- A
The next-hop 192.168.1.1 is not reachable in VRF B because it belongs to VRF A; route leaking does not update the next-hop, causing recursive routing failure.
The route is installed but the next-hop is not in VRF B, so the packet cannot be forwarded.
- B
The route-replicate command requires a route-map to change the next-hop.
Why wrong: Route-replicate does not have an option to change next-hop; it copies the route as-is.
- C
The VRF B has a default route that is conflicting with the leaked route.
Why wrong: A default route would not cause failure to reach the specific prefix; it might even help if the next-hop is reachable.
- D
The interface connected to 192.168.1.1 is not in VRF B, so the packet is dropped by CEF due to VRF mismatch.
This is essentially the same as option A; the next-hop is not in the same VRF, so forwarding fails.
VRF Route Leaking: Why Next-Hop Becomes Unreachable in Destination VRF
This 300-410 practice question tests your understanding of device access control. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. A key principle to apply: route-replicate. 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 VRF-aware network has two VRFs: VRF A and VRF B. Router R1 is configured with VRF A and VRF B, and route leaking is configured between them using route-replicate. Routes from VRF A are appearing in VRF B, but traffic from VRF B to destinations in VRF A is failing. R1's configuration: ip route vrf A 10.10.10.0 255.255.255.0 192.168.1.1, and route-replicate from VRF A to VRF B. Show ip route vrf B shows the route 10.10.10.0/24 with next-hop 192.168.1.1. However, ping from a device in VRF B to 10.10.10.1 fails. What is the root cause?
Quick Answer
The answer is that the next-hop remains in the source VRF after route leaking, causing a VRF mismatch that drops the packet. When route-replicate copies a route from VRF A to VRF B, it duplicates the prefix and its next-hop address without altering the next-hop’s VRF association. In this scenario, the next-hop 192.168.1.1 is reachable only within VRF A’s routing table, but VRF B attempts a recursive lookup for that address in its own table, where it does not exist—resulting in a CEF adjacency failure and an unreachable next-hop. On the Cisco CCNP ENARSI 300-410 exam, this question tests your understanding that route leaking is a control-plane operation; it does not install the next-hop’s path into the destination VRF. A common trap is assuming the leaked route is fully functional, but the forwarding plane still requires the next-hop to be present in the destination VRF. Remember the memory tip: “Leak the route, not the next-hop”—the prefix moves, but the gateway stays home.
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 next-hop 192.168.1.1 is not reachable in VRF B because it belongs to VRF A; route leaking does not update the next-hop, causing recursive routing failure.
The correct answer is A. Route-replicate copies routes from VRF A to VRF B but does not change the next-hop address. The next-hop 192.168.1.1 remains in VRF A's routing table and is not reachable within VRF B. When VRF B attempts to forward traffic to 10.10.10.0/24, the recursive lookup for 192.168.1.1 fails because that next-hop is not present in VRF B's routing table, causing the ping to fail. Option D is incorrect because the packet is dropped due to the recursive routing failure, not specifically because the interface is not in VRF B; the interface may be in VRF A and reachable from VRF B's perspective only if the next-hop is resolved, but it is not.
Key principle: route-replicate
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 next-hop 192.168.1.1 is not reachable in VRF B because it belongs to VRF A; route leaking does not update the next-hop, causing recursive routing failure.
Why this is correct
The route is installed but the next-hop is not in VRF B, so the packet cannot be forwarded.
Related concept
route-replicate
- ✗
The route-replicate command requires a route-map to change the next-hop.
Why it's wrong here
Route-replicate does not have an option to change next-hop; it copies the route as-is.
- ✗
The VRF B has a default route that is conflicting with the leaked route.
Why it's wrong here
A default route would not cause failure to reach the specific prefix; it might even help if the next-hop is reachable.
- ✓
The interface connected to 192.168.1.1 is not in VRF B, so the packet is dropped by CEF due to VRF mismatch.
Why this is correct
This is essentially the same as option A; the next-hop is not in the same VRF, so forwarding fails.
Related concept
route-replicate
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Candidates often assume that route-leaking automatically adjusts the next-hop or that the next-hop becomes reachable in the destination VRF. In reality, the next-hop remains unchanged and must be reachable in the destination VRF for traffic to succeed. This is a classic recursive routing failure scenario.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Route-replicate (or import/export via route-target) copies the route prefix but preserves the original next-hop address. If that next-hop belongs to a different VRF, the receiving VRF must have a route to reach that next-hop, or recursive routing fails. In production, this is often solved by using a route-map to set the next-hop to a loopback or interface that exists in both VRFs, or by ensuring the next-hop is reachable via a global or shared VRF route.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- route-replicate
- Recursive routing
- VRF-aware routing
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
route-replicate
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. route-replicate Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
Visual reference
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review route-replicate, then practise related 300-410 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
- →
Device Access Control — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Device Access Control practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All 300-410 questions
2,152 questions across all exam domains
- →
Cisco CCNP ENARSI 300-410 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
300-410 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related 300-410 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Layer 3 Technologies practice questions
Practise 300-410 questions linked to Layer 3 Technologies.
EIGRP Troubleshooting practice questions
Practise 300-410 questions linked to EIGRP Troubleshooting.
OSPF Troubleshooting (v2/v3) practice questions
Practise 300-410 questions linked to OSPF Troubleshooting (v2/v3).
BGP Troubleshooting practice questions
Practise 300-410 questions linked to BGP Troubleshooting.
Route Redistribution practice questions
Practise 300-410 questions linked to Route Redistribution.
Policy-Based Routing (PBR) practice questions
Practise 300-410 questions linked to Policy-Based Routing (PBR).
VRF-Lite practice questions
Practise 300-410 questions linked to VRF-Lite.
Route Maps and Route Filtering practice questions
Practise 300-410 questions linked to Route Maps and Route Filtering.
Administrative Distance practice questions
Practise 300-410 questions linked to Administrative Distance.
Route Summarization practice questions
Practise 300-410 questions linked to Route Summarization.
Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD) practice questions
Practise 300-410 questions linked to Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD).
VPN Technologies practice questions
Practise 300-410 questions linked to VPN Technologies.
Practice this exam
Start a free 300-410 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 300-410 question test?
Device Access Control — This question tests Device Access Control — route-replicate.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The next-hop 192.168.1.1 is not reachable in VRF B because it belongs to VRF A; route leaking does not update the next-hop, causing recursive routing failure. — The correct answer is A. Route-replicate copies routes from VRF A to VRF B but does not change the next-hop address. The next-hop 192.168.1.1 remains in VRF A's routing table and is not reachable within VRF B. When VRF B attempts to forward traffic to 10.10.10.0/24, the recursive lookup for 192.168.1.1 fails because that next-hop is not present in VRF B's routing table, causing the ping to fail. Option D is incorrect because the packet is dropped due to the recursive routing failure, not specifically because the interface is not in VRF B; the interface may be in VRF A and reachable from VRF B's perspective only if the next-hop is resolved, but it is not.
What should I do if I get this 300-410 question wrong?
Review route-replicate, then practise related 300-410 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
route-replicate
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 →
Keep practising
More 300-410 practice questions
- Drag and drop the steps to negotiate an IKEv2 IPsec site-to-site tunnel into the correct order, from first to last.
- Drag and drop the steps to troubleshoot an IPsec site-to-site VPN adjacency failure into the correct order, from first t…
- Drag and drop the steps to verify and validate the operational state of an IPsec site-to-site VPN into the correct order…
- Consider the following configuration snippet: ip cef ! interface GigabitEthernet0/0 ip address 10.0.0.1 255.255.255.25…
- A router is configured with 'logging host 10.1.1.100' and 'logging trap informational'. The engineer notices that syslog…
- Drag and drop the steps to configure a GRE tunnel for IPv6 over IPv4 into the correct order, from first to last.
Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
This 300-410 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 300-410 exam.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.