- A
The CoPP policy is dropping all traffic because the CIR is too low.
Why wrong: Only exceeding packets are dropped; conforming traffic is transmitted.
- B
The CoPP policy is causing packet loss for traffic that exceeds the 8 kbps rate, which may impact legitimate control plane traffic.
The drop rate of 5 kbps indicates that half the offered traffic is being dropped, which could affect protocols like OSPF or BGP.
- C
The CoPP policy is not applied correctly because the drop rate is higher than the conform rate.
Why wrong: This is expected behavior when the offered rate exceeds the CIR.
- D
The CoPP policy is working as intended with no issues.
Why wrong: The high drop rate suggests a potential problem if the dropped traffic includes critical control plane packets.
How to Read CoPP Police Statistics and Identify Packet Drops
This 300-410 practice question tests your understanding of control plane policing (copp). 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 a Control Plane Policing (CoPP) issue:
R1# show policy-map control-plane input class CoPP-Class
Class-map: CoPP-Class (match-all) 1500 packets, 120000 bytes 5 minute offered rate 10000 bps, drop rate 5000 bps Match: access-group name CoPP-ACL police: cir 8000 bps, bc 1500 bytes, be 1500 bytes conformed 1000 packets, 80000 bytes; actions: transmit exceeded 500 packets, 40000 bytes; actions: drop conformed 8000 bps, exceed 2000 bps, violated 0 bps
What does this output indicate?
Quick Answer
The answer is that the CoPP policy is causing packet loss for traffic that exceeds the 8 kbps rate, which may impact legitimate control plane traffic. This is correct because the output from the show policy-map control-plane input class CoPP-Class command reveals a clear mismatch: the offered rate is 10 kbps, but the committed information rate (CIR) is only 8 kbps, causing the policer to drop 500 packets in the exceeded bucket. On the Cisco CCNP ENARSI 300-410 exam, this scenario tests your ability to interpret CoPP police statistics and identify packet drops, specifically recognizing that a drop rate of 5000 bps alongside a conformed rate of 8000 bps indicates legitimate traffic is being throttled. A common trap is focusing only on the conformed packets count while ignoring the exceeded actions—remember that the drop rate always subtracts from the offered rate. Memory tip: “Offered minus CIR equals drop risk”—if the offered rate exceeds the CIR, expect drops in the exceeded bucket.
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
The CoPP policy is causing packet loss for traffic that exceeds the 8 kbps rate, which may impact legitimate control plane traffic.
The output shows that the CoPP policy uses a CIR of 8000 bps with a conformed rate of 8000 bps and an exceed rate of 2000 bps. The drop rate of 5000 bps indicates that traffic exceeding the CIR is being dropped, which can include legitimate control plane traffic (e.g., routing protocol packets) if they are classified under the CoPP-Class. This confirms that the policy is causing packet loss for traffic that exceeds the 8 kbps rate, potentially impacting critical control plane operations.
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 CoPP policy is dropping all traffic because the CIR is too low.
Why it's wrong here
Only exceeding packets are dropped; conforming traffic is transmitted.
- ✓
The CoPP policy is causing packet loss for traffic that exceeds the 8 kbps rate, which may impact legitimate control plane traffic.
- ✗
The CoPP policy is not applied correctly because the drop rate is higher than the conform rate.
Why it's wrong here
This is expected behavior when the offered rate exceeds the CIR.
- ✗
The CoPP policy is working as intended with no issues.
Why it's wrong here
The high drop rate suggests a potential problem if the dropped traffic includes critical control plane packets.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the misinterpretation of CoPP output statistics, where candidates confuse the 'drop rate' with the 'exceed rate' or assume that a high drop rate always indicates a misconfiguration, rather than recognizing that it shows the policer is actively dropping traffic that exceeds the CIR, which may be intentional or problematic depending on the traffic class.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
CoPP uses a policer (typically single-rate two-color or three-color) to rate-limit control plane traffic; in this case, the 'police' command with cir 8000 bps, bc 1500 bytes, and be 1500 bytes implements a single-rate two-color policer where conformed traffic is transmitted and exceeded traffic is dropped. The 'show policy-map control-plane' output displays the conformed and exceeded rates, which are calculated over a 5-minute interval; the drop rate (5000 bps) reflects the exceeded traffic, and if the CoPP-ACL matches critical protocols like OSPF or BGP, this drop rate could cause routing instability or session flaps.
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 security administrator must allow nursing staff to reach a patient records server while blocking access from the guest Wi-Fi VLAN. After applying an extended ACL, traffic is still blocked from nursing workstations. The ACL was applied outbound instead of inbound on the wrong interface. Questions like this test ACL direction and placement rules.
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
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 300-410 question test?
Control Plane Policing (CoPP) — This question tests Control Plane Policing (CoPP) — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The CoPP policy is causing packet loss for traffic that exceeds the 8 kbps rate, which may impact legitimate control plane traffic. — The output shows that the CoPP policy uses a CIR of 8000 bps with a conformed rate of 8000 bps and an exceed rate of 2000 bps. The drop rate of 5000 bps indicates that traffic exceeding the CIR is being dropped, which can include legitimate control plane traffic (e.g., routing protocol packets) if they are classified under the CoPP-Class. This confirms that the policy is causing packet loss for traffic that exceeds the 8 kbps rate, potentially impacting critical control plane operations.
What should I do if I get this 300-410 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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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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