Cisco 300-540 Designing and Implementing Cisco Service Provider Cloud Network Infrastructure (SPCNI v1.0) Exam Practice Test

RouterR2is insideAS 100and has three iBGP paths (via R3, R4, R5) toward AS 101. To performiBGP multipathacross these three equal-cost paths, BGP must:

Run the correct BGP process forAS 100

Allow installation of multiple iBGP paths in the routing table

This is done with:

router bgp 100

maximum-paths ibgp 3

router bgp 100– enters the BGP process for AS 100 (correct AS per diagram).

maximum-paths ibgp 3– tells BGP to keep up to 3 iBGP paths to the same destination, enabling CEF to load-share across them.

Other options:

ip load-sharing ibgp 3– not a valid command.

router bgp 101– wrong AS number.

ip load-sharing per-destination– controls CEF hashing but does not enable BGP to install multiple iBGP paths by itself.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Cisco NFVI + VIM Architecture

Cisco VIM (Virtual Infrastructure Manager) operates as part of Cisco NFVI and requiresspecific mandatory network segmentsto deploy OpenStack-based NFVI environments.

The essential required networks for Cisco VIM include:

✔Provisioning network

Used during bare-metal install of compute and controller nodes

Handles PXE boot, image deployment, and VIM’s management reachability

✔Storage network

Used for Cinder, Swift, Ceph, and Glance back-end storage replication

Ensures predictable latency and bandwidth for NFVI workloads

Other networks exist in VIM (Management, API, Tenant, External), but the question asks for the required foundational segments.

Why the other options are incorrect:

Data plane(B) – used inside NFV workloads but not a required VIM infrastructure network.

Heartbeat(C) – not a defined VIM network segment.

Host network(D) – not a Cisco VIM terminology; provisioning network handles host onboarding.

In a VXLAN BGP EVPNMulti-Siteenvironment:

DCI trackingmonitors the health of the DCI links. If all DCI-tracking interfaces go down, the leaf can incorrectly keep advertising or learning remote MAC/IP reachability, leading to packet loss and sub-optimal forwarding for servers in that VLAN/L2VNI.

For proper operation, eachDCI-facing interfacemust be enabled with evpn multisite dci-tracking so that the Multi-Site border leaf tracks reachability over that link.

When using EVPN Multi-Site, BUM (broadcast, unknown unicast, multicast) traffic toward remote sites is typically handled viaingress replication, not multicast groups, for each L2VNI participating in Multi-Site. The configuration snippet shows an L2VNI (vn-segment 16535) still mapped to mcast-group 239.1.1.0, which is inconsistent with Multi-Site recommendations and contributes to packet loss.

Therefore, to fix the problem:

Enable DCI tracking on the uplink:

interface Ethernet1/1

evpn multisite dci-tracking

This restores proper DCI-link state monitoring for Multi-Site. →Option C

Change the L2VNI behavior from multicast to Multi-Site ingress replication:

Under the VNI for VLAN 11, configure:

evpn

vni 16535 l2

multisite ingress-replication

or the equivalent command for the specific NX-OS release, thereby aligning the L2VNI with EVPN Multi-Site design and eliminating packet loss. →Option D

Options A and B are ELAM (embedded logic analyzer) filters used only for packet capture and do not resolve the forwarding issue.

Option E is an ACL line unrelated to EVPN VXLAN or DCI tracking and does not address the underlying problem.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation

For distancesgreater than 20 miles, valid inter-facility transport options must support:

Metro-scale connectivity

High bandwidth

Low latency

Carrier-grade reliability

Acarrier access Ethernet ring (MEN / Metro Ethernet)is designed for:

Interconnecting data centers or meet-me rooms

Distances far exceeding 20 miles

High-availability layer-2 or layer-3 transport

Why the others are invalid:

CAT6e→ maximum ~100 meters

Multimode fiber→ typically <2 km (~1.25 miles)

Private wireless→ not used for high-capacity DC interconnects, unreliable for core transport

Thus, the only correct carrier-grade method isCarrier access Ethernet ring.

In Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN cloud integration, when the requirement is:

Automatically discovering AWSVPCs

Automatically identifying AWSservices

Allowing the user to choose whichprivate SD-WAN networkconnects to the cloud

UsingAWS credentials(Access Key / Secret Key) for automatic provisioning

…the Cisco-supported mechanism is theCisco SD-WAN Transit VPC solution.

Why Transit VPC is the correct answer:

It is specifically designed to integrateCisco SD-WANwith AWS environments.

Uses AWS APIs and user credentials to automatically discover:

VPC IDs

Subnets

Regions

Routing tables

Automatically deploys and configures CSR1000v or Catalyst 8000V routers into the VPC.

Provides a centralized “hub” in AWS to interconnect multiple SD-WAN sites.

Enables the user to choose which SD-WAN segments connect to which VPCs.

This matches the requirement ofautomatic cloud resource identification based on user credentials.

Why the other options are incorrect

A. AWS Direct Connect

This is a physical/private Layer 2 cloud connection.

It doesnotauto-discover VPCs or integrate through credentials.

It does not provide automated SD-WAN service provisioning.

C. IPsec VPN

Works for connectivity but ismanual, not automated.

Does not identify AWS cloud resources via credentials.

D. Segment routing

A transport technology used inside SP networks, irrelevant to AWS API-based VPC discovery.

Thus, onlyTransit VPCprovides automatic AWS cloud discovery and integration with SD-WAN.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation

SNMP traps in Cisco NFVIS (and in SNMP generally):

Areunsolicited notifications

Sent from the NFVIS deviceto the SNMP manager

Indicate alarms, changes, or significant operational events

Donotrequire polling

Examples:

Disk failures

VM crashes

Host status changes

Resource alarms

Why the others are wrong:

Adescribes SNMP monitoring (done by the manager with GET requests)

BSNMP cannotcontrolhost activities

DSNMP GET retrieves a variable, but traps sendunsolicitednotifications

Thus, the correct answer isC.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation

In Cisco Secure Endpoint Private Cloud AirGap mode, Internet access is disabled. Updates must be uploaded manually and then triggered inside the Secure Endpoint console.

The commandforce update -yinitiates the update of the manually uploaded Secure Endpoint package.

Other commands are not used for Secure Endpoint updates:

rpm -qa→ Lists Linux packages only

jamf-sync all→ Used for Apple JAMF integrations

genisoimage→ Used to create ISO files, irrelevant to Secure Endpoint

Therefore,Ais correct.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Cisco SP Core Optimization Knowledge

Cisco IOS supportsBGP Multipathfor installing multiple equal-cost BGP routes (both iBGP and eBGP) into the routing table. The correct global BGP command syntax to set the number of allowable parallel BGP paths is:

maximum-paths

For BGP specifically, the form is:

maximum-paths bgp

This enables the router to install up to the specified number of equal-cost BGP routes (iBGP and eBGP) into the RIB and then potentially into the FIB.

Setting:

maximum-paths bgp 6

allowssixparallel ECMP paths learned via BGP—this matches the requirement in the question.

Why the other options are incorrect

B. multipath eibgp 6Not a valid Cisco IOS command.

C. maximum paths bgp routers 6Invalid syntax.

D. maximum-paths eibgp 6The correct keyword isbgp, noteibgp.Cisco does not use “eibgp” in this context; IOS supports BGP multipath across iBGP/eBGP automatically when configured under maximum-paths bgp.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract from my knowledge of Designing and Implementing Cisco Service Provider Cloud Network Infrastructure Outlines without Any External URL or Links:

Container orchestration is the automated management of container lifecycle tasks such as deployment, scaling, failover, and updates. In Cisco cloud and NFV design guidance, typical orchestration platforms includeDocker (with Swarm)andKubernetes, which integrate with Cisco networking and security for cloud-native workloads.

Dockerprovides the container runtime and can also perform basic orchestration through Docker Swarm mode, managing multi-container, multi-host deployments.

Kubernetesis a full-featured orchestration system that automates deployment, scaling, and operations of application containers across clusters. It is the de-facto standard used with Cisco Container Platform and other Cisco cloud solutions.

VMware vCenter, Cisco vManage, and Cisco vSmart focus on virtual machines or SD-WAN control, not container orchestration. Therefore, the correct tools areDocker and Kubernetes (A, D).

The requirements in the scenario match the capabilities ofSegment Routing (SR-MPLS)combined withMPLS Performance Measurement (MPM):

1. Low-latency slice creation

Segment Routing allows deterministic paths using:

SR-TE (Traffic Engineering)

Colored or intent-based policies

Path selection based onlink latency, loss, bandwidth, or utilization

MPLS Performance Measurement supplies real-time data such as:

One-way delay

Round-trip delay

Loss metricsThis allows SR-TE to compute paths withminimum latency.

2. Secure slice with minimized transport cost

Segment Routing supports:

Slicing throughSR Policies

Steering encrypted traffic (IPsec/GETVPN) through specific SR tunnels

Traffic separation without requiring additional MPLS LSP state in the core

Optimizing transport cost via constraint-based TE computations

3. Transport SLA enforcement beyond best effort

SR-TE + MPM provides:

SLA-aware intent routing

Guaranteed performance paths

Automatic re-optimization if links violate latency or loss SLAs

Why the other options are incorrect

B. IPsec VPNProvides encryption but does not offerlatency-aware or SLA-based path selection. Not a slicing mechanism.

C. AWS Direct ConnectCloud connectivity service. Not related to MPLS performance monitoring or transport slicing.

D. Transit VPC for AWSUsed for SD-WAN cloud integration. Does not support SR-TE slicing or MPLS SLAs.

Therefore, onlySegment Routingprovides latency-based path computation, slicing, SLA guarantees, and cost optimization.

In a VXLAN BGP EVPNMulti-Siteenvironment:

DCI trackingmonitors the health of the DCI links. If all DCI-tracking interfaces go down, the leaf can incorrectly keep advertising or learning remote MAC/IP reachability, leading to packet loss and sub-optimal forwarding for servers in that VLAN/L2VNI.

For proper operation, eachDCI-facing interfacemust be enabled with evpn multisite dci-tracking so that the Multi-Site border leaf tracks reachability over that link.

When using EVPN Multi-Site, BUM (broadcast, unknown unicast, multicast) traffic toward remote sites is typically handled viaingress replication, not multicast groups, for each L2VNI participating in Multi-Site. The configuration snippet shows an L2VNI (vn-segment 16535) still mapped to mcast-group 239.1.1.0, which is inconsistent with Multi-Site recommendations and contributes to packet loss.

Therefore, to fix the problem:

Enable DCI tracking on the uplink:

interface Ethernet1/1

evpn multisite dci-tracking

This restores proper DCI-link state monitoring for Multi-Site. →Option C

Change the L2VNI behavior from multicast to Multi-Site ingress replication:

Under the VNI for VLAN 11, configure:

evpn

vni 16535 l2

multisite ingress-replication

or the equivalent command for the specific NX-OS release, thereby aligning the L2VNI with EVPN Multi-Site design and eliminating packet loss. →Option D

Options A and B are ELAM (embedded logic analyzer) filters used only for packet capture and do not resolve the forwarding issue.

Option E is an ACL line unrelated to EVPN VXLAN or DCI tracking and does not address the underlying problem.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation

In Cisco high-availability LAN gateway designs, the requirement is:

Multiple L3 gateways sharing avirtual MAC and virtual IP

Ability toload balanceacross multiple active gateways

Capability toseamlessly take overgateway forwarding during a failure

Among Cisco First Hop Redundancy Protocols (FHRPs):

HSRP→ Active/standby only

VRRP→ Active/standby only

GLBP (Gateway Load Balancing Protocol)→The only FHRP providing active/active load balancing

GLBP allows multiple routers to share:

Acommon virtual IP

Multiplevirtual MAC addresses

Multipleactive forwardersthat load-balance end hosts

Automatic failover if any gateway fails

Thus, GLBP is the only correct protocol matching the requirement forredundant default gateways with load balancing and shared MAC addressing.

InCisco Enterprise NFVIS, time synchronization is configured using thesystem time ntpcommand structure. NFVIS requires a primary and optionally a backup NTP server to maintain accurate system time for the hypervisor and guest VMs.

Correct NFVIS command syntax for NTP configuration:

system time ntp preferred_server This command configures thepreferred (primary)NTP server used for system clock synchronization.

system time ntp backup_server This command configures thebackupNTP server, which the system uses if the primary becomes unreachable.

These two commands match Cisco NFVIS time-configuration behavior described in NFV infrastructure design and implementation guidelines.

Why the Correct Answers Are A and E

Option A: system time ntp preferred_server 192.168.1.1

This properly configures the primary NTP server in NFVIS. The preferred server is always the first choice for time synchronization.

Option E: system time ntp backup_server 192.168.2.1

This correctly configures the backup NTP server. If the preferred server fails, NFVIS automatically falls back to the backup server.

Both commands directly match NFVIS’s NTP command hierarchy and are the only ones that correctly apply to NFVIS.

Why the Other Options Are Not Correct

Option Buses utils ntp, which is not an NFVIS command.

Option Csets manual time and does not configure NTP servers.

Option Dalso uses the utils ntp syntax, which applies to other Cisco platforms but not NFVIS.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation

In Cisco NFVI security architecture, the primary defense againstlateral movement(an attacker moving from one compromised node to another) isnetwork segmentation.

Segmentation:

Separates workloads (compute, storage, management, tenant networks)

Prevents attackers from pivoting inside the NFVI

Reduces blast radius during breaches

Enforces micro-segmented virtual network boundaries

WPA protects Wi-Fi, not NFVI.

WAF protects web apps, not internal movement.

Data encryption protects confidentiality, not lateral movement control.

Thus,network segmentationis the correct solution.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation

Cisco Container Platform (CCP), built on Kubernetes orchestration, usesYAMLfiles for:

Cluster configuration

Pod definitions

Network settings

Storage mappings

YAML is the industry-standard declarative syntax for Kubernetes and container orchestration platforms.

HTML, XHTML, and XML are not used for CCP configuration.

In a cloud-scale or data center–scale environment,Virtual Extensible LAN (VXLAN)is used as anoverlay technologyto transportLayer 2 segments over a Layer 3 underlay network. VXLAN encapsulates Layer 2 Ethernet frames inside UDP/IP packets, allowing broadcast, unknown unicast, and multicast (BUM) traffic and tenant Layer 2 domains to be extended across a routed IP fabric.

Key points aligned with Cisco Service Provider Cloud Infrastructure design principles:

VXLAN creates aLayer 2 overlay on top of a Layer 3 underlay.

TheVXLAN Network Identifier (VNI)provides a much larger segmentation space than traditional VLANs, enabling multi-tenancy at cloud scale.

Because the underlay is pure Layer 3 (IP routed fabric), VXLAN allows you tointerconnect Layer 2 segments between leaf switches or data centers over an IP/MPLS backbonewithout relying on large Layer 2 domains in the physical network.

Why the options evaluate as follows:

Option A: extends Layer 2 segments across the underlying Layer 3 infrastructure✅This is the core benefit of VXLAN in cloud-scale designs. VXLAN encapsulates Layer 2 frames intoIP/UDP headers, allowing isolated Layer 2 segments (per VNI) to be stretched across a routed IP network. This enables:

Multi-tenant Layer 2 connectivity across a distributed cloud fabric

Mobility of virtual machines or containers while keeping same IP/MAC addressing

Use of an IP-based leaf–spine or service provider underlay for scalability and resiliency

Option B: extends Layer 3 segments across the underlying Layer 2 infrastructure❌This is the opposite of what VXLAN does. VXLAN is explicitlyL2-over-L3, not L3-over-L2. Extending pure Layer 3 segments over Layer 2 is not the VXLAN use case.

Option C: reduces spanning-tree complexity across the Layer 2 infrastructure⚠️(Partially related but not the primary or direct benefit)In modern designs, the underlay isLayer 3 routed, and VXLAN overlays provide logical Layer 2 segments. This designavoids dependence on spanning tree in the fabric, whichindirectlyreduces STP complexity. However, the fundamental, exam-relevant benefit isL2 extension over L3, so C is not the best or most accurate answer compared to A.

Option D: eliminates the need for a Layer 3 underlay in the service provider infrastructure❌VXLAN absolutelyrequiresan IP (Layer 3) underlay for transport. VXLAN tunnels are built over a routed infrastructure (leaf–spine, MPLS/IP core, etc.). It does not remove the need for Layer 3; it depends on it.

From the RAID controller output:

TheRAID1virtual drive is shown as“Dgrd” (degraded)with a note:“RAID 1 in degraded state.”

In thePD LIST, one disk (slot 2) is marked“UGood – active disk in slot 2 disconnected from drive group 0”, while the other (slot 3) is“Onln 0”(online and part of drive group 0).

This means:

In aRAID 1mirror, onlyone diskmay fail while the array remains available.

Here,one disk has failed/disconnected, the other is still online → the array isdegraded but operational.

Therefore:

B. One RAID 1 disk failed– correct.

C. The node is still functional– correct; RAID1 can tolerate a single disk failure.

The other options are incorrect:

A and Esuggest two disk failures, which is not indicated.

Dwould be true only if both disks failed; with one disk still online, the node continues to function, though in a degraded state.

In Cisco NFVI, themanagement noderelies heavily on Docker containers for:

NFVIS management functions

VIM services

Orchestration components

If the management node fails to start and the system shows:

docker.service: inactive (dead)

…then all Docker-based platform services also fail to start.

The correct recovery action is torestart the Docker engine:

systemctl restart docker

This brings up:

All NFVI-required Docker containers

Management services

REST APIs and cluster components

Why other answers are incorrect:

docker-kibana→ Only affects Kibana logging container

docker-cobbler→ Used for provisioning, not core NFVI management

kube-apiserver→ Part of Kubernetes cluster, but relies on Docker; restarting it won’t help until Docker is running

Thus, the correct answer isB. docker.