- A
The ACL does not permit the source IP address of the management station, causing traffic to be denied.
Why wrong: Incorrect. The ACL permits any source for SNMP and SSH, so the source IP is not the issue.
- B
The ACL should be applied outbound on the VRF interface.
Why wrong: Incorrect. The ACL direction (inbound vs outbound) does not affect this problem; the issue is routing between VRFs.
- C
The management station must be in the same VRF.
Correct. In VRF-Lite, by default, there is no inter-VRF routing. Management stations in the global table cannot reach a VRF interface IP unless route leaking is configured or the station is placed in the same VRF.
- D
The ACL is missing a permit statement for the management station's source IP.
Why wrong: Incorrect. The ACL does not need a permit for the source IP because it already uses 'any' for source in the permit statements.
ACL on VRF Interface: Why Management Access Fails
This 300-410 practice question tests your understanding of vrf-lite. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. A key principle to apply: vRF-lite. 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.
Router R1 has an ACL applied to interface Gig0/0 in VRF-A that permits only specific management traffic. The ACL is: access-list 100 permit udp any any eq snmp, access-list 100 permit tcp any any eq ssh, access-list 100 deny ip any any. The router's SNMP and SSH services are configured globally. Management stations in the global table cannot reach the router's VRF interface IP. What is the root cause?
Quick Answer
The answer is that the ACL on the VRF interface is blocking management access because it lacks a permit statement for the management station’s source IP address. Even though the ACL correctly permits SNMP and SSH protocols globally, it is applied inbound on the VRF interface, meaning any traffic entering that interface—including management traffic from the global routing table—must match a permit entry based on source IP, not just the protocol. If the management station’s source IP is not explicitly allowed, the implicit deny at the end of the ACL drops the packets, preventing the router’s VRF interface IP from being reachable. This scenario tests your understanding of how VRF-aware ACLs interact with management plane traffic in the Cisco CCNP ENARSI 300-410 exam, a common trap where engineers focus on protocol permits but overlook source IP filtering. A key memory tip: on VRF interfaces, an ACL is a bouncer checking IDs (source IPs), not just the type of party (protocol).
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 management station must be in the same VRF.
The management station resides in the global routing table, while the VRF interface IP belongs to VRF-A. Without explicit route leaking between the global table and VRF-A, the router cannot forward traffic from the global table to the VRF interface IP. The ACL permits the required protocols (SNMP, SSH) from any source, so the issue is not the ACL. The root cause is that the management station must be in the same VRF or route leaking must be configured.
Key principle: VRF-lite
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 ACL does not permit the source IP address of the management station, causing traffic to be denied.
- ✗
The ACL should be applied outbound on the VRF interface.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. The ACL direction (inbound vs outbound) does not affect this problem; the issue is routing between VRFs.
- ✓
The management station must be in the same VRF.
Why this is correct
Correct. In VRF-Lite, by default, there is no inter-VRF routing. Management stations in the global table cannot reach a VRF interface IP unless route leaking is configured or the station is placed in the same VRF.
Related concept
VRF-lite
- ✗
The ACL is missing a permit statement for the management station's source IP.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. The ACL does not need a permit for the source IP because it already uses 'any' for source in the permit statements.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Trap: Attribute the connectivity failure to the ACL because it is applied and has an explicit deny. However, the ACL actually permits the management traffic from any source. The real issue is the lack of inter-VRF routing.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Treat this as a scenario question. Identify the problem, the constraint, and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- VRF-lite
- Inbound ACL
- Implicit Deny
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
VRF-lite
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A security administrator must allow nursing staff to reach a patient records server while blocking access from the guest Wi-Fi VLAN. After applying an extended ACL, traffic is still blocked from nursing workstations. The ACL was applied outbound instead of inbound on the wrong interface. Questions like this test ACL direction and placement rules.
Visual reference
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review vRF-lite, then practise related 300-410 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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VRF-Lite — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 300-410 question test?
VRF-Lite — This question tests VRF-Lite — VRF-lite.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The management station must be in the same VRF. — The management station resides in the global routing table, while the VRF interface IP belongs to VRF-A. Without explicit route leaking between the global table and VRF-A, the router cannot forward traffic from the global table to the VRF interface IP. The ACL permits the required protocols (SNMP, SSH) from any source, so the issue is not the ACL. The root cause is that the management station must be in the same VRF or route leaking must be configured.
What should I do if I get this 300-410 question wrong?
Review vRF-lite, then practise related 300-410 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
VRF-lite
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Last reviewed: Jun 18, 2026
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