Question 851 of 2,152

Administrative Distance →mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

EIGRP Load Balancing and Feasible Successors

Q: How is Administrative Distance tested on the 300-410 exam?

Administrative Distance — This question tests Administrative Distance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

Q: What is the correct answer to this Administrative Distance 300-410 question?

The correct answer is: Both paths are feasible successors and will be used for load balancing. — The output shows two equal-cost paths to the same network, both with the same composite metric and FD. This indicates that EIGRP is load balancing across these two links, but the administrative distance is not directly shown here; it's about the topology table.

Q: Why do candidates get Administrative Distance questions wrong on the 300-410 exam?

Identify which 300-410 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.

This 300-410 practice question tests your understanding of administrative distance. 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.

A network engineer runs the following command to troubleshoot an Administrative Distance issue:

R1# show ip eigrp topology 192.168.3.0/24 all-links

IP-EIGRP (AS 100): Topology entry for 192.168.3.0/24 State is Passive, Query origin flag is 1, 1 Successor(s), FD is 30720 Routing Descriptor Blocks:

10.1.1.2 (GigabitEthernet0/0), from 10.1.1.2, Send flag is 0x0

Composite metric is (30720/28160), Route is Internal Vector metric: Minimum bandwidth is 100000 Kbit Total delay is 2000 microseconds Reliability is 255/255 Load is 1/255 Minimum MTU is 1500 Hop count is 1

10.1.2.2 (GigabitEthernet0/1), from 10.1.2.2, Send flag is 0x0

What does this output indicate?

Clue words in this question

Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.

Clue: "minimum / minimize"
Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.

A
Both paths are feasible successors and will be used for load balancing.
Both paths have the same metric and meet the feasibility condition (reported distance less than FD), so they are successors and will be used for load balancing.
B
Only the first path is used because it has a lower administrative distance.
Why wrong: Administrative distance is not shown in EIGRP topology; both paths are from the same protocol, so AD is the same.
C
The second path is a feasible successor but not used because the first path has a better metric.
Why wrong: Both have the same metric, so both are successors.
D
The output indicates a routing loop because there are two paths with the same metric.
Why wrong: Equal-cost paths are normal and do not indicate a loop.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

Quick Answer

The answer is that both paths are feasible successors and will be used for EIGRP load balancing. This is correct because the output from the `show ip eigrp topology` command displays two Routing Descriptor Blocks with identical composite metrics of 30720/28160, and the topology entry shows a single successor with a feasible distance (FD) of 30720. Since both paths have the same reported distance (28160) and meet the feasibility condition (RD < FD), they are both feasible successors, allowing EIGRP to perform equal-cost load balancing across the two GigabitEthernet interfaces. On the Cisco CCNP ENARSI 300-410 exam, this scenario tests your ability to interpret the EIGRP topology table and distinguish between successors, feasible successors, and non-feasible routes—a common trap is confusing the `all-links` keyword with showing all routes, when it actually reveals all feasible successors. Remember the memory tip: “Same metric, same FD—feasible successors for load balancing, not just backup.”

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

✓

Both paths are feasible successors and will be used for load balancing.

The output shows two equal-cost paths to the same network, both with the same composite metric and FD. This indicates that EIGRP is load balancing across these two links, but the administrative distance is not directly shown here; it's about the topology table.

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.

✓
Both paths are feasible successors and will be used for load balancing.
Why this is correct
Both paths have the same metric and meet the feasibility condition (reported distance less than FD), so they are successors and will be used for load balancing.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Only the first path is used because it has a lower administrative distance.
Why it's wrong here
Administrative distance is not shown in EIGRP topology; both paths are from the same protocol, so AD is the same.
✗
The second path is a feasible successor but not used because the first path has a better metric.
Why it's wrong here
Both have the same metric, so both are successors.
✗
The output indicates a routing loop because there are two paths with the same metric.
Why it's wrong here
Equal-cost paths are normal and do not indicate a loop.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.

Trap categories for this question

Command / output trap
Administrative distance is not shown in EIGRP topology; both paths are from the same protocol, so AD is the same.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.

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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.

TExam Day Tips

Underline the problem statement mentally.
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 300-410 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.

Visual reference

Quick reference

Routing Protocol Comparison

Protocol	Metric	Max Hops	Algorithm	Type
RIP v2	Hop count	15	Bellman-Ford	Distance vector
OSPF	Cost (bandwidth)	Unlimited	Dijkstra (SPF)	Link state
EIGRP	Composite metric	Unlimited	DUAL	Hybrid
IS-IS	Cost	Unlimited	Dijkstra	Link state
BGP	Policy / attributes	Unlimited	Path vector	Path vector

RIP's 15-hop limit makes it unsuitable for large networks. OSPF and EIGRP dominate modern enterprise deployments.

What to study next

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

Identify which 300-410 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this 300-410 question test?

Administrative Distance — This question tests Administrative Distance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: Both paths are feasible successors and will be used for load balancing. — The output shows two equal-cost paths to the same network, both with the same composite metric and FD. This indicates that EIGRP is load balancing across these two links, but the administrative distance is not directly shown here; it's about the topology table.

What should I do if I get this 300-410 question wrong?

Are there clue words in this question I should notice?

Yes — watch for: "minimum / minimize". Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.

What is the key concept behind this question?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

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