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Question 46:

Which enterprise technology provides centralized policy-based segmentation, enabling secure communication between devices based on roles or attributes?

A) Cisco TrustSec
B) NAT
C) VLAN
D) HSRP

Answer:

A) Cisco TrustSec

Explanation:

Cisco TrustSec is a technology designed to provide identity-based access control and policy-based segmentation across enterprise networks. In today’s enterprise networks, securing communication between devices and users is critical because sensitive data and business-critical applications are accessed by multiple types of users, devices, and endpoints across diverse network environments. Traditional VLAN-based segmentation has limitations because it is static, tied to physical or logical port assignments, and requires extensive manual configuration. TrustSec addresses these challenges by allowing dynamic, role-based, and attribute-based policy enforcement, enabling more granular, scalable, and adaptable network security.

TrustSec uses Security Group Tags (SGTs) to assign a security label to users, devices, or endpoints based on their identity, role, or security posture. These tags are carried in the network packets and enforced by network devices such as switches and routers, which apply policies based on the SGT rather than solely on IP addresses or VLAN membership. This approach allows consistent enforcement of policies across wired, wireless, and remote access networks. For example, employees in the finance department can access sensitive accounting servers while guests or IoT devices are restricted to limited or isolated network segments.

Centralized policy management in TrustSec is typically integrated with Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE), which provides authentication and authorization services, dynamic assignment of SGTs, and device profiling. When a device or user connects to the network, ISE evaluates its credentials, profile, and compliance posture, assigns an appropriate SGT, and communicates this to the network devices enforcing policies. This ensures that security policies are applied dynamically and adaptively, even as devices move between different network locations or connect via wired or wireless access points.

TrustSec also enhances compliance and auditing by enabling administrators to monitor and report on traffic flows based on security tags. This provides visibility into who is communicating with which resources, helping organizations meet regulatory requirements and detect unauthorized access attempts. TrustSec policies can also be extended to Layer 3 enforcement devices, such as firewalls and routers, allowing consistent policy application across multiple network layers and ensuring end-to-end security.

Other options listed serve different purposes. NAT translates IP addresses for connectivity but does not provide segmentation or policy-based access control. VLAN segments network traffic but requires manual configuration and does not provide identity-based dynamic segmentation. HSRP provides default gateway redundancy but does not enforce access policies.

For Cisco 350-401 ENCOR exam candidates, understanding Cisco TrustSec involves knowledge of SGT assignment, policy configuration, enforcement mechanisms, integration with ISE, scalability considerations, and troubleshooting policy enforcement issues. Candidates should also understand how TrustSec complements existing security infrastructure, supports zero-trust network principles, and enables enterprises to enforce consistent security policies in complex, dynamic environments. Proper deployment of TrustSec ensures that enterprise networks are secure, resilient, and capable of protecting sensitive information while supporting dynamic user and device access requirements. Mastery of this technology allows network engineers to design secure, flexible, and scalable enterprise networks capable of enforcing identity-based policies and ensuring robust protection for critical assets, applications, and data.

Question 47:

Which enterprise routing protocol supports classless inter-domain routing and policy-based path selection for connections between multiple autonomous systems?

A) BGP
B) OSPF
C) RIP
D) EIGRP

Answer:

A) BGP

Explanation:

Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) is the industry-standard inter-domain routing protocol used by enterprise networks and service providers to exchange routing information between autonomous systems (AS). Unlike interior gateway protocols (IGPs) such as OSPF or EIGRP, which operate within a single AS, BGP enables policy-based routing decisions, path selection, and scalability across multiple ASes. Enterprise networks that rely on multiple internet service providers (ISPs), hybrid cloud connectivity, or multi-site WANs use BGP to manage routing policies, ensure redundancy, and optimize traffic flows based on business requirements rather than purely technical metrics.

BGP is a path-vector protocol, meaning that it advertises network reachability along with the AS path that traffic will traverse. This provides visibility into the route a packet takes across the internet or interconnecting enterprise networks and prevents routing loops between ASes. BGP supports a wide range of policy mechanisms, including route filtering, prefix aggregation, route maps, and community tags, enabling administrators to influence path selection, prioritize preferred paths, and implement failover strategies. For example, an enterprise may prefer one ISP for outgoing internet traffic due to cost or latency considerations while maintaining another ISP as a backup, and BGP allows precise control over this selection.

BGP peerings are established between routers in different ASes using TCP port 179 to ensure reliable delivery of routing updates. Updates include network prefixes, path attributes, and other metadata used to calculate the best path for each destination. BGP supports incremental updates, meaning only changes are propagated, reducing bandwidth usage and improving convergence times compared to full routing table exchanges. Security is an important consideration in BGP deployment; authentication, prefix filtering, route validation, and monitoring help prevent route hijacks, misconfigurations, and other threats that could compromise network reliability and integrity.

Other options serve different functions. OSPF is a link-state IGP for intra-AS routing and does not provide inter-AS routing or policy-based path selection. RIP is a distance-vector IGP with limited scalability and convergence issues. EIGRP is a Cisco-proprietary IGP that operates within a single AS but does not provide inter-domain routing or policy enforcement between ASes.

For Cisco 350-401 ENCOR exam candidates, understanding BGP involves knowledge of autonomous systems, route attributes, path selection, peering establishment, route filtering, prefix aggregation, route reflectors, and security mechanisms. Candidates should understand how to deploy BGP for internet connectivity, multi-homed sites, or hybrid cloud connections, as well as how to troubleshoot routing anomalies, route flapping, and policy conflicts. Proper implementation of BGP ensures enterprise networks maintain high availability, reliable external connectivity, and optimized traffic flows while providing flexibility to implement business-driven routing policies. Mastery of BGP is critical for network engineers designing resilient, scalable enterprise networks capable of supporting complex interconnections across multiple administrative domains and ensuring continuous availability for mission-critical applications and services.

Question 48:

Which enterprise network technology provides redundant Layer 3 gateways with automatic failover to ensure continuous connectivity for hosts?

A) HSRP
B) NAT
C) VLAN
D) STP

Answer:

A) HSRP

Explanation:

Hot Standby Router Protocol (HSRP) is a Cisco-proprietary redundancy protocol designed to provide high availability for Layer 3 default gateways in enterprise networks. In any enterprise environment, end devices rely on a default gateway to communicate outside their local subnet, access data centers, cloud applications, or the internet. A failure of the default gateway can disrupt business operations, causing downtime, degraded user experience, and potential financial impact. HSRP mitigates this risk by allowing multiple routers to share a virtual IP address, which serves as the default gateway for hosts. One router is designated as active, forwarding traffic for the virtual IP, while the other routers remain in standby, ready to take over in case of failure.

HSRP operates by exchanging periodic hello messages between participating routers to monitor the status of the active router. If the active router fails or becomes unreachable, a standby router is promoted to active status, assuming the virtual IP and MAC address. This failover process is transparent to hosts, which continue to send traffic to the same virtual IP without reconfiguration. HSRP allows configuration of router priorities, enabling administrators to control which router becomes active. Preemption ensures that a higher-priority router can reclaim the active role if it comes back online after a failure, maintaining predictable and reliable network behavior.

HSRP supports deployment across multiple VLANs or subnets using multiple groups, allowing redundancy for a range of enterprise environments without requiring additional hardware. Properly implemented HSRP ensures high availability for critical services, including voice, video, cloud applications, and internal resources, by eliminating a single point of failure at the gateway level. It is often deployed alongside other redundancy protocols such as VRRP or GLBP to provide flexibility in heterogeneous or multi-vendor environments.

Other options listed serve different purposes. NAT translates IP addresses for connectivity but does not provide gateway redundancy. VLAN segments traffic but does not provide failover mechanisms. STP prevents Layer 2 loops but does not offer Layer 3 redundancy.

For Cisco 350-401 ENCOR exam candidates, understanding HSRP involves knowledge of virtual IP and MAC addresses, priority configuration, preemption, timers, failover behavior, and troubleshooting. Candidates should also understand deployment strategies, integration with enterprise network topologies, and best practices to ensure seamless connectivity and minimal service disruption. Proper HSRP implementation enhances network resilience, reduces downtime, and ensures continuous availability of critical services in enterprise environments, which is essential for maintaining operational continuity, supporting business-critical applications, and providing a reliable end-user experience. Mastery of HSRP enables network engineers to design robust, high-availability networks capable of withstanding device or link failures without impacting end users or business operations.

 

Question 49:

Which Cisco enterprise technology provides automated device provisioning, configuration management, and software image deployment across the network?

A) Cisco DNA Center
B) NAT
C) VLAN
D) STP

Answer:

A) Cisco DNA Center

Explanation:

Cisco DNA Center is a comprehensive enterprise network management platform designed to simplify the deployment, configuration, and ongoing management of enterprise networks. Modern enterprise networks are complex, with hundreds or thousands of devices including routers, switches, and wireless access points distributed across multiple campuses, branch offices, and cloud environments. Traditional manual provisioning and configuration methods are time-consuming, prone to errors, and often inconsistent. Cisco DNA Center addresses these challenges through centralized automation, policy enforcement, and assurance capabilities, ensuring efficient and reliable network operations.

One of the key functions of Cisco DNA Center is automated device provisioning. When a new device is added to the network, DNA Center can automatically discover the device, apply a standardized configuration template, and provision it with the appropriate policies, VLAN assignments, and routing configurations. This process eliminates the need for network engineers to manually configure each device, reducing errors and ensuring consistent configurations across the enterprise network. Zero-touch provisioning is particularly useful in large-scale networks or when deploying devices at remote branch locations where on-site technical staff may not be available.

In addition to provisioning, DNA Center provides centralized configuration management. Administrators can define configuration templates for different types of devices or network segments and deploy updates across multiple devices simultaneously. This approach allows organizations to maintain standardization, enforce best practices, and implement network-wide changes efficiently. For example, an organization can update QoS policies, enable new routing protocols, or modify access control lists across all relevant devices with a single operation. Configuration version control and rollback capabilities in DNA Center further enhance operational reliability by allowing administrators to revert changes if a configuration causes issues, minimizing network downtime.

Software image management is another critical feature of Cisco DNA Center. Maintaining up-to-date software and firmware on network devices is essential for security, performance, and compatibility with new network features. DNA Center provides centralized management for software images, allowing administrators to schedule upgrades, automate image deployment, and monitor the status of devices to ensure compliance. This ensures that devices operate with the latest security patches and functionality, reducing the risk of vulnerabilities and improving overall network stability.

DNA Center integrates automation with policy enforcement and assurance. Policies can be defined based on user roles, device types, locations, or application requirements, and automatically applied during device provisioning or configuration updates. Network assurance continuously monitors network performance, user experience, and application behavior, providing insights into network health, detecting anomalies, and recommending optimization actions. For instance, DNA Center can identify links experiencing high latency, detect misconfigured interfaces, or suggest adjustments to wireless channels to reduce interference, ensuring optimal network performance.

Other options serve different functions. NAT translates private IP addresses for connectivity but does not automate device provisioning or configuration management. VLAN segments traffic into separate broadcast domains but does not provide centralized automation or software management. STP prevents Layer 2 loops but does not provide provisioning, configuration, or software deployment capabilities.

For Cisco 350-401 ENCOR exam candidates, understanding Cisco DNA Center involves knowledge of automated device discovery, zero-touch provisioning, configuration templates, software image management, policy-based automation, network assurance, telemetry collection, and integration with identity services. Candidates should be able to describe how DNA Center streamlines network operations, enforces standardized configurations, ensures compliance, and improves operational efficiency while reducing manual errors and operational costs. Mastery of Cisco DNA Center is essential for designing, operating, and maintaining modern enterprise networks, particularly in large-scale or multi-site deployments, and it enables network engineers to implement automation, visibility, and control that support both operational efficiency and business objectives.

Question 50:

Which routing protocol is best suited for fast convergence within a single enterprise autonomous system?

A) OSPF
B) BGP
C) RIP
D) NAT

Answer:

A) OSPF

Explanation:

Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) is a link-state interior gateway protocol widely used in enterprise networks to provide fast convergence and efficient routing within a single autonomous system. Modern enterprise networks often require rapid adaptation to changes such as link failures, network congestion, or topology modifications. Fast convergence is critical to ensure minimal disruption to business applications, voice and video traffic, cloud services, and overall network performance. OSPF’s design enables rapid recalculation of routes and propagation of updates, making it ideal for complex enterprise environments.

OSPF works by exchanging link-state advertisements (LSAs) between routers to build a complete, synchronized map of the network topology. Each router independently calculates the shortest path to every network segment using Dijkstra’s algorithm, resulting in a loop-free and optimal routing table. When a link fails, OSPF quickly recalculates the topology, updates affected routers, and converges on a new routing solution within seconds. This rapid convergence is particularly important for enterprise networks that support latency-sensitive applications such as VoIP, video conferencing, and real-time collaboration tools.

OSPF supports hierarchical network design through the use of areas. By dividing a large enterprise network into areas, OSPF reduces the size of routing tables, limits the scope of topology changes, and minimizes routing update traffic. Area 0, the backbone area, interconnects all other areas, ensuring efficient routing between them. This hierarchical approach enhances scalability, reduces processing overhead on routers, and allows enterprise networks to grow without sacrificing performance. OSPF also supports route summarization, enabling aggregation of multiple prefixes into a single advertisement, further optimizing routing efficiency and reducing the amount of routing information exchanged.

Security and authentication are integral to OSPF operation. OSPF supports password-based and cryptographic authentication methods to verify the legitimacy of routing updates, protecting the network against unauthorized routing changes or attacks. This ensures that only trusted routers participate in the OSPF domain, maintaining the integrity and stability of the enterprise routing environment.

Other options serve different purposes. BGP is used for inter-domain routing between autonomous systems and is not optimized for rapid convergence within a single AS. RIP is a distance-vector protocol that converges slowly and has limited scalability, making it less suitable for modern enterprise networks. NAT translates IP addresses for connectivity but does not perform routing or support convergence.

For Cisco 350-401 ENCOR exam candidates, understanding OSPF involves knowledge of link-state routing principles, hierarchical area design, LSAs, route calculation, convergence mechanisms, authentication, summarization, and troubleshooting techniques. Candidates should be able to describe how OSPF adapts to topology changes, supports large-scale enterprise networks, and maintains high availability and optimal routing performance. Proper deployment of OSPF ensures that enterprise networks achieve fast convergence, efficient resource utilization, and reliable connectivity, which is critical for mission-critical applications and overall network resilience. Mastery of OSPF allows network engineers to design, configure, and maintain scalable, high-performance enterprise networks capable of supporting dynamic and evolving business requirements.

Question 51:

Which technology allows enterprise networks to prioritize traffic for voice and video applications, ensuring low latency and minimal packet loss?

A) Quality of Service
B) VLAN
C) NAT
D) STP

Answer:

A) Quality of Service

Explanation:

Quality of Service (QoS) is an essential technology in enterprise networks that allows traffic prioritization based on application requirements, ensuring that latency-sensitive applications such as voice over IP (VoIP) and video conferencing receive the necessary bandwidth and low-latency treatment. Modern enterprise networks support a variety of applications simultaneously, including email, web browsing, file transfers, cloud applications, video, and voice services. Without proper traffic management, network congestion can lead to delays, jitter, and packet loss, which severely impact the quality of real-time communications and other critical applications. QoS addresses these challenges by classifying, marking, queuing, and shaping traffic to meet performance requirements.

Traffic classification is the first step in implementing QoS. Packets are identified based on criteria such as IP addresses, TCP/UDP ports, protocols, or application types. Once classified, packets are marked with appropriate priority values using mechanisms such as DSCP (Differentiated Services Code Point) or CoS (Class of Service). These markings signal to downstream network devices how to handle the traffic. For example, voice packets may be given high priority, while bulk data transfers receive lower priority, ensuring that latency-sensitive traffic is not delayed during periods of congestion.

Queuing and scheduling mechanisms are then applied to manage packet transmission. Low-latency queuing (LLQ) allows high-priority traffic to be transmitted immediately, while other traffic waits in standard queues. Traffic shaping controls the rate of transmission to prevent sudden bursts from overwhelming network resources, and policing enforces bandwidth limits for lower-priority traffic to maintain fairness. These mechanisms work together to provide predictable performance for critical applications and ensure that all network traffic is handled efficiently according to organizational priorities.

QoS can be applied at multiple layers, including Layer 2 using CoS markings and Layer 3 using DSCP values. Enterprise switches and routers map these values consistently to enforce traffic prioritization across the network. Dynamic policies can also be applied based on user roles, device types, or endpoint characteristics, providing flexible and adaptive traffic management. For instance, a network may prioritize IP phone traffic over standard web traffic to maintain clear voice communications even during peak usage.

Other options serve different purposes. VLAN segments traffic but does not prioritize packets or manage application performance. NAT translates IP addresses but does not provide QoS capabilities. STP prevents Layer 2 loops but does not control traffic prioritization or application quality.

For Cisco 350-401 ENCOR exam candidates, understanding QoS involves knowledge of traffic classification, marking, queuing, scheduling, shaping, policing, DSCP and CoS mappings, and troubleshooting QoS issues. Candidates should understand how to configure QoS for voice and video applications, monitor network performance, and ensure predictable behavior under congestion. Proper QoS implementation ensures that enterprise networks can deliver high-quality voice and video communications, maintain user satisfaction, and support critical business applications with minimal latency, jitter, or packet loss. Mastery of QoS enables network engineers to design robust, efficient, and resilient networks capable of meeting the demands of modern enterprise environments while providing predictable performance for both real-time and non-real-time traffic.

Question 52:

Which technology allows an enterprise to provide secure, segmented wireless access for employees, guests, and IoT devices with centralized policy enforcement?

A) Cisco ISE with WLAN segmentation
B) NAT
C) VLAN
D) HSRP

Answer:

A) Cisco ISE with WLAN segmentation

Explanation:

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) combined with WLAN segmentation provides enterprises with the ability to enforce secure, segmented wireless access for different categories of users and devices, ensuring both security and policy compliance. Modern enterprise networks accommodate diverse devices such as laptops, smartphones, IP phones, and IoT devices, which often have different security requirements. Employees need full access to enterprise resources, guests require limited internet access, and IoT devices may need access to only specific endpoints. By integrating ISE with wireless LAN controllers, enterprises can dynamically assign users and devices to appropriate network segments based on their authentication, role, or security posture, providing granular access control without manual VLAN assignments.

ISE serves as the central policy engine, authenticating users and devices through various methods such as 802.1X, MAC authentication bypass, or web-based guest portals. Once authenticated, the system assigns each user or device to a security group, which determines access rights. For wireless networks, this assignment translates into dynamic VLAN assignment, ACL application, or policy enforcement at the controller level. For instance, an employee connecting via a laptop might be assigned to a VLAN that provides access to internal servers and collaboration tools, whereas a guest connecting via a smartphone receives a VLAN with only internet access. IoT devices, depending on their function, can be isolated on a separate VLAN to prevent lateral movement in case of compromise.

Centralized policy enforcement ensures consistency across the network. Changes in user roles or device compliance status are immediately reflected in access policies, reducing the risk of unauthorized access. Policies can also enforce security requirements such as posture assessment, device health checks, and compliance with endpoint security configurations before granting full network access. This capability is particularly important in environments where IoT devices, BYOD endpoints, and external collaborators are common, as it prevents devices that do not meet security standards from compromising enterprise resources.

Integration with WLAN controllers enables automated assignment of access control rules, quality of service, and segmentation across the wireless network. Controllers dynamically configure access points to enforce these policies, allowing seamless mobility while maintaining security boundaries. Telemetry and monitoring from ISE provide visibility into device connectivity, authentication attempts, and policy violations, enabling administrators to identify security threats or misconfigurations in real time. This holistic approach reduces operational overhead, increases network efficiency, and enhances security posture without requiring manual intervention for every device or user connection.

Other options listed provide limited or unrelated functionality. NAT translates IP addresses for external connectivity but does not provide user-specific segmentation or policy enforcement. VLAN can segment traffic but requires static configurations and lacks dynamic, role-based assignment. HSRP provides gateway redundancy but does not enforce access control or segment wireless users.

For Cisco 350-401 ENCOR exam candidates, understanding the integration of ISE with WLAN controllers involves knowledge of authentication methods, policy sets, security group tagging, dynamic VLAN assignment, ACL enforcement, device profiling, posture assessment, guest management, telemetry collection, and monitoring. Candidates should be able to describe how ISE dynamically controls wireless access based on user identity, device type, and security compliance. Mastery of these concepts enables network engineers to design enterprise wireless networks that provide secure, segmented access for diverse endpoints while maintaining centralized control and real-time visibility into network activity, supporting both operational efficiency and security enforcement across wired and wireless environments.

Question 53:

Which technology provides redundant paths at Layer 3 for enterprise networks, automatically electing a primary router and standby router to maintain connectivity?

A) VRRP
B) NAT
C) VLAN
D) STP

Answer:

A) VRRP

Explanation:

Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol (VRRP) is a protocol used in enterprise networks to provide high availability for Layer 3 gateways. It ensures continuous connectivity for hosts by automatically electing a primary router and one or more standby routers. Enterprise networks rely on default gateways to route traffic outside the local subnet, and failure of a gateway can disrupt access to critical resources, cloud services, or branch offices. VRRP mitigates this risk by allowing multiple routers to participate in a virtual router group, with one router acting as the master to forward traffic and others in standby to take over if the master fails.

VRRP assigns a virtual IP address to the router group, which hosts configure as their default gateway. The master router forwards packets addressed to the virtual IP, while standby routers monitor the master using periodic advertisements. If the master becomes unavailable due to a hardware failure, link issue, or configuration problem, one of the standby routers assumes the master role and takes over the virtual IP address. This failover is transparent to hosts, which continue to send traffic to the same IP address without interruption.

VRRP uses configurable priorities to determine which router should become the master. Preemption can be enabled so that a higher-priority router can reclaim the master role if it comes back online after a failure. This feature allows network administrators to control gateway election according to network design preferences, balancing load or prioritizing specific hardware for traffic forwarding. VRRP also supports multiple virtual router groups on a single interface, enabling redundancy for multiple subnets simultaneously.

VRRP improves network resilience by eliminating single points of failure at the Layer 3 gateway. It is widely used in enterprise campus networks, branch networks, and data centers to maintain reliable connectivity for internal and external traffic. When deployed with complementary redundancy protocols such as HSRP or GLBP, VRRP ensures interoperability in multi-vendor environments and provides enterprise networks with flexible options for high availability and load balancing. Network monitoring and troubleshooting can leverage VRRP state and advertisement information to detect and resolve gateway failover issues quickly, ensuring minimal service disruption.

Other options provide different functionalities. NAT translates IP addresses for external connectivity but does not provide gateway redundancy. VLAN segments traffic but does not ensure uninterrupted gateway connectivity. STP prevents Layer 2 loops but does not handle Layer 3 failover.

For Cisco 350-401 ENCOR exam candidates, understanding VRRP involves knowledge of virtual router groups, IP and MAC address assignment, priority configuration, preemption behavior, advertisement intervals, failover mechanics, multiple groups deployment, and troubleshooting. Candidates should be able to explain how VRRP maintains uninterrupted Layer 3 connectivity, how priorities influence master selection, and how to configure VRRP in enterprise topologies. Mastery of VRRP enables network engineers to design robust, high-availability networks where Layer 3 gateways provide continuous access for hosts, ensuring that network services remain operational during hardware or link failures while maintaining seamless performance for business-critical applications.

Question 54:

Which enterprise network protocol is used to exchange routing information between autonomous systems, supporting policy-based path selection and inter-domain routing?

A) BGP
B) OSPF
C) RIP
D) EIGRP

Answer:

A) BGP

Explanation:

Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) is the primary protocol used for inter-domain routing in enterprise and service provider networks. It facilitates the exchange of routing information between autonomous systems (AS), allowing networks under different administrative domains to communicate and maintain connectivity across large-scale networks, including the internet. Enterprise networks that connect to multiple ISPs, hybrid cloud environments, or remote sites use BGP to control routing policies, influence path selection, and ensure redundancy while optimizing performance according to business requirements rather than relying solely on technical metrics.

BGP is a path-vector protocol that advertises network reachability along with path attributes, including the AS path. This provides visibility into the route a packet will take and prevents loops between autonomous systems. BGP allows administrators to configure policies that influence path selection based on multiple criteria, such as AS path length, local preference, MED (multi-exit discriminator), and community tags. These policies allow enterprises to prefer certain ISPs for outgoing traffic, implement redundancy strategies, and optimize performance for specific types of traffic.

BGP uses TCP as its transport protocol (port 179) to ensure reliable delivery of routing updates. Updates include route prefixes and associated attributes, allowing routers to make informed routing decisions. BGP supports incremental updates, which reduces bandwidth usage and improves stability by propagating only changes rather than full routing tables. Security considerations such as authentication, prefix filtering, route validation, and monitoring are essential to protect against route hijacking or misconfigurations that could compromise network stability.

Other protocols listed serve different purposes. OSPF is an interior gateway protocol for intra-AS routing, optimized for fast convergence but not inter-domain routing. RIP is a distance-vector IGP with limited scalability and slower convergence. EIGRP is a Cisco-proprietary IGP for routing within a single AS and does not provide inter-AS policy-based routing.

For Cisco 350-401 ENCOR exam candidates, understanding BGP involves knowledge of autonomous systems, peer establishment, path attributes, policy configuration, route maps, route reflectors, route filtering, prefix aggregation, troubleshooting, and security mechanisms. Candidates should be able to describe BGP operation in multi-homed environments, hybrid cloud deployments, and interconnection with ISPs, emphasizing path control and redundancy. Mastery of BGP enables network engineers to design enterprise networks with resilient inter-domain connectivity, implement business-driven routing policies, maintain high availability, optimize traffic flows, and ensure reliable communication across multiple administrative domains while supporting diverse enterprise applications and services.

Question 55:

Which enterprise technology allows network engineers to monitor application performance, detect anomalies, and gain insights into network health using telemetry data?

A) Cisco DNA Assurance
B) NAT
C) VLAN
D) STP

Answer:

A) Cisco DNA Assurance

Explanation:

Cisco DNA Assurance is a comprehensive solution for monitoring enterprise networks that provides real-time insights into network and application performance, user experience, and infrastructure health. Modern enterprise networks support a wide range of applications, including cloud-based services, real-time collaboration tools, voice and video applications, and mission-critical business applications. Maintaining optimal performance for these applications requires visibility into network traffic patterns, device health, and potential issues that could impact users or services. DNA Assurance leverages telemetry data collected from network devices, endpoints, and applications to provide actionable insights for proactive management, troubleshooting, and optimization.

Telemetry is a key component of DNA Assurance, enabling continuous monitoring of network state, including device status, interface utilization, latency, jitter, packet loss, and application performance metrics. Network devices such as switches, routers, and wireless access points generate telemetry streams that are collected and analyzed by DNA Assurance. This data provides granular visibility into the performance of individual devices, links, and applications, allowing network engineers to identify performance bottlenecks, misconfigurations, or anomalies before they affect end users. Telemetry also enables historical trend analysis, capacity planning, and predictive maintenance, supporting more informed decision-making and proactive network management.

DNA Assurance integrates with Cisco DNA Center to provide a unified platform for automation, policy enforcement, and network monitoring. Application-level visibility allows administrators to understand which applications consume bandwidth, identify patterns of latency or jitter, and detect traffic anomalies. This is particularly important in environments that rely on voice over IP, video conferencing, or cloud-based collaboration tools, where network performance directly impacts user experience. By correlating telemetry data with user and device information, DNA Assurance can provide insights into how different roles, locations, or device types are affected by network conditions, enabling more precise troubleshooting and optimization.

Network assurance policies can be defined based on performance thresholds, quality-of-service requirements, and security considerations. When deviations from expected behavior are detected, the system generates alerts, recommendations, or automated actions to mitigate issues. For example, if an access point experiences high packet loss affecting voice traffic, DNA Assurance can recommend adjusting channel settings, modifying QoS policies, or redistributing clients to reduce congestion. The system also supports integration with machine learning algorithms and advanced analytics to detect subtle anomalies, predict potential failures, and optimize traffic flows proactively.

Other options provide different functions. NAT translates IP addresses but does not provide visibility or performance monitoring. VLAN segments network traffic but does not monitor application performance or network health. STP prevents Layer 2 loops but does not provide insights into application or network performance.

For Cisco 350-401 ENCOR exam candidates, understanding DNA Assurance involves knowledge of telemetry data collection, network device monitoring, application visibility, performance metrics, policy definition, proactive detection of anomalies, and troubleshooting. Candidates should understand how DNA Assurance uses real-time and historical data to provide actionable insights into network and application performance. Mastery of DNA Assurance enables network engineers to maintain high-performing enterprise networks, identify and resolve issues efficiently, and optimize the network environment to ensure consistent quality of experience for users across diverse applications and services.

Question 56:

Which protocol allows enterprise switches to prevent broadcast storms by creating a loop-free Layer 2 topology?

A) Spanning Tree Protocol
B) NAT
C) HSRP
D) BGP

Answer:

A) Spanning Tree Protocol

Explanation:

Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) is a Layer 2 protocol that prevents broadcast storms, loops, and multiple-frame delivery issues in enterprise Ethernet networks. Modern enterprise networks often consist of multiple redundant switches and links to ensure high availability and fault tolerance. While redundancy increases resilience, it also introduces the possibility of loops at Layer 2, which can lead to broadcast storms where packets circulate indefinitely, consuming bandwidth and CPU resources on switches, eventually resulting in network outages. STP addresses these challenges by dynamically identifying and blocking redundant paths while maintaining a loop-free active topology.

STP operates by electing a root bridge, which serves as the reference point for the network topology. All switches in the STP domain calculate the shortest path to the root bridge and determine which ports should be in forwarding or blocking states to prevent loops. By placing redundant paths into a blocking state, STP ensures that only one active path exists between any two switches while allowing backup paths to remain available for failover if the active link fails. This dynamic topology management provides fault tolerance without risking broadcast storms or multiple-frame delivery issues.

STP has evolved through multiple versions, including Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol (RSTP) and Multiple Spanning Tree Protocol (MSTP). RSTP significantly improves convergence time compared to the original STP, allowing faster adaptation to topology changes, which is critical for enterprise networks that require minimal downtime and consistent performance for applications such as voice, video, and cloud services. MSTP enables multiple spanning tree instances to map different VLANs to different spanning tree topologies, improving load balancing and optimizing traffic distribution across redundant links.

STP also supports port roles and states, such as root port, designated port, blocked port, and alternate port. These roles and states define the forwarding behavior of each port within the topology and determine how redundancy and failover are handled. By carefully configuring STP parameters, administrators can influence path selection, prevent unnecessary blocking, and optimize network performance. STP integrates with other Layer 2 protocols and technologies, such as VLANs, EtherChannel, and link aggregation, to provide a robust, scalable, and loop-free network infrastructure.

Other options provide different functions. NAT translates IP addresses but does not prevent loops. HSRP provides Layer 3 gateway redundancy but does not manage Layer 2 loops. BGP is an inter-domain routing protocol and does not operate at Layer 2.

For Cisco 350-401 ENCOR exam candidates, understanding STP involves knowledge of root bridge election, port roles, port states, topology changes, convergence behavior, RSTP and MSTP differences, VLAN mapping, and troubleshooting spanning tree issues. Candidates should understand how to configure STP parameters such as bridge priority, path cost, and portfast to optimize enterprise network performance. Mastery of STP allows network engineers to design resilient Layer 2 networks with redundancy, prevent broadcast storms, maintain loop-free topologies, and ensure stable connectivity for enterprise applications and services while supporting high availability and scalability.

Question 57:

Which enterprise technology is used to provide secure site-to-site connectivity over the internet, allowing encrypted communication between branch offices and the data center?

A) IPsec VPN
B) VLAN
C) NAT
D) HSRP

Answer:

A) IPsec VPN

Explanation:

IPsec VPN is a technology widely used in enterprise networks to provide secure, encrypted communication over public networks such as the internet, enabling branch offices, remote sites, and data centers to communicate as if they were part of a private, trusted network. Enterprise networks often need to extend connectivity between geographically dispersed locations while maintaining confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity of transmitted data. IPsec VPN addresses these requirements by encrypting traffic, authenticating endpoints, and ensuring data integrity, protecting sensitive information from interception or tampering during transit.

IPsec VPN operates by establishing secure tunnels between VPN gateways, typically located at the edge of each site or branch. These gateways negotiate security associations, select encryption and hashing algorithms, and exchange keys using protocols such as Internet Key Exchange (IKE). Once the tunnel is established, data packets are encapsulated and encrypted, preventing unauthorized access and ensuring that only authorized devices can decrypt and interpret the information. IPsec supports both transport mode, which encrypts only the payload of packets, and tunnel mode, which encrypts the entire packet, allowing flexible deployment scenarios depending on network architecture and security requirements.

IPsec VPN provides strong authentication mechanisms to verify the identity of endpoints before allowing communication. Pre-shared keys, digital certificates, and public key infrastructure (PKI) can be used to authenticate VPN peers, ensuring that only legitimate devices participate in the secure connection. This is crucial for enterprise networks where multiple branches or third-party partners require access to the corporate network, as it prevents unauthorized entities from establishing connections and compromising network security.

Encryption algorithms such as AES and 3DES are used to ensure confidentiality, while hashing algorithms like SHA provide data integrity verification. Enterprises can also configure IPsec policies to prioritize traffic, segment traffic flows, or apply quality-of-service policies for critical applications running over the VPN tunnel. IPsec VPNs are scalable, allowing multiple branch offices to connect to the central data center or to each other securely, supporting business continuity, collaboration, and operational efficiency.

Other options provide different functionalities. VLAN segments traffic within a network but does not encrypt or secure traffic between sites. NAT translates IP addresses but does not provide confidentiality or integrity. HSRP provides gateway redundancy but does not establish secure connectivity between remote sites.

For Cisco 350-401 ENCOR exam candidates, understanding IPsec VPN involves knowledge of VPN architecture, tunneling modes, IKE negotiation, encryption and hashing algorithms, authentication methods, policy configuration, traffic segmentation, performance considerations, and troubleshooting. Candidates should understand how to deploy IPsec VPN to securely connect branch offices, remote users, and data centers, ensuring encrypted communication, authentication of peers, and data integrity. Mastery of IPsec VPN enables network engineers to design secure, scalable, and resilient enterprise networks capable of supporting remote connectivity, cloud integration, and secure communications across untrusted networks while maintaining compliance with organizational and regulatory security requirements.

Question 58:

Which technology allows enterprise networks to segment users and devices into different broadcast domains while maintaining logical connectivity across switches?

A) VLAN
B) NAT
C) STP
D) IPsec VPN

Answer:

A) VLAN

Explanation:

Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) is a fundamental technology used in enterprise networks to segment users, devices, and traffic into separate broadcast domains while maintaining logical connectivity across switches. In modern enterprise environments, multiple departments, teams, and device types share the same physical network infrastructure, but they often require separation for security, traffic management, or organizational policies. VLANs allow network administrators to logically divide the network without requiring additional physical switches, enabling scalable and efficient network design.

Each VLAN is identified by a unique VLAN ID, which allows switches to tag Ethernet frames with the appropriate VLAN identifier using IEEE 802.1Q encapsulation. Tagged frames carry information that allows devices and switches to identify the VLAN membership of each packet. This enables devices within the same VLAN to communicate as if they are on the same physical network, while devices on different VLANs require Layer 3 routing to exchange traffic. The use of VLANs reduces broadcast traffic within each domain, improves network performance, and provides isolation between different segments of the network.

VLANs support various enterprise network scenarios. For example, separating voice, data, and guest traffic into different VLANs ensures that latency-sensitive voice traffic is not affected by high-volume data transfers. VLANs also improve security by isolating sensitive departments, such as finance or HR, from general user networks, preventing unauthorized access or data leakage. VLANs can be dynamically assigned based on policies, user identity, or port membership, allowing flexible deployment in both wired and wireless environments. Dynamic VLAN assignment, often integrated with identity-based networking solutions such as Cisco ISE, enables real-time control over which VLAN a device or user belongs to, based on authentication and security posture.

Inter-VLAN routing is necessary to allow communication between VLANs, which is typically implemented using Layer 3 switches or routers. Routing policies, access control lists, and quality-of-service policies can be applied to regulate inter-VLAN traffic. VLANs also enable scalable network design by allowing consistent segmentation across multiple switches using trunk links. Trunk links carry traffic for multiple VLANs between switches while maintaining VLAN membership information through tagging. This architecture ensures that VLANs can span multiple switches and physical locations while preserving logical segmentation and security.

Other options provide different functionalities. NAT translates IP addresses but does not segment traffic within the enterprise network. STP prevents Layer 2 loops but does not provide logical segmentation of users and devices. IPsec VPN encrypts traffic over untrusted networks but does not perform broadcast domain segmentation within a LAN.

For Cisco 350-401 ENCOR exam candidates, understanding VLANs involves knowledge of VLAN creation, tagging, trunking, dynamic VLAN assignment, inter-VLAN routing, VLAN security, broadcast domain segmentation, and integration with identity-based networking policies. Candidates should understand how to design enterprise networks that efficiently separate traffic, enforce security boundaries, and optimize resource utilization. VLANs form a foundational technology for modern enterprise networks, supporting operational efficiency, security, traffic management, and scalability while enabling flexible network design for diverse user and device requirements.

Question 59:

Which protocol allows enterprise routers to exchange routing information and supports both IPv4 and IPv6 with loop prevention using hop counts?

A) RIP
B) OSPF
C) BGP
D) EIGRP

Answer:

A) RIP

Explanation:

Routing Information Protocol (RIP) is a distance-vector routing protocol used in enterprise networks to exchange routing information between routers. RIP is designed to support both IPv4 and IPv6 networks, providing basic routing capabilities with simplicity and ease of configuration. The protocol operates by sharing routing tables with neighboring routers at regular intervals, allowing routers to maintain knowledge of reachable networks within an autonomous system. Each route is assigned a metric based on hop count, which represents the number of routers a packet must traverse to reach a destination. RIP uses a maximum hop count of 15, which effectively limits the size of networks in which RIP can operate. Networks with more than 15 hops are considered unreachable, which is an inherent limitation of the protocol.

RIP prevents routing loops by implementing mechanisms such as split horizon, route poisoning, and hold-down timers. Split horizon prevents a router from advertising a route back to the interface from which it was learned, reducing the chance of loops. Route poisoning marks failed routes as unreachable by assigning them a metric of 16 hops, signaling to neighboring routers that the route should no longer be used. Hold-down timers prevent routers from immediately accepting potentially incorrect routing updates during convergence, improving stability in changing network environments. These mechanisms ensure that RIP maintains a relatively simple, loop-free routing environment even though convergence can be slower compared to modern link-state protocols.

RIP supports multiple versions, including RIPv1, RIPv2, and RIPng. RIPv1 is classful and does not support subnet information, while RIPv2 includes classless routing, multicast updates, and authentication for added security. RIPng extends RIP functionality to IPv6 networks, allowing enterprises to deploy RIP in dual-stack or IPv6-only environments. Despite its limitations, RIP remains suitable for small enterprise networks, branch offices, or networks with simple topologies where ease of configuration and low overhead are more important than rapid convergence or advanced traffic optimization.

Other options provide different capabilities. OSPF is a link-state protocol optimized for fast convergence and hierarchical enterprise network design but is more complex to configure. BGP is used for inter-domain routing between autonomous systems and focuses on policy-based path selection rather than simple hop counts. EIGRP is a Cisco-proprietary advanced distance-vector protocol that provides faster convergence, multiple metrics, and scalability but is not standardized across all vendors.

For Cisco 350-401 ENCOR exam candidates, understanding RIP involves knowledge of hop-count metrics, periodic updates, route advertisement, loop-prevention mechanisms such as split horizon, route poisoning, and hold-down timers, and configuration for IPv4 and IPv6. Candidates should be able to describe RIP operation, limitations, use cases, and interactions with other routing protocols in enterprise environments. Proper knowledge of RIP enables network engineers to implement simple routing solutions for small networks, maintain loop-free topologies, ensure basic connectivity across routers, and troubleshoot routing issues in networks where RIP is deployed.

Question 60:

Which technology allows enterprises to aggregate multiple physical links between switches to form a single logical link, providing redundancy and increased bandwidth?

A) EtherChannel
B) VLAN
C) NAT
D) VRRP

Answer:

A) EtherChannel

Explanation:

EtherChannel is a technology that allows enterprises to combine multiple physical Ethernet links between switches into a single logical link. This aggregation provides redundancy and increases available bandwidth while maintaining a single point of logical connectivity for network traffic. Modern enterprise networks often require high throughput between switches or between switches and routers to handle traffic from servers, applications, and end users. EtherChannel enables network administrators to bundle multiple links to achieve greater bandwidth without reconfiguring routing or creating additional spanning tree complexities.

EtherChannel operates by creating a logical link that treats multiple physical interfaces as a single port channel interface. Traffic is distributed across member links using load-balancing algorithms based on parameters such as source and destination MAC addresses, IP addresses, or TCP/UDP port numbers. This ensures efficient utilization of available bandwidth while maintaining packet order for each flow. If one physical link fails, traffic continues to flow over the remaining active links without interruption, providing resiliency and improving network reliability.

EtherChannel supports both static and dynamic configurations. Static EtherChannel uses manual configuration to aggregate links, while dynamic EtherChannel uses protocols such as Port Aggregation Protocol (PAgP) or Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP) to negotiate and maintain the bundle automatically. LACP is standardized and allows interoperability between switches from different vendors, whereas PAgP is Cisco-proprietary. Both protocols ensure that links are compatible and operational before activating the logical EtherChannel, preventing misconfigurations and potential network disruptions.

EtherChannel works seamlessly with spanning tree protocols. The logical port channel is treated as a single interface for STP purposes, preventing unnecessary blocking of member links and enabling redundant paths to remain active without creating loops. EtherChannel also simplifies network management by reducing the number of logical interfaces to monitor and configure while providing higher aggregate bandwidth, improving network efficiency and scalability.

Other options provide different functionalities. VLAN segments traffic but does not aggregate physical links. NAT translates IP addresses but does not provide link redundancy or bandwidth aggregation. VRRP provides Layer 3 gateway redundancy but does not aggregate Layer 2 links for increased bandwidth.

For Cisco 350-401 ENCOR exam candidates, understanding EtherChannel involves knowledge of physical link bundling, load balancing methods, static and dynamic configurations, PAgP and LACP operation, interaction with STP, redundancy, failover behavior, monitoring, and troubleshooting. Candidates should understand how to design and configure EtherChannel to achieve higher bandwidth, improved reliability, and efficient link utilization between switches or network devices. Mastery of EtherChannel allows network engineers to build resilient, high-performance enterprise networks that support increasing traffic demands, provide redundancy, and maintain consistent connectivity across critical network segments while optimizing infrastructure resources.