350-401 Question #80: Real Exam Question with Answer & Explanation

Question

Which two statements about EIGRP load balancing are true? (Choose two.)

Options

• AEIGRP supports 6 unequal-cost paths.
• BA path can be used for load balancing only if it is a feasible successor.
• CEIGRP supports unequal-cost paths by default.
• DAny path in the EIGRP topology table can be used for unequal-cost load balancing.
• ECisco Express Forwarding is required to load-balance across interfaces.

Explanation

EIGRP Load Balancing Explained

Why A and B are correct: EIGRP supports up to 6 unequal-cost paths for load balancing (configurable via the maximum-paths command, with a default of 4 and maximum of 6 in most IOS versions). For a path to participate in unequal-cost load balancing, it must be a feasible successor - meaning it must satisfy the Feasibility Condition (its Reported Distance must be less than the current successor's Feasible Distance), ensuring loop-free path selection.

Why the distractors are wrong:

• C is false - EIGRP performs equal-cost load balancing by default; unequal-cost load balancing requires the variance command to be manually configured.
• D is false - not any path qualifies; only feasible successors (those meeting the Feasibility Condition) can be used for unequal-cost load balancing.
• E is false - Cisco Express Forwarding (CEF) is not a requirement for EIGRP load balancing, though it enhances performance.

Memory Tip: Think "FS = Fair Share" - only Feasible Successors get a fair share of traffic in unequal-cost load balancing. And remember the number 6 as EIGRP's maximum paths - it's one more than OSPF's typical default of 4.

No community discussion yet for this question.