- A
Both routes, because they have different protocols.
Why wrong: Only one route can be active for a given prefix.
- B
Neither, because of a conflict.
Why wrong: No conflict; the route with lower preference is installed.
- C
The OSPF route, because of lower preference.
Lower preference (10) makes OSPF route preferred over static (20).
- D
The static route, because it is manually configured.
Why wrong: Manual configuration does not determine active route; preference does.
Question 201 of 514
JNCIA-JUNOS Routing Fundamentals Practice Question
This JNCIA-JUNOS practice question tests your understanding of routing fundamentals. 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.
A network engineer configures a static route to 10.0.0.0/8 with a preference of 20. An OSPF internal route to 10.0.0.0/8 has a default preference of 10. Which route will be active in the routing table?
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 OSPF route, because of lower preference.
In Junos, the active route in the routing table is determined by the lowest preference value. OSPF internal routes have a default preference of 10, while static routes have a default preference of 5, but here the static route is configured with a preference of 20. Since OSPF's preference (10) is lower than the static route's preference (20), the OSPF route is chosen as active.
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.
- ✗
Both routes, because they have different protocols.
Why it's wrong here
Only one route can be active for a given prefix.
- ✗
Neither, because of a conflict.
Why it's wrong here
No conflict; the route with lower preference is installed.
- ✓
The OSPF route, because of lower preference.
Why this is correct
Lower preference (10) makes OSPF route preferred over static (20).
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
The static route, because it is manually configured.
Why it's wrong here
Manual configuration does not determine active route; preference does.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume static routes always take precedence over dynamic routes, but Junos uses a preference-based selection where a manually configured higher preference (20) makes the static route less preferred than OSPF's default (10).
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Junos uses a route preference (administrative distance) system where lower values indicate higher trustworthiness. The default preference for OSPF internal routes is 10 (per RFC 2328), while static routes default to 5, but can be manually set to any value. When multiple routes to the same destination exist, only the route with the lowest preference is installed in the forwarding table; the others remain in the routing table as inactive but can be used for policy or failover if the active route is withdrawn.
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 network engineer at a university connects two campus buildings via a fibre link. Both routers run OSPF, but no adjacency forms — even though both routers can ping each other. The engineer finds one router is in area 0 and the other in area 1. OSPF adjacency requires matching area numbers, hello/dead timers, and network type. IP reachability alone is not enough.
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
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this JNCIA-JUNOS question test?
Routing Fundamentals — This question tests Routing Fundamentals — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The OSPF route, because of lower preference. — In Junos, the active route in the routing table is determined by the lowest preference value. OSPF internal routes have a default preference of 10, while static routes have a default preference of 5, but here the static route is configured with a preference of 20. Since OSPF's preference (10) is lower than the static route's preference (20), the OSPF route is chosen as active.
What should I do if I get this JNCIA-JUNOS 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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