Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Practice Exam

Which command allows real-time monitoring of NAT mappings?

1. show ip interface brief

2. debug ip nat

3. show interface description

4. access-list inspect

The correct answer is: debug ip nat

The command that allows for real-time monitoring of NAT mappings is indeed the one identified. Using this command provides immediate feedback on the translations that are occurring at the moment, which is critical for troubleshooting and understanding the operational state of Network Address Translation on a device. Real-time monitoring is particularly valuable because it allows network administrators to observe live translations of internal IP addresses to external IP addresses and vice versa. This can help in identifying issues, verifying configurations, or understanding traffic flow. Other commands mentioned serve different purposes. For example, while 'show ip interface brief' provides a summary of interface status on a router, it does not give information about NAT mappings. The 'show interface description' command offers descriptions of interfaces but does not relate to NAT. Lastly, 'access-list inspect' is not a valid command in the context of monitoring NAT; access-lists are used for controlling traffic flow and not specifically for observing NAT mappings in real time.