Question 14 of 2,152

IPv6 First Hop Security →hardMultiple SelectObjective-mapped

How to Configure IPv6 RA Guard: Create Policy and Attach to Interface

This 300-410 practice question tests your understanding of ipv6 first hop security. 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.

Which TWO configuration steps are required to enable IPv6 RA Guard on a Cisco switch interface? (Choose TWO.)

A
Create an RA Guard policy using the 'ipv6 nd raguard policy POLICY_NAME' command.
The policy defines the role (router or host) and other parameters; it is a mandatory step.
B
Apply the RA Guard policy to the interface with the 'ipv6 nd raguard attach-policy POLICY_NAME' command.
This command attaches the policy to the interface, enabling RA Guard enforcement.
C
Enable IPv6 routing globally with 'ipv6 unicast-routing'.
Why wrong: IPv6 routing is not required for RA Guard on a switch; RA Guard works in Layer 2 mode.
D
Configure 'ipv6 nd raguard' directly on the interface without a policy.
Why wrong: This is not valid; RA Guard requires a policy to define the role; the command alone is incomplete.
E
Enable DHCPv6 Guard on the same interface to complement RA Guard.
Why wrong: DHCPv6 Guard is a separate feature and is not required for RA Guard to function.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

Quick Answer

The answer is that you must first create an RA Guard policy defining the device role (router or host) and then apply that policy to the interface using the 'ipv6 nd raguard attach-policy POLICY_NAME' command. This two-step process is required because RA Guard does not function as a simple on/off toggle; the policy dictates which router advertisement messages are trusted or dropped based on the interface’s role, preventing rogue RA attacks. On the Cisco CCNP ENARSI 300-410 exam, this topic tests your understanding of IPv6 First Hop Security features, and a common trap is assuming that enabling 'ipv6 nd raguard' alone is sufficient—it is not, as the policy attachment is mandatory. To remember, think of RA Guard as a bouncer: you must write the guest list (the policy) before telling the bouncer which door to guard (the interface).

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

✓

Create an RA Guard policy using the 'ipv6 nd raguard policy POLICY_NAME' command.

Option A is correct because an RA Guard policy must first be created using the 'ipv6 nd raguard policy POLICY_NAME' command to define the device role (e.g., 'device-role host' or 'device-role router') and other filtering parameters. Option B is correct because the policy must then be explicitly attached to the interface with 'ipv6 nd raguard attach-policy POLICY_NAME' to enforce RA filtering. Without both steps, RA Guard cannot be activated on the interface.

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.

✓
Create an RA Guard policy using the 'ipv6 nd raguard policy POLICY_NAME' command.
Why this is correct
The policy defines the role (router or host) and other parameters; it is a mandatory step.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Apply the RA Guard policy to the interface with the 'ipv6 nd raguard attach-policy POLICY_NAME' command.
Why this is correct
This command attaches the policy to the interface, enabling RA Guard enforcement.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Enable IPv6 routing globally with 'ipv6 unicast-routing'.
Why it's wrong here
IPv6 routing is not required for RA Guard on a switch; RA Guard works in Layer 2 mode.
✗
Configure 'ipv6 nd raguard' directly on the interface without a policy.
Why it's wrong here
This is not valid; RA Guard requires a policy to define the role; the command alone is incomplete.
✗
Enable DHCPv6 Guard on the same interface to complement RA Guard.
Why it's wrong here
DHCPv6 Guard is a separate feature and is not required for RA Guard to function.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

Cisco often tests that RA Guard requires both a policy creation and an interface attachment, leading candidates to mistakenly think a simple interface command or global routing enablement is sufficient.

Trap categories for this question

Command / output trap
This is not valid; RA Guard requires a policy to define the role; the command alone is incomplete.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

RA Guard uses the policy to classify the interface as either a 'host' port (which should not send RAs) or a 'router' port (which may send legitimate RAs). The policy can also specify a trusted port list or limit the number of RAs per second. In real-world scenarios, RA Guard is critical on access ports to prevent rogue RAs from redirecting traffic or launching man-in-the-middle attacks, especially in shared LAN segments like campus networks.

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 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.

What to study next

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this 300-410 question test?

IPv6 First Hop Security — This question tests IPv6 First Hop Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: Create an RA Guard policy using the 'ipv6 nd raguard policy POLICY_NAME' command. — Option A is correct because an RA Guard policy must first be created using the 'ipv6 nd raguard policy POLICY_NAME' command to define the device role (e.g., 'device-role host' or 'device-role router') and other filtering parameters. Option B is correct because the policy must then be explicitly attached to the interface with 'ipv6 nd raguard attach-policy POLICY_NAME' to enforce RA filtering. Without both steps, RA Guard cannot be activated on the interface.

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.

About these practice questions

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Same concept, more angles

1 more ways this is tested on 300-410

These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.

Variation 1. A network engineer runs the following command to troubleshoot an IPv6 First Hop Security issue: R1# debug ipv6 nd raguard *Mar 1 00:01:23.456: IPv6-ND-RA-Guard: R1, Fa0/0, RA received on port Fa0/0, src fe80::1, dst ff02::1 *Mar 1 00:01:23.456: IPv6-ND-RA-Guard: R1, Fa0/0, RA from fe80::1 is allowed by policy TRUSTED *Mar 1 00:01:24.789: IPv6-ND-RA-Guard: R1, Fa0/0, RA received on port Fa0/0, src fe80::2, dst ff02::1 *Mar 1 00:01:24.789: IPv6-ND-RA-Guard: R1, Fa0/0, RA from fe80::2 is blocked by policy UNTRUSTED What does this output indicate?

medium

✓ A.RA Guard is configured with a policy that trusts fe80::1 and blocks fe80::2, preventing rogue RA attacks.
B.RA Guard is blocking all RAs regardless of source, indicating a misconfiguration.
C.RA Guard is allowing all RAs but logging them for analysis.
D.RA Guard is not configured; the debug output is from default IPv6 ND behavior.

Why A: The debug output shows that RA Guard is actively filtering Router Advertisement (RA) messages on interface Fa0/0. The first RA from fe80::1 is explicitly allowed by a policy named TRUSTED, while the second RA from fe80::2 is blocked by a policy named UNTRUSTED. This confirms that RA Guard is correctly configured to permit only authorized routers (fe80::1) and block potential rogue RA sources (fe80::2), preventing RA-based attacks in an IPv6 First Hop Security deployment.

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