- A
The 'trap' level indicates the minimum severity; only messages with severity 4 and above are sent.
Why wrong: Incorrect. The 'trap' level is the maximum severity; lower numbers are higher urgency and are included.
- B
The router is misconfigured and sending all messages regardless of the trap level.
Why wrong: No, the configuration is working as intended. Only messages up to and including level 4 are sent.
- C
Syslog severity levels are reversed; lower numbers indicate higher urgency, so trap 4 includes levels 0-4.
Correct. Lower severity numbers (0) are more critical, and 'logging trap 4' instructs the router to send messages with severity 0 through 4.
- D
The syslog server is configured to accept only levels 0-2, so it filters out the others.
Why wrong: The server can accept all levels, but the router is sending only levels 0-4. The server receives because they are sent.
Quick Answer
The answer is that the router is receiving messages with severity levels 0, 1, and 2 because the command 'logging trap 4' includes all levels numerically equal to or lower than 4, and syslog severity levels are reversed—lower numbers indicate higher urgency. This means level 0 (emergency) is the most critical, followed by 1 (alert) and 2 (critical), so setting a trap of 4 captures everything from 0 through 4, including the more urgent levels 0-2. On the CompTIA Network+ N10-009 exam, this concept tests your understanding of syslog severity levels and trap configuration, often appearing as a scenario where a technician misinterprets the threshold direction. A common trap is assuming higher numbers mean higher priority, but the opposite is true. Remember the mnemonic: "Zero is the hero"—the smallest number saves the biggest emergency.
N10-009 Network Operations Practice Question
This N10-009 practice question tests your understanding of network operations. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
A network administrator has configured a router to send syslog messages to a server with the command 'logging trap 4'. The administrator notices that the syslog server is receiving messages with severity levels 0, 1, and 2. Which of the following best explains why these messages are being received?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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
Syslog severity levels are reversed; lower numbers indicate higher urgency, so trap 4 includes levels 0-4.
C is correct because in syslog, severity levels are inverted: lower numbers indicate higher urgency (0=emergency, 1=alert, 2=critical). The command 'logging trap 4' sets a threshold that includes all messages with a severity level of 4 or lower (i.e., more urgent), so levels 0, 1, and 2 are included. This is defined in RFC 5424 and is standard behavior on Cisco IOS devices.
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.
- ✗
The 'trap' level indicates the minimum severity; only messages with severity 4 and above are sent.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. The 'trap' level is the maximum severity; lower numbers are higher urgency and are included.
- ✗
The router is misconfigured and sending all messages regardless of the trap level.
Why it's wrong here
No, the configuration is working as intended. Only messages up to and including level 4 are sent.
- ✓
Syslog severity levels are reversed; lower numbers indicate higher urgency, so trap 4 includes levels 0-4.
Why this is correct
Correct. Lower severity numbers (0) are more critical, and 'logging trap 4' instructs the router to send messages with severity 0 through 4.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
The syslog server is configured to accept only levels 0-2, so it filters out the others.
Why it's wrong here
The server can accept all levels, but the router is sending only levels 0-4. The server receives because they are sent.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the inverted nature of syslog severity levels, where the trap level is a maximum threshold (inclusive of all lower numbers), not a minimum, causing candidates to incorrectly assume that higher numbers are more severe.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Syslog severity levels range from 0 (Emergency) to 7 (Debug), with 0 being the most critical. The 'logging trap 4' command on Cisco IOS means 'send all messages with a severity of 4 (Warning) or lower', which includes 0-4. A common real-world scenario is when an administrator wants to capture only warnings and above but mistakenly thinks the trap level is a minimum filter, leading to confusion when lower-numbered (more severe) messages appear.
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 N10-009 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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this N10-009 question test?
Network Operations — This question tests Network Operations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Syslog severity levels are reversed; lower numbers indicate higher urgency, so trap 4 includes levels 0-4. — C is correct because in syslog, severity levels are inverted: lower numbers indicate higher urgency (0=emergency, 1=alert, 2=critical). The command 'logging trap 4' sets a threshold that includes all messages with a severity level of 4 or lower (i.e., more urgent), so levels 0, 1, and 2 are included. This is defined in RFC 5424 and is standard behavior on Cisco IOS devices.
What should I do if I get this N10-009 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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 →
Same concept, more angles
3 more ways this is tested on N10-009
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. A network administrator wants to configure routers to send syslog messages only for events of severity 'error' (3) or higher (more severe). Which severity level should be set as the trap level?
medium- A.0 (emergencies)
- ✓ B.3 (errors)
- C.2 (critical)
- D.4 (warnings)
Why B: Option B is correct because setting the trap level to 3 (errors) instructs the router to send syslog messages for severity 3 and all numerically lower (more severe) levels (0, 1, 2, 3). This matches the requirement to capture events of severity 'error' (3) or higher severity.
Variation 2. A network administrator is configuring a new switch and needs to ensure that log messages are sent to a remote syslog server with a severity level of 'warning' (4) or higher. Which severity level should be set as the trap level on the switch?
medium- A.3 (error)
- ✓ B.4 (warning)
- C.5 (notice)
- D.7 (debug)
Why B: Option B is correct because setting the trap level to 4 (warning) on a Cisco switch using the 'logging trap 4' command ensures that syslog messages with a severity of warning (4) and higher (i.e., emergency, alert, critical, error, and warning) are forwarded to the remote syslog server. The severity levels are defined in RFC 5424, where lower numbers indicate higher priority, so level 4 includes all messages from 0 through 4.
Variation 3. A network administrator is configuring a syslog server to receive logs from network devices. The administrator wants to capture all messages with a severity level of 'critical' (2) and higher (more severe). What severity threshold should be set on the devices?
medium- A.0 (emergency)
- B.1 (alert)
- ✓ C.2 (critical)
- D.3 (error)
Why C: Syslog severity levels are numbered 0 (most severe) through 7 (least severe). When you set a severity threshold on a device, it captures messages at that level and all lower-numbered (more severe) levels. To capture 'critical' (2) and higher (i.e., levels 0, 1, and 2), you must set the threshold to 2. Option C is correct because level 2 includes itself and all more severe levels (0 and 1).
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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