one route target community.
- ✗
Route targets and route distinguishers are the same BGP attribute.
Why it's wrong here
Route targets are BGP extended community attributes carried in VPNv4 updates, while route distinguishers are a separate 8-byte field prepended to the IPv4 prefix to make it unique. The confusion arises because both are configured per VRF and both appear in VPNv4 route entries.
- ✗
Route targets are only used in MPLS VPN and not in VRF-lite.
Why it's wrong here
Route targets are used in VRF-lite too, where they control import and export of routes between VRFs without MPLS. It is tempting because VRF-lite commonly relies on manual static routes or interface assignment, but extended communities still govern route leaking between VRFs on the same device.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Cisco exam blueprint
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.