Cybersecurity-Apprentice Network Fundamentals Practice Question
An administrator is troubleshooting a scenario where BGP routes learned from a peer are not being installed in the Virtual Router's routing table. Upon checking the BGP routing table ('show routing protocol bgp rib-in'), the routes are visible, but they are marked as not best. What is the most common reason for a learned BGP route not to be selected as the best path?
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 next-hop IP address advertised by the BGP peer is unreachable in the routing table.
BGP route selection depends on attributes like weight, local preference, AS-path length, origin, and MED. If a route is not best, it fails one of these decision criteria or has an unreachable next hop.
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 firewall's management plane CPU is exceeding 90% utilization.
Why it's wrong here
Routing protocols run on the data plane or routing daemon; management CPU spikes do not selectively invalidate BGP route selection attributes.
- ✓
The next-hop IP address advertised by the BGP peer is unreachable in the routing table.
Why this is correct
If the next-hop IP address cannot be resolved in the routing table (recursive lookup failure), BGP marks the route as invalid or not best.
- ✗
The BGP peer is configured in a different autonomous system.
Why it's wrong here
EBGP peers are in different AS numbers by definition; this does not prevent route installation.
- ✗
The Virtual Router does not have OSPF enabled.
Why it's wrong here
OSPF is an independent interior gateway protocol and is not required for BGP route installation.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed August 2026 · checked against the official Palo Alto Networks exam blueprint
This Cybersecurity-Apprentice practice question is part of Courseiva's free Palo Alto Networks 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 Cybersecurity-Apprentice exam.