Which Cisco SD-WAN policy type dynamically selects paths based on application SLA metrics?

• A. Centralized data policy
• B. App-aware routing policy
• C. Localized control policy
• D. ACL policy

Answer: (B)

App-aware routing policy is about making path choices based on how well each link can meet an application's performance requirements. In Cisco SD-WAN, you assign SLA-driven targets to applications—things like acceptable latency, jitter, packet loss, and available bandwidth. The system continuously monitors the real-time performance of all WAN links and dynamically steers each application’s traffic to the path that best satisfies those SLA metrics. This lets you guarantee application performance even as network conditions shift, because decisions aren’t fixed to a single path but adapt to current conditions.

Other policy types aren’t focused on this dynamic, SLA-based path selection. Centralized data policy governs how traffic is treated or forwarded at the data plane more generally, without tying decisions to per-application SLA metrics. Localized control policy affects control-plane behaviors at the edge, not the ongoing SLA-driven routing decisions for application traffic. ACL policy is about permitting or denying traffic, not choosing optimal paths based on SLA metrics.