- A
The NMS does not receive traps, but other SNMP operations (gets) work.
Indicates a specific issue with trap generation or delivery, not general SNMP connectivity.
- B
The 'show snmp' command shows increasing 'SNMP queue overflow' counters.
Indicates that the router is generating traps faster than they can be sent.
- C
Syslog messages show '%SNMP-3-AUTHFAIL' for the trap receiver.
Authentication failures prevent traps from being accepted by the NMS.
- D
The router CPU utilization is consistently above 90%.
Why wrong: High CPU can cause many issues, but is not a direct symptom of trap delivery problems.
- E
The NMS can ping the router successfully.
Why wrong: Ping only verifies IP connectivity, not SNMP trap delivery.
Question 1,041 of 2,152
Identifying SNMP Trap Delivery Issues: Three Key Symptoms
This 300-410 practice question tests your understanding of snmp troubleshooting. 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 THREE symptoms indicate a problem with SNMP trap delivery from a Cisco router? (Choose THREE.)
Quick Answer
The correct answer is that syslog messages showing '%SNMP-3-AUTHFAIL' for the trap receiver, traps not appearing at the NMS, and the 'show snmp' command revealing incrementing 'Input queue drops' or 'SNMP queue overflow' are the three key symptoms of an SNMP trap delivery problem. These symptoms directly point to failures in the trap transmission path: authentication failures indicate a mismatch in community strings or SNMPv3 credentials, missing traps at the NMS suggest a network or configuration block, and queue drops signal that the router’s SNMP process is overwhelmed and discarding traps before they can be sent. On the Cisco CCNP ENARSI 300-410 exam, this topic tests your ability to differentiate SNMP-specific failure indicators from general network issues—for instance, a high CPU load is not a reliable symptom, and a successful ping only proves IP reachability, not that the trap receiver is properly processing SNMP messages. A common trap here is to confuse reachability with delivery; remember that SNMP trap delivery requires both network connectivity and correct agent-to-manager authentication. For a quick memory aid, think of the three A’s: Authentication failures, Absent traps, and Accumulating queue drops.
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 NMS does not receive traps, but other SNMP operations (gets) work.
Option A is correct because SNMP traps are sent as unsolicited UDP packets from the router to the NMS, while SNMP get operations use a separate request-response mechanism. If gets succeed but traps fail, the issue is typically with trap configuration (e.g., wrong target IP, community string mismatch, or UDP port 162 blocked) rather than general SNMP or network connectivity.
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 NMS does not receive traps, but other SNMP operations (gets) work.
Why this is correct
Indicates a specific issue with trap generation or delivery, not general SNMP connectivity.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
The 'show snmp' command shows increasing 'SNMP queue overflow' counters.
Why this is correct
Indicates that the router is generating traps faster than they can be sent.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Syslog messages show '%SNMP-3-AUTHFAIL' for the trap receiver.
Why this is correct
Authentication failures prevent traps from being accepted by the NMS.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
The router CPU utilization is consistently above 90%.
Why it's wrong here
High CPU can cause many issues, but is not a direct symptom of trap delivery problems.
- ✗
The NMS can ping the router successfully.
Why it's wrong here
Ping only verifies IP connectivity, not SNMP trap delivery.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between SNMP trap delivery issues and general SNMP or network problems, leading candidates to mistakenly select high CPU or ping success as relevant symptoms when they are not specific to trap delivery.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
SNMP traps use UDP port 162, which is connectionless and unreliable; unlike SNMP gets (UDP port 161), traps have no acknowledgment mechanism, so packet loss or misconfiguration often goes unnoticed until the NMS reports missing traps. The 'show snmp' command's 'SNMP queue overflow' counter (Option B) indicates that the router's internal trap queue is full, meaning traps are being generated but cannot be sent due to congestion or slow processing. The '%SNMP-3-AUTHFAIL' syslog message (Option C) shows that the trap receiver is rejecting traps due to an incorrect community string or SNMPv3 credentials, which directly prevents delivery.
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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 300-410 question test?
SNMP Troubleshooting — This question tests SNMP Troubleshooting — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The NMS does not receive traps, but other SNMP operations (gets) work. — Option A is correct because SNMP traps are sent as unsolicited UDP packets from the router to the NMS, while SNMP get operations use a separate request-response mechanism. If gets succeed but traps fail, the issue is typically with trap configuration (e.g., wrong target IP, community string mismatch, or UDP port 162 blocked) rather than general SNMP or network connectivity.
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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