- A
The router is load-balancing between OSPF and EIGRP routes.
Why wrong: The OSPF route is deleted, not kept for load balancing.
- B
The EIGRP route replaces the OSPF route due to lower administrative distance.
EIGRP AD 90 is lower than OSPF AD 110, so the EIGRP route is preferred.
- C
The OSPF route is preferred due to lower metric.
Why wrong: Administrative distance, not metric, determines which route is installed when routes from different protocols exist.
- D
Both routes are installed in the routing table.
Why wrong: The OSPF route is deleted, so only the EIGRP route remains.
Question 283 of 2,152
Route Redistribution Administrative Distance
This 300-410 practice question tests your understanding of device management. 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 route redistribution:
R1# debug ip routing
IP: route table insert (10.10.10.0/24 via 192.168.1.1, ospf 1) metric [110/20] IP: route table insert (10.10.10.0/24 via 10.1.1.2, eigrp 100) metric [90/158720] IP: route table delete (10.10.10.0/24 via 192.168.1.1, ospf 1) metric [110/20] IP: route table insert (10.10.10.0/24 via 10.1.1.2, eigrp 100) metric [90/158720]
What does this output indicate?
Quick Answer
The answer is that the EIGRP route replaces the OSPF route due to lower administrative distance. This occurs because when a router learns the same prefix from multiple routing protocols, it uses administrative distance as the tiebreaker, selecting the route with the lowest value. Here, OSPF’s default administrative distance of 110 is higher than EIGRP’s default of 90, so the router deletes the OSPF entry and inserts the EIGRP route, as shown by the debug ip routing output. On the Cisco CCNP ENARSI 300-410 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of route redistribution and how administrative distance governs route selection when protocols like OSPF and EIGRP exchange routes. A common trap is assuming metric or protocol preference alone decides the winner, but administrative distance always overrides metric when comparing routes from different sources. Remember: lower AD wins the routing table—think “90 beats 110” for EIGRP over OSPF.
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 EIGRP route replaces the OSPF route due to lower administrative distance.
The debug output shows the OSPF route (AD 110) being inserted first, then the EIGRP route (AD 90) being inserted, followed by the deletion of the OSPF route and re-insertion of the EIGRP route. This sequence indicates that the EIGRP route replaces the OSPF route because EIGRP has a lower administrative distance (90 vs. 110), making it more trustworthy. The routing table only keeps the best route based on AD, not metric, when comparing routes from different protocols.
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 router is load-balancing between OSPF and EIGRP routes.
Why it's wrong here
The OSPF route is deleted, not kept for load balancing.
- ✓
The EIGRP route replaces the OSPF route due to lower administrative distance.
- ✗
The OSPF route is preferred due to lower metric.
Why it's wrong here
Administrative distance, not metric, determines which route is installed when routes from different protocols exist.
- ✗
Both routes are installed in the routing table.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between administrative distance and metric, trapping candidates who assume that a lower metric (like OSPF's 20) automatically makes a route preferred, when in fact AD is the first criterion for routes from different protocols.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Administrative distance is a Cisco-proprietary trustworthiness value used to select the best route when multiple routing protocols provide routes to the same prefix; lower AD wins regardless of metric. In this scenario, EIGRP's default AD of 90 overrides OSPF's default AD of 110, causing the OSPF route to be removed. A real-world implication is that redistributing routes between protocols can lead to suboptimal routing if AD values are not carefully managed, such as when an EIGRP-learned route with a high metric (158720) is preferred over a lower-metric OSPF route.
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 network engineer at a university connects two campus buildings via a fibre link. Both routers run OSPF, but no adjacency forms — even though both routers can ping each other. The engineer finds one router is in area 0 and the other in area 1. OSPF adjacency requires matching area numbers, hello/dead timers, and network type. IP reachability alone is not enough.
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?
Device Management — This question tests Device Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The EIGRP route replaces the OSPF route due to lower administrative distance. — The debug output shows the OSPF route (AD 110) being inserted first, then the EIGRP route (AD 90) being inserted, followed by the deletion of the OSPF route and re-insertion of the EIGRP route. This sequence indicates that the EIGRP route replaces the OSPF route because EIGRP has a lower administrative distance (90 vs. 110), making it more trustworthy. The routing table only keeps the best route based on AD, not metric, when comparing routes from different protocols.
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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