Question 520 of 2,152

Route Summarization →hardMultiple SelectObjective-mapped

RIP Route Summarization: Automatic vs Manual Summarization

This 300-410 practice question tests your understanding of route summarization. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 statements correctly describe the behavior of route summarization in RIP? (Choose TWO.)

A
RIPv2 automatically summarizes routes to their classful boundary by default, and this behavior can be disabled with the 'no auto-summary' command.
Correct. RIPv2 has auto-summary enabled by default, which causes classful summarization. It can be disabled to allow VLSM and CIDR prefixes.
B
Manual route summarization in RIP is configured using the 'network' command under the RIP process.
Why wrong: Incorrect. Manual summarization in RIP is configured with the 'ip summary-address rip' interface command, not the 'network' command.
C
When manual summarization is configured, RIP automatically installs a discard route for the summary prefix to prevent routing loops.
Why wrong: Incorrect. Although RIP may install a discard route in some cases, the statement that it is automatically installed for all manual summarizations is not accurate. The key correct behavior is the metric propagation described in option D.
D
The summary route in RIP is advertised with a metric equal to the lowest hop count among the component routes.
Correct. The summary route inherits the metric (lowest hop count) from the best component route, ensuring that the summary represents the best path.
E
RIP supports both automatic and manual summarization only for classful networks.
Why wrong: Incorrect. Manual summarization in RIP can be used for any prefix length, not just classful boundaries, as long as auto-summary is disabled.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

Quick Answer

The correct answer identifies that when manual summarization is configured in RIP, the protocol automatically installs a discard route for the summary prefix to prevent routing loops. This occurs because RIP version 2, by default, performs automatic summarization at classful boundaries using the `auto-summary` command, but when you disable that with `no auto-summary` and instead apply manual summarization via `ip summary-address rip` on an interface, the router must protect against potential loops caused by the summary covering a missing subnet; the discard route ensures any packet matching the summary but not a more specific route is dropped rather than forwarded incorrectly. On the Cisco CCNP ENARSI 300-410 exam, this topic tests your understanding of RIP’s summarization behavior, often appearing as a multiple-choice trap where candidates confuse automatic summarization’s classful behavior with manual summarization’s loop-prevention mechanism. A key memory tip: think of the discard route as RIP’s “safety net” for manual summaries—without it, a summary could create a black hole, so RIP automatically installs it to keep the routing table loop-free.

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

✓

RIPv2 automatically summarizes routes to their classful boundary by default, and this behavior can be disabled with the 'no auto-summary' command.

RIPv2 automatically summarizes classful routes by default; this can be disabled with 'no auto-summary'. Manual summarization is configured per interface with 'ip summary-address rip', and the summary route is advertised with the metric (hop count) of the best component route—i.e., the lowest hop count among the contributing routes. Option C is incorrect because while a discard route is often installed to prevent loops, the statement 'RIP automatically installs a discard route' is not universally true for all manual summarizations; in many implementations, the discard route is created only when the summary route is more specific than the component routes, not automatically for every manual summary.

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.

✓
RIPv2 automatically summarizes routes to their classful boundary by default, and this behavior can be disabled with the 'no auto-summary' command.
Why this is correct
Correct. RIPv2 has auto-summary enabled by default, which causes classful summarization. It can be disabled to allow VLSM and CIDR prefixes.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Manual route summarization in RIP is configured using the 'network' command under the RIP process.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Manual summarization in RIP is configured with the 'ip summary-address rip' interface command, not the 'network' command.
✗
When manual summarization is configured, RIP automatically installs a discard route for the summary prefix to prevent routing loops.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Although RIP may install a discard route in some cases, the statement that it is automatically installed for all manual summarizations is not accurate. The key correct behavior is the metric propagation described in option D.
✓
The summary route in RIP is advertised with a metric equal to the lowest hop count among the component routes.
Why this is correct
Correct. The summary route inherits the metric (lowest hop count) from the best component route, ensuring that the summary represents the best path.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
RIP supports both automatic and manual summarization only for classful networks.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Manual summarization in RIP can be used for any prefix length, not just classful boundaries, as long as auto-summary is disabled.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.

Trap categories for this question

Command / output trap
Incorrect. Manual summarization in RIP is configured with the 'ip summary-address rip' interface command, not the 'network' command.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.

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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.

TExam Day Tips

Underline the problem statement mentally.
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.

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

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

Identify which 300-410 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.

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.

10 questions 20 questions 30 questions 50 questions Timed 30

300-410 practice-test guide →Study guide →Browse all practice tests

FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this 300-410 question test?

Route Summarization — This question tests Route Summarization — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: RIPv2 automatically summarizes routes to their classful boundary by default, and this behavior can be disabled with the 'no auto-summary' command. — RIPv2 automatically summarizes classful routes by default; this can be disabled with 'no auto-summary'. Manual summarization is configured per interface with 'ip summary-address rip', and the summary route is advertised with the metric (hop count) of the best component route—i.e., the lowest hop count among the contributing routes. Option C is incorrect because while a discard route is often installed to prevent loops, the statement 'RIP automatically installs a discard route' is not universally true for all manual summarizations; in many implementations, the discard route is created only when the summary route is more specific than the component routes, not automatically for every manual summary.

What should I do if I get this 300-410 question wrong?

What is the key concept behind this question?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

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 →

How Courseiva writes practice questions · Editorial policy

Keep practising

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.

Loading comments…

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.