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 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?
Why wrong: Setting level 0 would only send emergency messages (severity 0), which is far too restrictive and would miss errors and criticals.
B
3 (errors)
Correct. Setting the trap level to 3 ensures that all messages with severity 0, 1, 2, and 3 are logged. This matches the requirement of errors and higher severity.
C
2 (critical)
Why wrong: Setting level 2 would only send messages with severity 0, 1, and 2, excluding error (3) messages. The administrator wants errors included, so this is insufficient.
D
4 (warnings)
Why wrong: Setting level 4 would send all messages from 0 through 4 (including warnings), which is broader than needed and includes lower-severity messages the administrator may not want.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
3 (errors)
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.
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.
✗
0 (emergencies)
Why it's wrong here
Setting level 0 would only send emergency messages (severity 0), which is far too restrictive and would miss errors and criticals.
✓
3 (errors)
Why this is correct
Correct. Setting the trap level to 3 ensures that all messages with severity 0, 1, 2, and 3 are logged. This matches the requirement of errors and higher severity.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
2 (critical)
Why it's wrong here
Setting level 2 would only send messages with severity 0, 1, and 2, excluding error (3) messages. The administrator wants errors included, so this is insufficient.
✗
4 (warnings)
Why it's wrong here
Setting level 4 would send all messages from 0 through 4 (including warnings), which is broader than needed and includes lower-severity messages the administrator may not want.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often mistakenly think the trap level filters only that exact severity, when in fact it includes that level and all numerically lower (more severe) levels, leading them to choose a lower number like 2 or 0 instead of the correct 3.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In Cisco IOS, the 'logging trap' command uses a threshold mechanism where the specified level and all numerically lower (more severe) levels are logged. The syslog severity levels range from 0 (emergencies) to 7 (debugging), with lower numbers indicating higher severity. A common real-world scenario is compliance auditing where you must capture all error conditions (severity 3) and above, but exclude informational or debugging messages to reduce log volume and storage costs.
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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this N10-009 question in full detail.
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: 3 (errors) — 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.
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.
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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