The answer is that IP SLA can measure jitter between two devices and can be combined with tracking objects to influence routing decisions. These two capabilities are core to understanding IP SLA on the ENCOR 350-401 exam because they demonstrate how the tool goes beyond simple reachability testing. Jitter measurement, which quantifies the variation in packet delay, is critical for assessing voice and video quality, while route triggering uses the track command to dynamically switch to a backup path when an IP SLA probe fails or degrades below a threshold. On the exam, you will often see this tested in the context of static floating routes or policy-based routing, where a failed probe causes a tracked object to change state, automatically rerouting traffic. A common trap is confusing IP SLA with simple ping monitoring—remember that IP SLA can measure delay, jitter, and packet loss, not just reachability. Memory tip: “Jitter for quality, track for failover.”
350-401 Network Assurance Practice Question
This 350-401 practice question tests your understanding of network assurance. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 TWO statements are true about IP SLA? (Choose two.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
IP SLA can be used with tracking objects to trigger route changes.
Option B is correct because IP SLA can be combined with tracking objects and the 'track' command to influence routing decisions. When an IP SLA probe fails or falls below a threshold, the tracked object changes state, which can trigger a route change (e.g., via a static route with a higher administrative distance or a PBR policy). This allows the network to react to network performance or reachability issues automatically.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
IP SLA is only supported on ASR routers.
Why it's wrong here
Option E is wrong because IP SLA is supported on many Cisco IOS devices.
✓
IP SLA can be used with tracking objects to trigger route changes.
Why this is correct
Option D is correct because IP SLA can be tracked and used for conditional routing.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
IP SLA can measure jitter between two devices.
Why this is correct
Option B is correct because IP SLA has a jitter operation.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
IP SLA uses actual user traffic for measurements.
Why it's wrong here
Option A is wrong because IP SLA generates synthetic test packets.
✗
IP SLA can only measure round-trip time, not one-way delay.
Why it's wrong here
Option C is wrong because IP SLA can measure one-way delay if both devices support it.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the misconception that IP SLA uses real user traffic (Option D) or that it is limited to RTT (Option E), when in fact it generates synthetic probes and can measure one-way delay with proper time synchronization.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
IP SLA uses a control-plane mechanism where the source router sends probe packets to a target IP address, and the target (or the source itself) calculates metrics like latency, jitter, and packet loss. For one-way delay measurements, both devices must be synchronized via NTP to ensure accurate timestamping. In real-world scenarios, IP SLA with tracking is commonly used for WAN failover, where a tracked object tied to an IP SLA probe triggers a backup static route when the primary link degrades or fails.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the 350-401 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this 350-401 question in full detail.
Network Assurance — This question tests Network Assurance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: IP SLA can be used with tracking objects to trigger route changes. — Option B is correct because IP SLA can be combined with tracking objects and the 'track' command to influence routing decisions. When an IP SLA probe fails or falls below a threshold, the tracked object changes state, which can trigger a route change (e.g., via a static route with a higher administrative distance or a PBR policy). This allows the network to react to network performance or reachability issues automatically.
What should I do if I get this 350-401 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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