- A
The NAT pool is exhausted; no addresses are available for new translations.
All 11 pool addresses are in use, and the pool has no more addresses. New translations will fail.
- B
PAT is not configured, causing address exhaustion.
Why wrong: While PAT could reduce address usage, the pool is correctly sized for 11 hosts; exhaustion is the immediate problem.
- C
The inside and outside interfaces are misconfigured.
Why wrong: The statistics show correct interface assignment.
- D
Static NAT is conflicting with dynamic NAT.
Why wrong: No static translations are present.
Question 1,000 of 2,152
How to Identify NAT Pool Exhaustion from Show IP NAT Translations
This 300-410 practice question tests your understanding of nat and pat. Examine the command output carefully: the correct answer depends on what the output actually shows, not on general recall alone. 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 on Router R1:
R1# show ip nat translations
Pro Inside global Inside local Outside local Outside global --- 192.0.2.10 10.0.0.10 --- --- --- 192.0.2.11 10.0.0.11 --- --- --- 192.0.2.12 10.0.0.12 --- --- --- 192.0.2.13 10.0.0.13 --- --- --- 192.0.2.14 10.0.0.14 --- --- --- 192.0.2.15 10.0.0.15 --- --- --- 192.0.2.16 10.0.0.16 --- --- --- 192.0.2.17 10.0.0.17 --- --- --- 192.0.2.18 10.0.0.18 --- --- --- 192.0.2.19 10.0.0.19 --- --- --- 192.0.2.20 10.0.0.20 --- ---
R1# show ip nat statistics
Total active translations: 11 (0 static, 11 dynamic; 0 extended) Outside interfaces: GigabitEthernet0/1 Inside interfaces: GigabitEthernet0/0 Hits: 200 Misses: 0 CEF Translated packets: 200, CEF Punted packets: 0 Expired translations: 0 Dynamic mappings: -- Inside Source
[Id] ip nat pool POOL1 192.0.2.10 192.0.2.20 netmask 255.255.255.240
refcount 11 map-id 1
[Id] ip nat inside source list ACL1 pool POOL1
refcount 11
Based on this output, what is the problem?
Quick Answer
The correct answer is that the NAT pool is exhausted, as the output from *show ip nat translations* reveals all 11 addresses in the pool (192.0.2.10 through 192.0.2.20) are currently mapped to inside local hosts, leaving zero available for new translations. This is confirmed by the *show ip nat statistics* output showing a refcount of 11 matching the pool size, meaning every address in the pool is actively in use. On the Cisco CCNP ENARSI 300-410 exam, this scenario tests your ability to correlate the translation table with pool capacity—a common trap is misreading the netmask 255.255.255.240 as allowing 14 usable addresses, but the pool explicitly defines only 11 (10–20 inclusive), so exhaustion occurs when all are consumed. To identify NAT pool exhaustion quickly, always compare the total active translations against the pool’s address range; if they match, no new hosts can be translated. Memory tip: “Count the pool, count the translations—if they’re equal, you’re out of real estate.”
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 NAT pool is exhausted; no addresses are available for new translations.
The output shows 11 active dynamic NAT translations using all 11 addresses from pool POOL1 (192.0.2.10–192.0.2.20, which is a /28 subnet with 14 usable addresses, but the pool is defined from .10 to .20, giving exactly 11 addresses). With no Port Address Translation (PAT) configured, each inside host requires a unique global IP, so once all 11 addresses are in use, no new translations can be created, causing the pool to be exhausted.
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 NAT pool is exhausted; no addresses are available for new translations.
Why this is correct
All 11 pool addresses are in use, and the pool has no more addresses. New translations will fail.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
PAT is not configured, causing address exhaustion.
Why it's wrong here
While PAT could reduce address usage, the pool is correctly sized for 11 hosts; exhaustion is the immediate problem.
- ✗
The inside and outside interfaces are misconfigured.
Why it's wrong here
The statistics show correct interface assignment.
- ✗
Static NAT is conflicting with dynamic NAT.
Why it's wrong here
No static translations are present.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between dynamic NAT (one-to-one address mapping) and PAT (many-to-one with port multiplexing), and the trap here is that candidates may assume PAT is always used with a pool, but the output shows no 'extended' translations (PAT entries) and the pool is fully allocated, indicating basic NAT exhaustion.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
The statistics show correct interface assignment.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Dynamic NAT without PAT (also called basic NAT) maps each inside local address to a unique inside global address from the pool on a one-to-one basis. The pool POOL1 uses a netmask of 255.255.255.240, which defines a /28 subnet with 14 usable addresses (0.2.2.9–0.2.2.22), but the range is explicitly limited to 192.0.2.10–192.0.2.20, providing exactly 11 addresses. In real-world scenarios, this exhaustion can cause connectivity failures for new outbound sessions until an existing translation expires or is cleared.
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 small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
Visual reference
What to study next
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 300-410 question test?
NAT and PAT — This question tests NAT and PAT — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The NAT pool is exhausted; no addresses are available for new translations. — The output shows 11 active dynamic NAT translations using all 11 addresses from pool POOL1 (192.0.2.10–192.0.2.20, which is a /28 subnet with 14 usable addresses, but the pool is defined from .10 to .20, giving exactly 11 addresses). With no Port Address Translation (PAT) configured, each inside host requires a unique global IP, so once all 11 addresses are in use, no new translations can be created, causing the pool to be exhausted.
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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