The answer is the route via 10.0.0.2 because it has a lower preference value. In Junos, when multiple routes to the same destination exist, the route selection process first compares route preference, not metric; the route with the lowest preference (administrative distance) is installed as active in the routing table. Here, the static route has a default preference of 5, while the OSPF route has a preference of 10, so the static route wins regardless of OSPF’s lower metric of 2. This distinction between route selection metric vs preference is a core concept on the JNCIA-Junos exam, often tested in scenarios where a static route and a dynamic protocol route compete. A common trap is assuming a lower metric always determines the best path, but Junos uses preference first—metric only breaks ties between routes from the same protocol. Memory tip: “Preference first, metric later—think of preference as the tiebreaker between protocols, metric as the tiebreaker within one.”
JNCIA-JUNOS Operational Monitoring and Maintenance Practice Question
This JNCIA-JUNOS practice question tests your understanding of operational monitoring and maintenance. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
```
user@router> show route table inet.0
192.168.1.0/24 *[OSPF/10] 00:10:00, metric 2
> to 10.0.0.2 via ge-0/0/0.0
192.168.1.0/24 [OSPF/10] 00:05:00, metric 5
> to 10.0.0.1 via ge-0/0/1.0
```
Refer to the exhibit. Which route will be used to forward traffic to 192.168.1.0/24?
Refer to the exhibit.
```
user@router> show route table inet.0
192.168.1.0/24 *[OSPF/10] 00:10:00, metric 2
> to 10.0.0.2 via ge-0/0/0.0
192.168.1.0/24 [OSPF/10] 00:05:00, metric 5
> to 10.0.0.1 via ge-0/0/1.0
```
A
Neither route is valid
Why wrong: The route via 10.0.0.2 is valid and selected.
B
The route via 10.0.0.1 because it was learned later
Why wrong: Metric is primary, not time learned.
C
Both routes are used for load balancing
Why wrong: Routes have different metrics, so not equal-cost.
D
The route via 10.0.0.2 because it has a lower metric
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The route via 10.0.0.2 because it has a lower metric
The route via 10.0.0.2 is correct because Junos uses the route preference (administrative distance) to select the best route when multiple routes to the same destination exist. OSPF has a default preference of 10, while static routes have a default preference of 5, but here the static route via 10.0.0.2 has a metric of 0 (lower than OSPF's metric of 2), and since both are active, the lower metric does not override preference; however, the exhibit shows the static route is preferred because it has a lower preference value (5 vs 10), making it the active route in the routing table.
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.
✗
Neither route is valid
Why it's wrong here
The route via 10.0.0.2 is valid and selected.
✗
The route via 10.0.0.1 because it was learned later
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often focus on the metric (cost) values shown in the output and assume the lower metric always wins, forgetting that Junos first compares route preference (administrative distance) before considering metric.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Junos uses a two-step route selection process: first, the route with the lowest preference (administrative distance) is chosen; if preferences are equal, the route with the lowest metric is selected. In this scenario, the static route (preference 5) wins over OSPF (preference 10) regardless of metric, so the route via 10.0.0.2 is installed in the forwarding table. This behavior is defined in RFC 4271 for BGP and Junos implementation of route preference, where static routes default to 5 and OSPF internal routes to 10.
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Operational Monitoring and Maintenance — This question tests Operational Monitoring and Maintenance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The route via 10.0.0.2 because it has a lower metric — The route via 10.0.0.2 is correct because Junos uses the route preference (administrative distance) to select the best route when multiple routes to the same destination exist. OSPF has a default preference of 10, while static routes have a default preference of 5, but here the static route via 10.0.0.2 has a metric of 0 (lower than OSPF's metric of 2), and since both are active, the lower metric does not override preference; however, the exhibit shows the static route is preferred because it has a lower preference value (5 vs 10), making it the active route in the routing table.
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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