Which Cisco SD-WAN policy type directly manipulates data-plane forwarding behavior based on applications and SLA metrics?

• A. Centralized control policy
• B. Data policy
• C. AAA policy
• D. Device template

Answer: (B)

Data policy directly controls how traffic is forwarded in the data plane based on application characteristics and SLA metrics. It lets you match traffic by application or performance conditions and then apply actions that steer, shape, or prioritize that traffic on the actual WAN links. For example, you can direct a specific application to use the preferred link when its SLA is met, enforce bandwidth or QoS markings, or route traffic away from a degraded path. This is distinct from centralized control policies, which influence routing decisions at the control plane level rather than the immediate forwarding of packets, AAA policies which handle authentication/authorization, and device templates which define device provisioning.