Implementing Cisco SD-WAN Solutions (ENSDWI) Practice Exam
Are you preparing for the Implementing Cisco SD-WAN Solutions (ENSDWI) certification exam? Our comprehensive practice test at Exam Sage is designed to help you confidently master the core concepts, technologies, and practical skills needed to excel in this critical Cisco certification.
What is the ENSDWI Exam Practice Test?
The ENSDWI exam validates your knowledge and ability to deploy and manage Cisco’s SD-WAN architecture — a key technology in modern enterprise networks that enables simplified, secure, and scalable WAN management. This practice exam is crafted with up-to-date questions reflecting the latest exam objectives and industry best practices. It helps you identify your strengths and areas for improvement before taking the real exam.
What You Will Learn
Cisco SD-WAN Architecture: Understand the components like vManage, vSmart, vBond, and WAN edge devices.
Control and Data Plane Operations: Grasp how OMP routes are exchanged, how IPsec tunnels are established, and data forwarding principles.
Policy Configuration: Learn to design and implement control, data, and application-aware policies.
Security and Device Onboarding: Master secure device authentication, certificate management, and onboarding processes.
Routing Protocols and Underlay Connectivity: Configure and troubleshoot OSPF, BGP, and static routing within the SD-WAN overlay.
SLA and Quality of Service (QoS): Implement SLA policies and QoS to optimize network performance.
Troubleshooting: Develop skills to analyze and resolve common issues in SD-WAN deployments.
Key Topics Covered
Cisco SD-WAN architecture and components
Overlay and underlay network concepts
Secure control plane communication
Policy types: control, data, and application-aware routing
WAN edge device provisioning and management
IPsec tunnel establishment and operation
Quality of Service (QoS) and SLA monitoring
Integration with traditional routing protocols (OSPF, BGP)
Troubleshooting and monitoring techniques
Why Choose Exam Sage for Your ENSDWI Exam Prep?
At Exam Sage, we understand the importance of thorough preparation. Our Implementing Cisco SD-WAN Solutions (ENSDWI) practice exam offers:
Realistic, exam-aligned multiple-choice questions with detailed explanations
Regularly updated content based on Cisco’s latest exam blueprint
Clear, concise, and practical explanations to reinforce your understanding
User-friendly platform for convenient, on-the-go study sessions
Proven track record of helping thousands of IT professionals pass their Cisco certifications
Prepare confidently for your ENSDWI exam with Exam Sage — your trusted partner in IT certification success. Start practicing today and take one step closer to becoming a Cisco SD-WAN certified professional!
Sample Questions and Answers
1. What is the primary function of the Cisco vSmart controller in the SD-WAN architecture?
A) To manage WAN edge device data plane forwarding
B) To control the control plane and distribute routing information
C) To provide VPN termination at the branch
D) To handle encryption between WAN sites
Answer: B
Explanation: The vSmart controller is responsible for controlling the control plane by distributing routing information and policies to WAN edge routers.
2. Which transport protocols does Cisco SD-WAN support for secure data plane communication?
A) TCP and UDP
B) UDP and IPsec
C) GRE and IPsec
D) IPsec and DTLS
Answer: D
Explanation: Cisco SD-WAN uses IPsec to encrypt data plane traffic and DTLS (Datagram Transport Layer Security) to secure transport over UDP.
3. What is the role of the Cisco vEdge router in an SD-WAN deployment?
A) Acts as a centralized controller
B) Provides secure overlay connectivity at branch and edge locations
C) Manages policies for the WAN
D) Monitors SD-WAN performance
Answer: B
Explanation: The vEdge router functions as the WAN edge device providing secure overlay connectivity for branch and edge locations.
4. Which component in Cisco SD-WAN handles orchestration and device onboarding?
A) vManage
B) vSmart
C) vBond
D) vEdge
Answer: C
Explanation: The vBond orchestrator authenticates and orchestrates device connectivity into the SD-WAN overlay network.
5. How does Cisco SD-WAN separate the data plane from the control plane?
A) By using different physical devices
B) Control plane is managed by vSmart controllers, while data plane runs on vEdge routers
C) Data plane is handled by vBond, control plane by vManage
D) Both run on the same device but different VLANs
Answer: B
Explanation: Cisco SD-WAN separates control plane (vSmart controllers) from data plane (vEdge routers) to simplify management and enhance scalability.
6. In Cisco SD-WAN, what is the purpose of a TLOC?
A) It identifies the local transport interface and its IP address
B) It acts as a tunnel endpoint for data plane traffic
C) It is a policy used to direct traffic flow
D) It defines the encryption keys
Answer: A
Explanation: TLOC (Transport Locator) identifies the WAN edge device’s physical interface IP and transport type (MPLS, broadband, etc.).
7. What is the default routing protocol used by Cisco SD-WAN to exchange control plane information between vSmart and vEdge devices?
A) OSPF
B) BGP
C) OMP (Overlay Management Protocol)
D) EIGRP
Answer: C
Explanation: OMP is the proprietary Cisco SD-WAN protocol used to exchange routes, policies, and TLOCs between controllers and edge devices.
8. Which VPN is commonly used to connect branch devices to the Internet in Cisco SD-WAN?
A) VPN 0
B) VPN 512
C) VPN 1
D) VPN 512
Answer: C
Explanation: VPN 1 is typically used as the data VPN for WAN edge interfaces connecting branch devices.
9. What feature in Cisco SD-WAN enables path selection based on application performance metrics like jitter and packet loss?
A) Traffic Engineering
B) Path Conditioning
C) SLA-based Routing
D) QoS Marking
Answer: C
Explanation: SLA-based routing allows SD-WAN to choose the best path based on performance metrics such as jitter, latency, and packet loss.
10. What type of policies does Cisco SD-WAN use to control application routing and security?
A) Control policies and data policies
B) Control policies and application-aware routing policies
C) Control, data, and application-aware routing policies
D) Routing and filtering policies only
Answer: C
Explanation: Cisco SD-WAN uses control policies to manage routing, data policies for packet manipulation, and application-aware routing policies for path selection based on application needs.
11. How is authentication performed between SD-WAN devices during overlay establishment?
A) Using X.509 certificates and PKI
B) Pre-shared keys only
C) Username and password
D) MAC address filtering
Answer: A
Explanation: Cisco SD-WAN devices authenticate each other using X.509 certificates issued by a trusted CA for secure overlay establishment.
12. Which Cisco SD-WAN component provides the centralized GUI for management and monitoring?
A) vSmart
B) vManage
C) vBond
D) vEdge
Answer: B
Explanation: vManage provides the centralized management dashboard for configuration, monitoring, and troubleshooting.
13. What is the default port used by Cisco SD-WAN devices for secure control plane communication?
A) 443 TCP
B) 123 UDP
C) 1158 UDP
D) 500 UDP
Answer: C
Explanation: Cisco SD-WAN uses UDP port 1158 for secure control plane communication between devices.
14. In Cisco SD-WAN, what is a service VPN?
A) A VPN used for Internet access
B) A VPN dedicated to security services like firewall or IPS
C) The default data VPN
D) A VPN used for control plane traffic
Answer: B
Explanation: Service VPNs are dedicated for network services such as firewall, IPS, or WAN optimization in Cisco SD-WAN.
15. What is the function of the “Control Policy” in Cisco SD-WAN?
A) To enforce QoS on traffic flows
B) To control routing updates and manipulate OMP routes
C) To configure IP addressing on interfaces
D) To define VPN membership
Answer: B
Explanation: Control policies govern the behavior of routing updates in OMP and influence route advertisements.
16. How does Cisco SD-WAN ensure high availability between vSmart controllers?
A) Through VRRP
B) By using clustering and load balancing across multiple vSmart controllers
C) By deploying a single primary vSmart only
D) Via static routing between vSmart controllers
Answer: B
Explanation: Cisco SD-WAN supports multiple vSmart controllers running in a cluster for load balancing and redundancy.
17. Which Cisco SD-WAN feature allows monitoring real-time application-level traffic flows?
A) Application Visibility and Control (AVC)
B) NetFlow
C) SNMP
D) NBAR2
Answer: A
Explanation: AVC provides real-time application visibility and allows dynamic policy enforcement based on application behavior.
18. What does the Cisco SD-WAN “Data Policy” enable?
A) Defining how packets are forwarded based on application and traffic classification
B) Route control between vSmart and vEdge devices
C) Interface IP assignment
D) Defining VPN membership
Answer: A
Explanation: Data policies specify how traffic is forwarded, including path selection and packet manipulation based on matching criteria.
19. Which tool is used to onboard new Cisco SD-WAN edge devices?
A) vSmart
B) vManage
C) vBond
D) vEdge CLI
Answer: C
Explanation: The vBond orchestrator is responsible for authenticating and onboarding new devices to the SD-WAN overlay.
20. What is the default forwarding mechanism used in Cisco SD-WAN data plane?
A) IP routing based on IGP protocols
B) MPLS label switching
C) Overlay tunnels with IPsec encryption
D) GRE tunneling
Answer: C
Explanation: Cisco SD-WAN uses overlay tunnels secured with IPsec for forwarding data plane traffic.
21. In Cisco SD-WAN, which VPN carries control plane traffic?
A) VPN 512
B) VPN 0
C) VPN 1
D) VPN 128
Answer: B
Explanation: VPN 0 is reserved for system management and control plane communication between devices.
22. What is a TLOC extension in Cisco SD-WAN?
A) An additional IP address used for routing
B) A mechanism to extend TLOC attributes to other sites for path optimization
C) A new transport protocol
D) A security policy
Answer: B
Explanation: TLOC extensions enable optimization by extending the knowledge of transport locators across sites.
23. What is the recommended method to upgrade Cisco SD-WAN edge devices?
A) Manually via CLI using USB
B) Using vManage software image upgrade workflows
C) Automatically via vBond orchestrator
D) By replacing hardware
Answer: B
Explanation: The recommended and supported method is to use vManage for automated software image upgrade and management.
24. Which protocol does Cisco SD-WAN use for secure transport over broadband Internet connections?
A) IPsec over UDP or DTLS
B) GRE over IPsec
C) SSL VPN
D) L2TP
Answer: A
Explanation: Cisco SD-WAN encapsulates data plane traffic with IPsec using UDP or DTLS for secure transport over broadband.
25. What Cisco SD-WAN feature allows defining SLA thresholds and triggering path changes?
A) Path Conditioning
B) Application Routing
C) SLA Monitoring and SLA-Based Routing
D) Traffic Shaping
Answer: C
Explanation: SLA Monitoring tracks metrics and triggers routing changes when thresholds like latency or loss are breached.
26. Which Cisco SD-WAN VPN is typically used for management traffic?
A) VPN 0
B) VPN 512
C) VPN 1
D) VPN 128
Answer: B
Explanation: VPN 512 is commonly used for management and out-of-band communication in Cisco SD-WAN.
27. How does Cisco SD-WAN achieve zero-touch provisioning (ZTP) for new devices?
A) Devices use DHCP option 43 to find the vManage
B) Devices must be manually configured first
C) Devices register to vSmart directly
D) Devices use a pre-shared key broadcast
Answer: A
Explanation: Cisco SD-WAN devices use DHCP options and DNS to locate vManage for zero-touch provisioning.
28. Which Cisco SD-WAN component is responsible for certificate authority (CA) functions?
A) vManage
B) vBond
C) Cisco Public CA or Private CA integration
D) vSmart
Answer: C
Explanation: Cisco SD-WAN devices use certificates issued by either Cisco’s public CA or an integrated private CA for authentication.
29. What is the primary benefit of overlay routing in Cisco SD-WAN?
A) Simplifies WAN management by abstracting underlay complexity
B) Increases bandwidth by aggregating links
C) Eliminates the need for encryption
D) Enables only MPLS-based transport
Answer: A
Explanation: Overlay routing abstracts the underlay network and allows policy-based, dynamic path selection independent of underlying WAN technology.
30. What does the “Application-Aware Routing” feature in Cisco SD-WAN allow?
A) Routing based on Layer 2 VLAN IDs
B) Forwarding traffic based on application performance and priority
C) Encrypting application traffic end-to-end
D) Load balancing across all links equally
Answer: B
Explanation: Application-Aware Routing enables path selection based on application performance, ensuring critical apps get priority routing on the best available path.
31. Which Cisco SD-WAN VPN is reserved for system management and control traffic?
A) VPN 1
B) VPN 512
C) VPN 0
D) VPN 128
Answer: C
Explanation: VPN 0 is reserved for control plane and system management traffic in Cisco SD-WAN.
32. What is the purpose of the Cisco SD-WAN “Data Plane Security”?
A) To encrypt routing protocols
B) To provide secure tunnels (IPsec) between WAN edge devices
C) To control access to the vManage GUI
D) To authenticate users connecting remotely
Answer: B
Explanation: Data Plane Security encrypts all WAN edge device traffic between sites using IPsec tunnels.
33. Which protocol does Cisco SD-WAN use for control plane communication between vSmart and WAN edge routers?
A) BGP
B) OSPF
C) OMP (Overlay Management Protocol)
D) EIGRP
Answer: C
Explanation: OMP is Cisco SD-WAN’s proprietary control plane protocol responsible for routing and policy exchange.
34. How do vEdge routers discover vSmart controllers during initial boot-up?
A) Via DHCP option 43 or DNS name resolution
B) Static IP configuration
C) Using multicast discovery
D) They don’t need to discover vSmart
Answer: A
Explanation: vEdge routers discover controllers using DHCP options or DNS to locate the vManage, which provides controller information.
35. What type of WAN transport links does Cisco SD-WAN support?
A) Only MPLS
B) MPLS, broadband Internet, LTE, and others
C) Only broadband Internet
D) Only leased lines
Answer: B
Explanation: Cisco SD-WAN supports multiple transport types including MPLS, broadband Internet, LTE, and others for flexibility.
36. Which Cisco SD-WAN policy type allows you to manipulate packet headers and QoS markings?
A) Control policies
B) Data policies
C) Application-aware routing policies
D) Security policies
Answer: B
Explanation: Data policies control packet handling, including marking, dropping, or redirecting traffic based on criteria.
37. What is the key benefit of using Cisco SD-WAN centralized management with vManage?
A) Eliminates the need for routers
B) Allows unified configuration, monitoring, and troubleshooting from a single dashboard
C) Enables static routing only
D) Reduces encryption overhead
Answer: B
Explanation: vManage provides a centralized dashboard for simplified SD-WAN device management and monitoring.
38. How does Cisco SD-WAN support integration with cloud services like AWS or Azure?
A) Direct integration with cloud routers via VPN or direct connect
B) It does not support cloud integration
C) Only via manual routing configuration
D) Cloud services require separate networks
Answer: A
Explanation: Cisco SD-WAN can integrate with cloud providers through VPN tunnels or direct connections to extend the WAN to cloud environments.
39. What is a key feature of the vBond orchestrator in the Cisco SD-WAN overlay?
A) Routes all application traffic
B) Authenticates and orchestrates connectivity between all SD-WAN components
C) Provides GUI-based configuration
D) Controls encryption keys for IPsec
Answer: B
Explanation: vBond orchestrates authentication and connectivity setup for devices joining the SD-WAN overlay.
40. In Cisco SD-WAN, how is a new WAN edge device authenticated to join the overlay network?
A) Using username and password
B) Using X.509 certificates issued by a CA
C) Using MAC address filtering
D) Through manual approval only
Answer: B
Explanation: Devices use X.509 certificates for secure authentication in Cisco SD-WAN.
41. Which of the following best describes SLA-based routing in Cisco SD-WAN?
A) Static routing based on link speed
B) Dynamic routing using SLA metrics like jitter, latency, and packet loss to select best path
C) Routing traffic randomly between links
D) Using OSPF cost values only
Answer: B
Explanation: SLA-based routing dynamically selects the best path based on real-time performance metrics.
42. What is the purpose of TLOC in Cisco SD-WAN?
A) To identify transport locators for WAN edge devices and enable overlay routing
B) To store configuration files
C) To assign IP addresses to devices
D) To authenticate users
Answer: A
Explanation: TLOCs identify the physical transport endpoints for overlay tunnels and routing decisions.
43. How does Cisco SD-WAN improve application performance over the WAN?
A) By increasing bandwidth only
B) Using application-aware routing and dynamic path selection based on real-time metrics
C) By disabling encryption
D) By prioritizing control traffic
Answer: B
Explanation: Cisco SD-WAN improves application performance by routing traffic over the best path dynamically.
44. What is the function of an application-aware routing policy?
A) To block non-business applications
B) To define how traffic is routed based on application and network conditions
C) To assign IP addresses
D) To disable overlay routing
Answer: B
Explanation: Application-aware routing policies route traffic intelligently based on application identity and network metrics.
45. Which port does Cisco SD-WAN vManage use for HTTPS communication by default?
A) 443
B) 22
C) 1158
D) 80
Answer: A
Explanation: vManage uses HTTPS on port 443 for secure web-based management.
46. Which Cisco SD-WAN feature can detect and respond to network failures by rerouting traffic automatically?
A) Manual route reconfiguration
B) Dynamic Path Selection with SLA monitoring
C) Static routing
D) Firewall policies
Answer: B
Explanation: Dynamic Path Selection uses SLA metrics to detect link issues and reroute traffic to healthy paths automatically.
47. What is the function of the Cisco SD-WAN “Data Policy”?
A) To distribute routing updates
B) To classify and manipulate data plane traffic
C) To authenticate devices
D) To control device onboarding
Answer: B
Explanation: Data policies classify, mark, and steer traffic through the WAN.
48. Which Cisco SD-WAN VPN ID is typically used for service chaining such as firewall or IPS?
A) VPN 0
B) VPN 512
C) VPN 100
D) VPN 1
Answer: B
Explanation: VPN 512 is reserved for service chaining traffic like firewalls and IPS.
49. What is the function of the Cisco SD-WAN “control policy”?
A) Controls routing updates and enforces route manipulation
B) Applies QoS to traffic
C) Configures interface IP addresses
D) Manages IPsec encryption
Answer: A
Explanation: Control policies manipulate control plane behavior, including route advertisement.
50. How is encryption configured in Cisco SD-WAN for data plane traffic?
A) Enabled by default on all overlay tunnels using IPsec
B) Manually enabled per interface
C) Only enabled for VPN 0 traffic
D) Disabled by default
Answer: A
Explanation: IPsec encryption is enabled by default to secure data plane overlay tunnels.
51. What role does the vManage NMS play in Cisco SD-WAN?
A) Authenticates devices joining the overlay
B) Acts as a policy server and monitoring platform
C) Routes data traffic
D) Encrypts data plane traffic
Answer: B
Explanation: vManage is the network management system responsible for centralized policy management and monitoring.
52. What is the significance of the Overlay Management Protocol (OMP) in Cisco SD-WAN?
A) It encrypts overlay traffic
B) It manages route distribution and path management in the overlay
C) It authenticates users
D) It performs load balancing on physical links
Answer: B
Explanation: OMP handles control plane routing and policy distribution in the SD-WAN overlay.
53. Which Cisco SD-WAN component is responsible for orchestrating connectivity between WAN edges and controllers?
A) vSmart
B) vBond
C) vManage
D) vEdge
Answer: B
Explanation: vBond orchestrates initial connectivity and device authentication in SD-WAN.
54. Which Cisco SD-WAN device role provides route distribution and policy enforcement?
A) vManage
B) vBond
C) vSmart
D) vEdge
Answer: C
Explanation: The vSmart controller distributes routes and enforces centralized policies.
55. What is the typical purpose of the “VPN 0” in Cisco SD-WAN?
A) Carrying data plane traffic
B) System and control plane management traffic
C) Service chaining
D) Cloud connectivity
Answer: B
Explanation: VPN 0 is reserved for control plane and system management traffic.
56. What Cisco SD-WAN component is used to apply firewall policies and service chaining?
A) vEdge router
B) vManage
C) Service VPN (usually VPN 512)
D) vSmart
Answer: C
Explanation: Service VPNs (e.g., VPN 512) are used for firewall and service chaining.
57. How is Cisco SD-WAN zero-touch provisioning achieved?
A) Devices use DHCP and DNS to discover controllers and automatically onboard
B) Devices must be pre-configured manually
C) Devices are shipped with all configurations preloaded
D) By manual CLI configuration only
Answer: A
Explanation: Devices use DHCP options and DNS names to discover and register with vManage for zero-touch provisioning.
58. What is the recommended way to backup Cisco SD-WAN device configurations?
A) Use manual CLI copy commands
B) Use automated backups via vManage
C) Save configurations locally only
D) Backups are not supported
Answer: B
Explanation: vManage supports automated configuration backups and restores.
59. Which Cisco SD-WAN component issues device certificates for authentication?
A) vBond
B) vManage
C) Cisco Public or Private Certificate Authority (CA)
D) vSmart
Answer: C
Explanation: Devices are issued certificates by a CA, which could be Cisco Public or a private CA.
60. What is the maximum number of TLOCs that a vEdge router can advertise?
A) 1
B) 5
C) Unlimited
D) 3
Answer: C
Explanation: There is no strict limit; a vEdge router can advertise multiple TLOCs based on interfaces and transports.
61. Which Cisco SD-WAN feature allows you to create policies that steer specific application traffic over preferred links based on business intent?
A) Control policies
B) Application-aware routing
C) Data policies
D) Interface policies
Answer: B
Explanation: Application-aware routing enables policies to steer traffic based on application type and business intent over the best available path.
62. How does Cisco SD-WAN handle redundancy for WAN edge devices in active-active deployment?
A) Using HSRP between WAN edges
B) Using multiple TLOCs for path redundancy and load balancing
C) Configuring VRRP on the overlay
D) Only one device is active; the other is standby
Answer: B
Explanation: Cisco SD-WAN uses multiple TLOCs to achieve path redundancy and active-active traffic forwarding.
63. In Cisco SD-WAN, which two transport types can be combined to increase reliability and performance?
A) MPLS and Frame Relay
B) Broadband Internet and LTE
C) Ethernet and Token Ring
D) DSL and ISDN
Answer: B
Explanation: Broadband Internet and LTE can be combined in Cisco SD-WAN to provide backup and increased availability.
64. What is the purpose of the Cisco SD-WAN “Fabric” feature?
A) To connect WAN edges with multiple transport networks under a single overlay
B) To segment data traffic within a LAN
C) To encrypt management traffic only
D) To assign IP addresses
Answer: A
Explanation: The fabric connects all WAN edges over multiple transport networks via a unified overlay.
65. Which Cisco SD-WAN component runs the Overlay Management Protocol (OMP)?
A) Only vManage
B) vSmart and WAN edge devices
C) Only vBond
D) Only vEdge routers
Answer: B
Explanation: Both vSmart controllers and WAN edge routers run OMP to exchange routes and policies.
66. What type of routing does Cisco SD-WAN primarily use to exchange routes between sites?
A) Static routing only
B) BGP exclusively
C) OMP (Overlay Management Protocol)
D) RIP
Answer: C
Explanation: OMP is Cisco SD-WAN’s control plane protocol for routing information exchange.
67. How are control plane and data plane separated in Cisco SD-WAN architecture?
A) They run on the same VPN
B) Control plane uses VPN 0, data plane uses other VPNs
C) Control plane runs on the public Internet, data plane on MPLS only
D) No separation between control and data planes
Answer: B
Explanation: Control plane traffic uses VPN 0, while user data traffic uses other VPNs.
68. What is a TLOC in Cisco SD-WAN?
A) Transport Location, representing the edge device’s WAN attachment point
B) A device hostname
C) Traffic load balancer
D) A VPN subnet
Answer: A
Explanation: TLOC represents a WAN edge device’s attachment to a specific transport and location.
69. How does Cisco SD-WAN ensure secure communication between WAN edge devices?
A) Using IPsec tunnels for all overlay data traffic
B) Using SSL for all control plane traffic only
C) By disabling encryption for faster traffic
D) Only encrypting management plane
Answer: A
Explanation: IPsec tunnels encrypt all overlay data traffic to secure communication.
70. Which Cisco SD-WAN component is primarily responsible for centralized policy management?
A) vBond
B) vSmart
C) vManage
D) vEdge
Answer: C
Explanation: vManage is the centralized network management system responsible for policy configuration.
71. What is the function of the vBond orchestrator?
A) Manage overlay tunnels
B) Authenticate and orchestrate initial connectivity of devices
C) Encrypt data traffic
D) Route Internet traffic
Answer: B
Explanation: vBond orchestrates device authentication and facilitates device connectivity during onboarding.
72. How does Cisco SD-WAN simplify branch network deployment?
A) Requires manual CLI configuration for every branch
B) Enables zero-touch provisioning via DHCP and DNS discovery
C) Uses MPLS exclusively for all branches
D) Requires physical presence at branch locations
Answer: B
Explanation: Zero-touch provisioning allows devices to automatically discover controllers and join the overlay without manual configuration.
73. What type of tunnel encapsulation is used in Cisco SD-WAN overlay?
A) GRE
B) VXLAN
C) IPsec encapsulation with additional headers
D) MPLS
Answer: C
Explanation: Cisco SD-WAN uses IPsec encapsulation to secure overlay tunnels.
74. Which protocol or feature helps to ensure the best path for application traffic in Cisco SD-WAN?
A) OSPF route cost
B) SLA-based routing and dynamic path selection
C) Static routing
D) MAC address learning
Answer: B
Explanation: SLA-based routing selects paths dynamically based on metrics like jitter and latency.
75. How can Cisco SD-WAN integrate with existing traditional networks?
A) It cannot integrate
B) Using route redistribution and VPN segmentation
C) Requires a full network redesign
D) Only supports Cisco proprietary routers
Answer: B
Explanation: Route redistribution and VPN segmentation allow coexistence with traditional networks.
76. What is the default port used by Cisco SD-WAN devices to communicate with controllers?
A) TCP 22
B) UDP 123
C) UDP 12346
D) TCP 443
Answer: C
Explanation: Cisco SD-WAN uses UDP port 12346 for control plane communication.
77. How does Cisco SD-WAN support multicast traffic?
A) It blocks multicast traffic
B) Through multicast replication and overlay multicast capabilities
C) Only supports unicast
D) Uses GRE tunnels exclusively
Answer: B
Explanation: Cisco SD-WAN supports multicast replication across overlay tunnels.
78. What type of license is required to use full Cisco SD-WAN features?
A) Perpetual license
B) Subscription-based license
C) Free with every router
D) No license required
Answer: B
Explanation: Cisco SD-WAN typically requires a subscription-based license for full feature access.
79. How are firewall policies applied in Cisco SD-WAN?
A) Only on vSmart controllers
B) On WAN edge devices (vEdge/ISR/ASR routers)
C) Only on vBond orchestrator
D) Firewall policies are not supported
Answer: B
Explanation: Firewall policies are enforced at the WAN edge devices.
80. What is the role of VPN 512 in Cisco SD-WAN?
A) Management VPN
B) Service chaining VPN for firewalls and security devices
C) Data VPN for user traffic
D) Control plane VPN
Answer: B
Explanation: VPN 512 is reserved for service chaining like firewall integration.
81. How does Cisco SD-WAN handle application visibility?
A) It does not provide application visibility
B) Using integrated Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) and Application Recognition
C) Only via third-party tools
D) Using SNMP traps only
Answer: B
Explanation: Cisco SD-WAN includes DPI to identify and monitor applications on the network.
82. Which Cisco SD-WAN device can act as both a control plane router and a data plane router?
A) vBond
B) vManage
C) vSmart
D) vEdge router
Answer: D
Explanation: vEdge routers function as data plane devices and also participate in control plane via OMP.
83. How is software upgrade managed in Cisco SD-WAN devices?
A) Manual upgrade on each device
B) Automated centralized upgrade via vManage
C) No upgrade capability
D) Requires factory reset
Answer: B
Explanation: vManage supports centralized, automated software upgrades for SD-WAN devices.
84. What is the significance of the “Overlay ID” in Cisco SD-WAN?
A) Identifies each overlay domain for segmentation and routing
B) IP address of the device
C) Used for QoS markings
D) Used to assign device hostname
Answer: A
Explanation: Overlay ID helps in segmenting and routing within different SD-WAN overlays.
85. How does Cisco SD-WAN handle policy conflicts?
A) Latest policy always wins
B) Uses explicit priority and sequence numbers for policies
C) Policies cannot conflict
D) Random selection
Answer: B
Explanation: Policies have priorities and sequence numbers to resolve conflicts deterministically.
86. What is the function of “Service VPNs” in Cisco SD-WAN?
A) Transport Internet traffic
B) Enable integration with service devices like firewalls and IPS
C) Replace data VPNs
D) Only used for management
Answer: B
Explanation: Service VPNs facilitate service chaining to security and other service devices.
87. Which feature allows Cisco SD-WAN to optimize bandwidth usage?
A) Traffic shaping and QoS
B) Disabling encryption
C) Static routing only
D) Load balancing without SLA metrics
Answer: A
Explanation: Traffic shaping and QoS help prioritize and optimize bandwidth use.
88. Which component manages certificates for device authentication in Cisco SD-WAN?
A) vBond
B) Certificate Authority (CA)
C) vManage
D) vSmart
Answer: B
Explanation: A CA issues and manages certificates used for device authentication.
89. How are user VPNs (VPN 1-511) used in Cisco SD-WAN?
A) To carry management traffic
B) To carry user data traffic between sites
C) To perform routing between controllers
D) Not used in Cisco SD-WAN
Answer: B
Explanation: User VPNs handle data traffic between WAN edge routers.
90. What role does the SD-WAN “Policy Model” play?
A) Simplifies configuration by separating control, data, and application policies
B) Encrypts data traffic
C) Routes packets in LAN only
D) Handles physical cabling
Answer: A
Explanation: The policy model allows granular, modular policy control over the network behavior.
