Cisco 300-415 Implementing SD-WAN Solutions (ENSDWI) Exam Dumps and Practice Test Questions Set 8 Q106-120
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Question 106
Which SD-WAN feature integrates application classification with business intent policies to optimize traffic routing?
A) Dynamic Path Selection
B) Application-Aware Routing
C) SLA-based Performance Monitoring
D) VPN Segmentation
Answer: B) Application-Aware Routing
Explanation:
Dynamic Path Selection evaluates WAN links in real time based on metrics such as latency, jitter, packet loss, and bandwidth. While DPS ensures that traffic follows the best-performing path, it does not classify applications or enforce business intent policies independently. Its primary function is operational, focusing on automated path selection, failover, and traffic rerouting. DPS relies on application classification and policy definitions provided by Application-Aware Routing to prioritize traffic correctly. Without AAR, DPS would route traffic solely based on link quality, potentially resulting in critical applications receiving suboptimal paths during periods of congestion or WAN degradation.
Application-Aware Routing combines deep packet inspection with business intent policies to classify traffic and optimize routing decisions. It ensures that high-priority applications, such as VoIP, video conferencing, or ERP systems, are routed over optimal paths that meet service-level objectives, while lower-priority traffic can utilize secondary links. By integrating with SLA-based Performance Monitoring, AAR can evaluate WAN link performance and dynamically steer critical applications to meet latency, jitter, and packet loss requirements. AAR also works with Dynamic Path Selection to enforce business intent policies while taking link performance into account. By optimizing traffic routing based on application importance, AAR ensures predictable performance, enhances user experience, and aligns network behavior with organizational objectives. Without AAR, the network may route traffic purely based on link availability or static configurations, risking performance degradation for business-critical applications.
SLA-based Performance Monitoring provides telemetry on WAN link quality, including latency, jitter, and packet loss. While this information supports both DPS and AAR, SLA monitoring does not classify applications or apply business intent policies. Its primary role is informational, enabling other features to make informed routing decisions. SLA monitoring helps administrators detect underperforming links and validate that service-level objectives are met, but it cannot independently optimize routing based on application requirements.
VPN Segmentation isolates traffic into separate logical networks to enforce security and operational separation. While segmentation supports independent policy enforcement for different departments or applications, it does not classify traffic or determine routing based on business intent. Its role is security and operational separation rather than application-level traffic optimization.
The correct choice is Application-Aware Routing because it integrates application classification with business intent policies to optimize traffic routing. By prioritizing critical applications, dynamically evaluating WAN performance, and leveraging policy intelligence, AAR ensures predictable performance, business alignment, and efficient utilization of WAN resources in SD-WAN deployments.
Question 107
Which SD-WAN component centrally distributes encryption keys to enable secure communication between devices?
A) vEdge Router
B) vSmart Controller
C) vBond Orchestrator
D) vManage NMS
Answer: B) vSmart Controller
Explanation:
vEdge Router is responsible for forwarding traffic, enforcing locally applied policies, and maintaining IPsec tunnels. While it performs the actual encryption and decryption of traffic, it does not generate or distribute encryption keys centrally. vEdge relies on control-plane components, specifically the vSmart controller, to receive the necessary keys for establishing secure tunnels with other devices in the SD-WAN overlay. Without vSmart distributing encryption keys, vEdge routers would be unable to establish authenticated, encrypted communication with peers, compromising data confidentiality and network integrity.
vSmart Controller is the control-plane component that centrally distributes encryption keys to branch devices, data centers, and cloud endpoints. It ensures that all devices in the overlay can establish secure IPsec tunnels using a consistent key management framework. vSmart also propagates routing information and business intent policies while coordinating with vBond for device authentication and vManage for policy deployment. By centralizing encryption key distribution, vSmart simplifies security management, supports scalable deployments, and ensures secure communication across the overlay. vSmart leverages certificates and key rotation mechanisms to maintain security and prevent unauthorized access. Without vSmart, each device would need to exchange keys manually, making large-scale deployments complex, error-prone, and insecure.
vBond Orchestrator facilitates initial device authentication, trust establishment, and controller discovery. While vBond ensures devices can securely join the overlay and connect to controllers, it does not distribute encryption keys for ongoing communication. Its function is foundational for onboarding and secure connectivity rather than operational key management. vBond enables secure trust but delegates encryption key distribution to vSmart.
vManage NMS provides centralized management, configuration deployment, and monitoring. While it allows administrators to define encryption policies and view the status of tunnels, it does not actively distribute encryption keys to devices. Its role is operational oversight, ensuring visibility and policy compliance, while vSmart handles the actual distribution of keys for secure communication.
The correct choice is vSmart Controller because it centrally distributes encryption keys to enable secure communication between devices. By providing centralized key management, distributing routing and policy information, and integrating with authentication mechanisms, vSmart ensures secure, scalable, and reliable SD-WAN operations across all branch, data center, and cloud sites.
Question 108
Which SD-WAN feature provides operational isolation by creating multiple logical networks within the overlay?
A) Dynamic Path Selection
B) Application-Aware Routing
C) SLA-based Performance Monitoring
D) VPN Segmentation
Answer: D) VPN Segmentation
Explanation:
Dynamic Path Selection continuously monitors WAN link metrics such as latency, jitter, packet loss, and bandwidth to automatically reroute traffic over the best-performing path. While DPS ensures optimal routing and high availability, it does not create separate logical networks or provide operational isolation. Its primary function is path selection and traffic optimization based on performance, relying on other features to maintain traffic separation or enforce policy boundaries. Without segmentation, DPS treats all traffic uniformly, limiting its ability to differentiate traffic from different departments or applications in terms of isolation and policy enforcement.
Application-Aware Routing classifies traffic based on application type and enforces business intent policies to prioritize critical traffic. While AAR ensures that high-priority applications are routed over optimal paths and receive required resources, it does not create separate logical networks for operational isolation. Its role is policy enforcement and application-level prioritization rather than separating traffic into independent networks. AAR relies on VPN Segmentation to provide logical separation for different types of traffic or departments.
SLA-based Performance Monitoring measures WAN link quality metrics such as latency, jitter, packet loss, and availability. While SLA monitoring provides data to support path selection and policy enforcement, it does not isolate traffic or create logical networks. Its function is informational, enabling proactive management and optimization, but it cannot provide operational separation between different types of traffic or departments.
VPN Segmentation allows administrators to create multiple virtual networks within the SD-WAN overlay, each with its own routing, security policies, and business intent rules. This feature provides operational isolation by separating traffic from different departments, applications, or tenants. For example, finance, HR, and guest traffic can exist in independent VPNs, each with specific access control and SLA policies. VPN Segmentation ensures that policies applied to one segment do not interfere with others, enhances security, supports compliance requirements, and simplifies traffic management. Combined with AAR and SLA monitoring, segmentation allows critical applications in each logical network to maintain predictable performance while enforcing operational separation. Without segmentation, all traffic shares the same network context, increasing the risk of policy conflicts, security breaches, or performance issues.
The correct choice is VPN Segmentation because it provides operational isolation by creating multiple logical networks within the overlay. By separating traffic for departments, applications, or tenants, segmentation ensures secure, predictable, and independent policy enforcement across the SD-WAN environment, supporting large-scale, multi-tenant deployments efficiently.
Question 109
Which SD-WAN component facilitates centralized configuration deployment while allowing local policy enforcement at branches?
A) vEdge Router
B) vSmart Controller
C) vBond Orchestrator
D) vManage NMS
Answer: D) vManage NMS
Explanation:
vEdge Router is the data-plane device deployed at branch, data center, or cloud locations to forward traffic, enforce locally applied policies, and maintain secure IPsec tunnels. While vEdge executes policies and configurations, it does not facilitate centralized deployment. Its role is operational execution, applying instructions received from centralized components. Without centralized configuration deployment, vEdge routers would require manual setup at each site, increasing the risk of inconsistencies and operational inefficiencies. Local enforcement is essential, but vEdge relies on other components to distribute configurations and policies.
vSmart Controller centralizes control-plane intelligence, distributing routing information, business intent policies, and encryption keys to branch devices. While it ensures consistent control-plane information and policy propagation, it does not provide a user interface for centralized configuration deployment. Its function is control-plane management rather than operational management or deployment, relying on vManage for delivering policies and configurations to multiple devices efficiently.
vBond Orchestrator facilitates initial device authentication, trust establishment, and controller discovery. While critical for onboarding devices securely, vBond does not deploy configurations or manage policies. Its role is foundational, ensuring devices can securely join the overlay and discover controllers, but it does not handle ongoing configuration distribution or enforcement.
vManage NMS provides centralized management for configuration deployment, policy definition, and network monitoring. Administrators can use vManage to deploy configurations to all branch devices, define business intent policies, and monitor network performance from a single interface. Policies and configurations are propagated to vEdge routers, which then enforce them locally. This approach ensures consistency across the overlay while maintaining real-time policy enforcement at each branch site. vManage also provides dashboards, alerts, and reporting, enabling proactive management and operational oversight. Without vManage, centralized deployment would be impossible, and network operators would face increased complexity and risk of errors when configuring large-scale SD-WAN deployments.
The correct choice is vManage NMS because it facilitates centralized configuration deployment while allowing local policy enforcement at branches. By combining centralized management with distributed enforcement, vManage ensures scalable, consistent, and efficient SD-WAN operations across all sites.
Question 110
Which SD-WAN feature prioritizes traffic based on defined policies to ensure critical applications meet performance objectives?
A) Dynamic Path Selection
B) Application-Aware Routing
C) SLA-based Performance Monitoring
D) VPN Segmentation
Answer: B) Application-Aware Routing
Explanation:
Dynamic Path Selection continuously evaluates WAN links in real time based on metrics such as latency, jitter, packet loss, and bandwidth utilization. While DPS reroutes traffic to maintain SLA compliance, it does not prioritize applications or enforce policies based on business intent. Its role is operational, focusing on selecting optimal paths for traffic based on performance. DPS relies on Application-Aware Routing to determine which applications require prioritization, as routing decisions alone cannot guarantee that critical applications meet organizational performance objectives. Without AAR, traffic would be routed purely based on path quality, potentially causing critical applications to underperform during congestion or WAN degradation.
Application-Aware Routing classifies traffic using deep packet inspection and enforces business intent policies to prioritize critical applications. It ensures that essential applications, such as VoIP, video conferencing, ERP, or cloud services, receive the necessary bandwidth, optimal paths, and performance guarantees. By integrating with Dynamic Path Selection and SLA-based Performance Monitoring, AAR dynamically routes traffic based on application requirements and real-time link conditions. This ensures predictable application performance, compliance with organizational service-level objectives, and alignment with business priorities. AAR enables granular control over traffic behavior, allowing administrators to define rules for prioritization, bandwidth allocation, and failover strategies tailored to the importance of each application. Without AAR, all traffic would compete equally for network resources, increasing the risk of performance degradation for mission-critical services.
SLA-based Performance Monitoring measures WAN link performance metrics such as latency, jitter, packet loss, and availability. While SLA monitoring provides essential data for DPS and AAR, it does not prioritize traffic or enforce business intent policies independently. Its primary role is to provide visibility and trigger alerts when service levels are not met.
VPN Segmentation isolates traffic into separate logical networks for security and operational separation. While segmentation ensures independent policy enforcement for different departments or applications, it does not prioritize traffic or determine application-specific performance guarantees. Its focus is separation and security, not performance optimization.
The correct choice is Application-Aware Routing because it prioritizes traffic based on defined policies to ensure critical applications meet performance objectives. By integrating application classification, policy enforcement, and real-time WAN performance, AAR guarantees predictable performance, aligns network behavior with business priorities, and supports efficient SD-WAN operations.
Question 111
Which SD-WAN component ensures devices can securely join the overlay by establishing initial trust and connectivity?
A) vEdge Router
B) vBond Orchestrator
C) vSmart Controller
D) vManage NMS
Answer: B) vBond Orchestrator
Explanation:
vEdge Router is responsible for forwarding traffic, enforcing locally applied policies, and maintaining IPsec tunnels at branch locations. While it participates in the onboarding process and executes control-plane instructions, it does not establish initial trust or connectivity for devices attempting to join the overlay. Its function is operational, relying on centralized components like vBond to facilitate secure device authentication and connectivity before policy enforcement can occur. Without vBond, vEdge routers could not reliably discover controllers or establish secure communications with other devices, compromising the overlay’s security and scalability.
vBond Orchestrator facilitates initial device authentication, trust establishment, and controller discovery. It ensures that devices joining the SD-WAN overlay are verified using certificates and cryptographic mechanisms before they can participate in secure communication. vBond also negotiates NAT traversal, enabling devices behind firewalls or private networks to connect to vSmart controllers and vManage NMS securely. By acting as the first point of trust, vBond establishes a foundation for secure and scalable SD-WAN deployments. Devices authenticated through vBond can then receive routing information, policies, and encryption keys from vSmart and configurations from vManage. Without vBond, devices attempting to join the overlay would have no reliable mechanism to verify identity, discover controllers, or establish secure connectivity, resulting in potential security breaches or operational failures.
vSmart Controller centralizes control-plane intelligence, distributing routing information, encryption keys, and business intent policies to branch devices. While it ensures secure communication and policy propagation after devices are onboarded, it does not perform the initial trust establishment or authentication required for overlay access. Its role is control-plane management rather than foundational security during device onboarding.
vManage NMS provides centralized management, policy deployment, and monitoring. While it defines business intent policies and visualizes network status, it does not authenticate devices or establish trust for joining the overlay. Its function is operational oversight, ensuring consistency and visibility after devices have been securely onboarded.
The correct choice is vBond Orchestrator because it ensures devices can securely join the overlay by establishing initial trust and connectivity. By authenticating devices, enabling NAT traversal, and facilitating controller discovery, vBond provides the foundation for secure, scalable, and reliable SD-WAN operations across distributed sites.
Question 112
Which SD-WAN feature dynamically selects WAN paths for traffic based on real-time link performance metrics?
A) Application-Aware Routing
B) Dynamic Path Selection
C) SLA-based Performance Monitoring
D) VPN Segmentation
Answer: B) Dynamic Path Selection
Explanation:
Application-Aware Routing classifies traffic based on application type and enforces business intent policies to prioritize critical applications. While AAR ensures high-priority traffic receives the necessary resources and optimal paths, it does not independently measure WAN link performance or dynamically select paths based on real-time metrics. AAR relies on Dynamic Path Selection to determine the best-performing links for each application. Without DPS, AAR would have policies for prioritization but no mechanism to reroute traffic automatically during periods of congestion or link degradation, which could result in SLA violations and suboptimal performance. Its primary function is policy enforcement and application classification rather than operational path selection.
Dynamic Path Selection evaluates WAN link performance continuously, monitoring metrics such as latency, jitter, packet loss, and available bandwidth. By leveraging real-time telemetry from SLA-based Performance Monitoring, DPS automatically reroutes traffic over the best-performing links to maintain predictable application performance. This ensures high availability and performance for critical applications, even during link failures or network congestion. DPS integrates with Application-Aware Routing to prioritize business-critical traffic and with vEdge routers to enforce policy locally at branch sites. It also supports failover and failback mechanisms, allowing traffic to return to preferred paths once performance improves. By automating path selection, DPS reduces operational complexity, improves WAN utilization, and ensures that service-level objectives are met without manual intervention. Without DPS, path selection would be static or manually configured, increasing the risk of application degradation during WAN failures or congestion.
SLA-based Performance Monitoring provides the telemetry necessary for DPS to make informed routing decisions. It measures latency, jitter, packet loss, and link availability for each WAN path. While it informs DPS and administrators of link quality, it does not perform automatic path selection or reroute traffic. Its primary role is measurement and reporting, ensuring that operational decisions have reliable performance data. SLA monitoring supports proactive management, but cannot ensure optimal path selection independently.
VPN Segmentation isolates traffic into multiple logical networks, providing operational and security separation. While segmentation allows administrators to enforce independent policies for different departments or applications, it does not dynamically select WAN paths based on real-time performance. Its focus is on policy isolation and security rather than path optimization.
The correct choice is Dynamic Path Selection because it dynamically selects WAN paths for traffic based on real-time link performance metrics. By integrating with SLA monitoring, application-aware routing, and branch enforcement via vEdge routers, DPS ensures predictable application performance, high availability, and efficient WAN utilization across SD-WAN deployments.
Question 113
Which SD-WAN component provides centralized orchestration for device onboarding and controller discovery?
A) vEdge Router
B) vBond Orchestrator
C) vSmart Controller
D) vManage NMS
Answer: B) vBond Orchestrator
Explanation:
vEdge Router is the data-plane device responsible for forwarding traffic, enforcing locally applied policies, and maintaining IPsec tunnels at branch, data center, or cloud locations. While it initiates communication with controllers and participates in overlay operations, it does not provide centralized orchestration for onboarding or controller discovery. vEdge relies on other components to authenticate devices, establish trust, and locate vSmart controllers or vManage NMS for configuration and policy deployment. Without vBond, vEdge routers would struggle to securely discover controllers or join the overlay, compromising operational scalability and network security.
vBond Orchestrator is the centralized component responsible for orchestrating device onboarding and facilitating controller discovery. It authenticates new devices using certificates, establishes trust, and enables secure communication with vSmart controllers and vManage NMS. vBond also negotiates NAT traversal for devices behind firewalls or private networks, ensuring seamless connectivity in complex topologies. By acting as the first point of trust, vBond allows devices to securely join the overlay, receive routing and policy information, and participate in the SD-WAN network. It ensures scalability by allowing thousands of devices to join without manual intervention, maintaining both operational efficiency and security. Without vBond, onboarding and controller discovery would be manual and error-prone, potentially exposing the network to unauthorized devices or misconfigurations. Its role is foundational, enabling secure and automated enrollment of all SD-WAN devices.
vSmart Controller centralizes the control plane, distributing routing information, encryption keys, and policies to devices after onboarding. While vSmart is critical for policy enforcement and secure communication, it assumes that devices have already been authenticated and securely connected via vBond. It does not manage the initial onboarding or controller discovery process.
vManage NMS provides centralized management, policy deployment, and monitoring. While it defines business intent policies and deploys configurations, it relies on vBond to ensure that devices are securely onboarded and discover controllers before receiving policies or configuration updates. Its function is operational management rather than foundational orchestration of new devices.
The correct choice is vBond Orchestrator because it provides centralized orchestration for device onboarding and controller discovery. By authenticating devices, establishing trust, and enabling secure connectivity with controllers, vBond ensures scalable, secure, and reliable SD-WAN deployment across distributed sites.
Question 114
Which SD-WAN feature provides continuous monitoring of WAN link metrics and generates alerts when thresholds are exceeded?
A) Dynamic Path Selection
B) SLA-based Performance Monitoring
C) Application-Aware Routing
D) VPN Segmentation
Answer: B) SLA-based Performance Monitoring
Explanation:
Dynamic Path Selection continuously evaluates WAN link quality and reroutes traffic over the best-performing links to maintain service levels. While DPS relies on real-time link metrics, it does not independently generate alerts or notify administrators when performance thresholds are exceeded. Its role is operational path selection and automated failover, relying on SLA monitoring to provide the necessary telemetry for informed decisions. Without SLA monitoring, DPS could reroute traffic blindly without understanding the extent of performance degradation or notifying operators of potential issues.
SLA-based Performance Monitoring continuously collects data on WAN link performance, including latency, jitter, packet loss, and bandwidth utilization. When links fail to meet defined thresholds, SLA monitoring generates alerts and notifications for administrators, enabling proactive management and corrective actions. It also provides historical data for trend analysis, capacity planning, and SLA verification. SLA monitoring integrates with Dynamic Path Selection to reroute traffic automatically when thresholds are violated and with Application-Aware Routing to ensure critical applications maintain predictable performance. This feature is essential for operational visibility, allowing administrators to detect recurring issues, validate SLAs, and ensure that business-critical applications meet performance objectives. Without SLA monitoring, operators would lack automated detection and notification, making the network reactive rather than proactive, and increasing the risk of SLA violations and application degradation.
Application-Aware Routing classifies traffic and enforces business intent policies to prioritize critical applications. While AAR relies on SLA monitoring for link performance data and works with DPS to ensure critical applications follow optimal paths, it does not generate alerts independently when thresholds are exceeded. Its primary function is traffic classification and policy enforcement rather than monitoring and alerting.
VPN Segmentation isolates traffic into logical networks for operational and security separation. While it enables independent policy enforcement and isolation of departments or applications, it does not monitor WAN link quality or trigger alerts. Its focus is on separation and security, not performance monitoring.
The correct choice is SLA-based Performance Monitoring because it provides continuous monitoring of WAN link metrics and generates alerts when thresholds are exceeded. By offering proactive visibility, historical analysis, and integration with traffic optimization features, SLA monitoring ensures predictable application performance, SLA compliance, and efficient SD-WAN operations.
Question 115
Which SD-WAN component distributes business intent policies to branch devices after they join the overlay?
A) vEdge Router
B) vSmart Controller
C) vBond Orchestrator
D) vManage NMS
Answer: B) vSmart Controller
Explanation:
vEdge Router is the data-plane device responsible for forwarding traffic, enforcing locally applied policies, and maintaining secure IPsec tunnels at branch, data center, or cloud locations. While vEdge executes the policies and routing instructions it receives, it does not distribute business intent policies. Its primary role is operational enforcement of configurations and policies deployed from centralized components. Without centralized distribution from vSmart, vEdge routers would have no way of ensuring consistent enforcement across the SD-WAN overlay, potentially causing policy inconsistencies and unpredictable application performance. vEdge routers depend on vSmart for the intelligence that informs routing, encryption, and prioritization.
vSmart Controller is the control-plane component responsible for distributing business intent policies to branch devices once they have joined the overlay. These policies define how traffic should be routed based on application type, user-defined priorities, and service-level objectives. vSmart ensures that all vEdge routers receive consistent and synchronized policies, allowing centralized control while enabling local enforcement at each branch. It also distributes encryption keys, routing updates, and security parameters, enabling secure and efficient communication across the overlay. By centralizing policy distribution, vSmart reduces administrative complexity, ensures operational consistency, and supports scalable deployments where hundreds or thousands of branch sites must operate under unified policy definitions. Without vSmart, policy distribution would be manual, error-prone, and unable to support large-scale SD-WAN environments effectively.
vBond Orchestrator facilitates initial device authentication, trust establishment, and controller discovery. While it ensures devices can securely join the overlay, it does not distribute business intent policies. Its function is foundational, focused on onboarding and establishing trust rather than ongoing policy management. Without vBond, devices could not securely connect to vSmart or vManage, but it does not itself define or propagate policies.
vManage NMS provides centralized management, policy creation, and monitoring. Administrators define business intent policies in vManage, but the actual distribution to branch devices occurs via vSmart controllers. vManage acts as a design and visualization platform rather than a control-plane distributor. It monitors compliance and network performance but relies on vSmart for enforcement across the overlay.
The correct choice is vSmart Controller because it distributes business intent policies to branch devices after they join the overlay. By centralizing policy distribution while enabling local enforcement at branch sites, vSmart ensures consistent application of business priorities, predictable traffic behavior, and secure, scalable SD-WAN operations.
Question 116
Which SD-WAN feature provides visibility into application performance and WAN link quality to support proactive troubleshooting?
A) Dynamic Path Selection
B) SLA-based Performance Monitoring
C) VPN Segmentation
D) Application-Aware Routing
Answer: B) SLA-based Performance Monitoring
Explanation:
Dynamic Path Selection automatically reroutes traffic based on WAN link performance metrics like latency, jitter, packet loss, and bandwidth utilization. While it relies on visibility provided by SLA-based Performance Monitoring to make informed path decisions, DPS itself does not provide dashboards, reporting, or proactive alerts. Its primary function is operational optimization of traffic paths, not visibility or monitoring. Without SLA monitoring, DPS cannot make informed decisions or provide administrators with actionable insights into WAN performance.
SLA-based Performance Monitoring continuously measures WAN link quality, including latency, jitter, packet loss, and throughput, for each connection in the overlay. It provides visibility into application performance by correlating traffic flows with link metrics and detecting when service levels are not met. SLA monitoring generates alerts when thresholds are violated, enabling proactive troubleshooting and operational intervention. Historical data collected by SLA monitoring allows trend analysis, capacity planning, and verification of service-level agreements. It integrates with Dynamic Path Selection to automatically reroute traffic when link performance deteriorates and with Application-Aware Routing to ensure critical applications maintain required service levels. SLA monitoring is essential for understanding network behavior, identifying bottlenecks, and maintaining predictable application performance across a distributed SD-WAN network. Without it, operators would rely on reactive troubleshooting, increasing downtime and risking SLA violations.
VPN Segmentation isolates traffic into multiple logical networks, allowing independent policy enforcement for different departments or applications. While it provides security and operational separation, segmentation does not provide visibility into WAN link performance or application-level metrics. Its focus is on isolation rather than monitoring or proactive troubleshooting.
Application-Aware Routing classifies traffic and enforces business intent policies to prioritize critical applications. While it ensures proper allocation of network resources and optimal path selection, it relies on SLA monitoring for real-time telemetry and does not independently provide operational visibility or performance dashboards. Its primary role is policy enforcement rather than monitoring.
The correct choice is SLA-based Performance Monitoring because it provides visibility into application performance and WAN link quality to support proactive troubleshooting. By measuring link metrics, generating alerts, and integrating with traffic optimization features, SLA monitoring ensures predictable application performance, proactive issue resolution, and efficient SD-WAN operations.
Question 117
Which SD-WAN component allows administrators to define and deploy policies for traffic routing, security, and application prioritization?
A) vEdge Router
B) vSmart Controller
C) vBond Orchestrator
D) vManage NMS
Answer: D) vManage NMS
Explanation:
vEdge Router is responsible for forwarding traffic, enforcing locally applied policies, and maintaining secure IPsec tunnels. While it enforces policies received from centralized components, it does not provide a platform for defining or deploying policies. Its role is operational, executing instructions and routing decisions locally at branch sites. Without centralized policy definition and deployment, managing hundreds or thousands of vEdge devices individually would be inefficient, error-prone, and inconsistent.
vSmart Controller centralizes the control plane, distributing routing information, encryption keys, and business intent policies to branch devices. While vSmart enforces policies in coordination with vEdge routers, it does not provide a user interface for administrators to define or create policies. Its function is primarily control-plane distribution, ensuring that policies and routing information are consistently applied across the overlay.
vBond Orchestrator facilitates initial device authentication, trust establishment, and controller discovery. While critical for secure onboarding, it does not allow administrators to define or deploy policies for traffic routing, security, or application prioritization. Its role is foundational, focused on trust and secure connectivity rather than operational policy management.
vManage NMS provides a centralized platform for defining, deploying, and monitoring policies for traffic routing, security, and application prioritization. Administrators can create business intent policies, configure routing preferences, define application priorities, and enforce security rules across the SD-WAN overlay. Policies are deployed to vEdge routers via vSmart controllers, ensuring consistent enforcement while allowing local execution at branch sites. vManage also provides dashboards, reporting, and monitoring capabilities, enabling operators to verify policy compliance, troubleshoot issues, and optimize network performance. Without vManage, administrators would lack centralized control for large-scale SD-WAN deployments, making management cumbersome and inconsistent.
The correct choice is vManage NMS because it allows administrators to define and deploy policies for traffic routing, security, and application prioritization. By combining centralized policy creation with distributed enforcement via vSmart and vEdge, vManage ensures operational consistency, predictable application performance, and scalable SD-WAN operations.
Question 118
Which SD-WAN feature ensures that traffic is automatically rerouted when a WAN link experiences high latency or packet loss?
A) VPN Segmentation
B) SLA-based Performance Monitoring
C) Dynamic Path Selection
D) Application-Aware Routing
Answer: C) Dynamic Path Selection
Explanation:
VPN Segmentation creates multiple logical networks within the SD-WAN overlay to provide operational and security isolation. While it ensures independent policy enforcement and isolates traffic for different departments or applications, it does not automatically reroute traffic in response to WAN link performance degradation. Its focus is on separation and operational control, not on dynamic traffic management. Without DPS, segmentation alone cannot maintain application performance during link failures or congestion.
SLA-based Performance Monitoring continuously measures WAN link metrics such as latency, jitter, packet loss, and bandwidth utilization. While SLA monitoring provides critical information about link quality and generates alerts when thresholds are exceeded, it does not itself reroute traffic. Its role is to provide visibility and telemetry for operational decisions, allowing administrators and other features like Dynamic Path Selection to act based on real-time performance data. SLA monitoring ensures proactive network management but cannot maintain high availability or traffic optimization independently.
Dynamic Path Selection evaluates WAN link performance in real time using metrics such as latency, jitter, packet loss, and available bandwidth. When a WAN link experiences degradation or fails to meet performance thresholds, DPS automatically reroutes traffic to alternate links that meet defined service-level objectives. This ensures predictable performance for critical applications, minimizes downtime, and optimizes utilization of available WAN resources. DPS integrates with SLA-based Performance Monitoring to obtain accurate link performance data and with Application-Aware Routing to ensure that prioritized traffic follows the most optimal path. Failover and failback mechanisms allow traffic to return to the preferred path once link performance recovers. By automating these processes, DPS reduces the need for manual intervention, mitigates operational risks, and maintains business continuity. Without DPS, traffic rerouting would require manual configuration or static failover rules, which could result in delayed response, SLA violations, and degraded application performance.
Application-Aware Routing classifies and prioritizes traffic based on business intent and application type. While it ensures that critical applications are prioritized and routed over optimal links, AAR relies on Dynamic Path Selection to determine which paths are operationally optimal in real time. AAR alone does not reroute traffic based on WAN performance; it provides the policy framework for prioritization, leaving path selection decisions to DPS.
The correct choice is Dynamic Path Selection because it ensures that traffic is automatically rerouted when a WAN link experiences high latency or packet loss. By integrating real-time telemetry, prioritization policies, and failover mechanisms, DPS maintains predictable application performance, high availability, and efficient WAN utilization in SD-WAN deployments.
Question 119
Which SD-WAN component acts as the control-plane intelligence, distributing routing information and policies to branch devices?
A) vEdge Router
B) vSmart Controller
C) vBond Orchestrator
D) vManage NMS
Answer: B) vSmart Controller
Explanation:
vEdge Router is the data-plane device responsible for forwarding traffic, enforcing locally applied policies, and maintaining secure IPsec tunnels. While it executes routing instructions and policies received from centralized components, it does not act as the control-plane intelligence. Its primary function is operational execution of traffic forwarding and policy enforcement at branch, data center, or cloud locations. Without a control-plane component like vSmart, vEdge routers would lack coordinated policy distribution and consistent routing information, leading to potential misconfigurations and inconsistent application performance.
vSmart Controller is the control-plane component responsible for distributing routing information, business intent policies, and encryption keys to branch devices. It centralizes policy intelligence and ensures consistent enforcement across the SD-WAN overlay. vSmart also interacts with vBond to verify device authentication and with vManage to receive policy definitions and configurations. By coordinating routing information and policies, vSmart enables predictable application performance, secure communication, and operational efficiency. It supports scalability by ensuring that thousands of branch devices can maintain synchronized routing and policy enforcement without manual configuration. Without vSmart, each device would require manual updates or decentralized configurations, increasing the likelihood of inconsistencies and operational errors.
vBond Orchestrator facilitates initial device authentication, trust establishment, and controller discovery. While it is critical for secure onboarding, it does not distribute routing information or business intent policies. Its role is foundational, providing trust and enabling secure communication, but it does not serve as the intelligence for control-plane operations once devices are connected.
vManage NMS provides centralized network management, configuration deployment, and monitoring. While administrators define policies and monitor network health using vManage, it relies on vSmart to distribute the control-plane intelligence and propagate routing and policy information to vEdge routers. vManage serves as a management and visualization platform rather than a control-plane component.
The correct choice is vSmart Controller because it acts as the control-plane intelligence, distributing routing information and policies to branch devices. By centralizing policy and routing distribution, coordinating with onboarding and management components, and supporting secure communication, vSmart ensures consistent, scalable, and efficient SD-WAN operations.
Question 120
Which SD-WAN feature classifies traffic and enforces business intent policies to ensure critical applications meet performance requirements?
A) Dynamic Path Selection
B) VPN Segmentation
C) Application-Aware Routing
D) SLA-based Performance Monitoring
Answer: C) Application-Aware Routing
Explanation:
Dynamic Path Selection monitors WAN links in real time and reroutes traffic based on metrics such as latency, jitter, packet loss, and bandwidth. While DPS ensures traffic follows the best-performing path, it does not classify traffic based on application type or enforce business intent policies independently. DPS relies on Application-Aware Routing to identify which traffic requires prioritization and how policies should be applied. Without AAR, DPS could route traffic optimally in terms of link performance, but critical applications might still experience degraded performance if business intent is not considered. Its primary function is operational path selection rather than policy-based traffic prioritization.
VPN Segmentation isolates traffic into separate logical networks for security and operational separation. While segmentation allows different departments or applications to have independent policies and routing, it does not classify traffic based on business intent or ensure application-specific performance requirements. Its focus is on isolation and policy separation rather than traffic prioritization or SLA enforcement.
Application-Aware Routing classifies traffic based on application type, user-defined priorities, and business intent policies. It ensures that critical applications, such as VoIP, video conferencing, or enterprise systems, are given optimal paths, sufficient bandwidth, and service-level guarantees. AAR works in coordination with Dynamic Path Selection and SLA-based Performance Monitoring to dynamically enforce these policies while adapting to real-time network conditions. By integrating classification, prioritization, and performance monitoring, AAR ensures predictable application behavior, maintains business continuity, and aligns network operations with organizational priorities. Without AAR, traffic routing decisions would be purely performance-based, ignoring the relative importance of applications and potentially causing critical services to underperform.
SLA-based Performance Monitoring measures WAN link quality, including latency, jitter, and packet loss. While SLA monitoring provides the metrics required to enforce AAR policies and support DPS, it does not itself classify traffic or enforce business intent. Its primary role is telemetry collection, alerting, and trend analysis, which informs decisions rather than making prioritization choices.
The correct choice is Application-Aware Routing because it classifies traffic and enforces business intent policies to ensure critical applications meet performance requirements. By combining application-level classification with policy enforcement and real-time monitoring, AAR guarantees predictable performance, optimizes resource usage, and aligns network behavior with business objectives.