🤖 Network Automation & Programmability - CCNA Practice Questions

CCNA Automation Question Bank (14 Questions)

Browse all 14 practice questions covering Network Automation & Programmability for the CCNA certification exam. Each question includes the full answer and a detailed explanation to help you understand the concepts.

1. Question 1Automation and Programmability

   Which configuration management tool uses a pull-based model?

   AAnsible

   BPuppet✓

   CBoth use push-based

   DNeither uses pull-based
   Show Answer & Explanation

   Correct Answer: B

   Explanation:

   Puppet uses a pull-based model where agents periodically check the Puppet master for configuration changes. Ansible uses a push-based model.

2. Question 2Automation and Programmability

   What is the first step when using Cisco DNA Center APIs?

   ASend a GET request to discover devices

   BAuthenticate and obtain a token✓

   CCreate a network profile

   DConfigure SNMP community strings
   Show Answer & Explanation

   Correct Answer: B

   Explanation:

   DNA Center uses token-based authentication. You first POST credentials to /dna/system/api/v1/auth/token and use the returned token in the X-Auth-Token header.

3. Question 3Automation and Programmability

   Which HTTP method is used to create a new resource in a RESTful API?

   AGET

   BPUT

   CPOST✓

   DPATCH
   Show Answer & Explanation

   Correct Answer: C

   Explanation:

   POST creates a new resource. GET retrieves, PUT replaces entirely, PATCH updates partially, and DELETE removes a resource.

4. Question 4Automation and Programmability

   Which HTTP status code indicates a resource was successfully created?

   A200 OK

   B201 Created✓

   C204 No Content

   D301 Moved Permanently
   Show Answer & Explanation

   Correct Answer: B

   Explanation:

   HTTP 201 Created indicates a new resource was successfully created. 200 OK is a general success, 204 is success with no response body.

5. Question 5Automation and Programmability

   Which HTTP method is used to create a new resource via a REST API?

   AGET

   BPOST — sends data to the server to create a new resource✓

   CDELETE

   DPATCH
   Show Answer & Explanation

   Correct Answer: B

   Explanation:

   REST API HTTP methods: GET (read/retrieve), POST (create new resource), PUT (update/replace entire resource), PATCH (partial update), DELETE (remove resource). POST typically returns 201 Created with the new resource's URI in the Location header.

6. Question 6Automation and Programmability

   How does YAML differ from JSON as a data serialization format?

   AYAML and JSON are identical

   BYAML uses indentation (no brackets/commas), supports comments, and is more human-readable; JSON uses braces/brackets and is more machine-parseable✓

   CJSON supports comments but YAML does not

   DYAML is a binary format
   Show Answer & Explanation

   Correct Answer: B

   Explanation:

   YAML: whitespace/indentation-based, supports comments (#), more readable for configs. JSON: braces {} and brackets [], no comments, universal API format. Both represent the same data structures (maps, lists, scalars). Ansible uses YAML; REST APIs typically use JSON.

7. Question 7Automation and Programmability

   Which Cisco API interface allows network engineers to interact with Cisco IOS XE devices using RESTCONF?

   ANETCONF over SSH using XML encoding

   BRESTCONF over HTTPS using JSON or XML encoding✓

   CSNMP using MIBs

   DCLI scripting using Expect
   Show Answer & Explanation

   Correct Answer: B

   Explanation:

   RESTCONF is a REST-based protocol that provides a programmatic interface to network devices using HTTP/HTTPS with JSON or XML encoding. It uses YANG data models and standard HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE). NETCONF uses SSH with XML encoding. Both RESTCONF and NETCONF use YANG models for data structure.

8. Question 8Automation and Programmability

   What are Puppet and Chef in the context of network automation?

   ANetwork monitoring tools

   BConfiguration management tools that use agents on managed devices to enforce desired state — Puppet uses manifests, Chef uses recipes/cookbooks✓

   CPacket analyzers

   DLoad balancers
   Show Answer & Explanation

   Correct Answer: B

   Explanation:

   Puppet: declarative, uses manifests (Ruby DSL), agent-based, pull model (agent checks master periodically). Chef: imperative/procedural, uses recipes/cookbooks (Ruby), agent-based, pull model. Both enforce desired state configuration across infrastructure.

9. Question 9Automation and Programmability

   What is Ansible primarily used for in network automation?

   ANetwork monitoring only

   BAgentless configuration management and automation — pushing configuration changes to network devices via SSH or APIs✓

   CPacket capture

   DCable management
   Show Answer & Explanation

   Correct Answer: B

   Explanation:

   Ansible is an agentless automation tool: uses SSH (or APIs) to push configurations to network devices. Key concepts: playbooks (YAML tasks), inventory (device list), modules (ios_config, nxos_config), and roles (reusable task collections). No agent installation required on devices.

10. Question 10Automation and Programmability

    What type of API does Cisco DNA Center primarily use?

    ASOAP

    BNETCONF

    CREST✓

    DgRPC
    Show Answer & Explanation

    Correct Answer: C

    Explanation:

    Cisco DNA Center uses REST APIs for automation and integration. It provides northbound REST APIs that accept and return JSON.

11. Question 11Automation and Programmability

    Which HTTP header is commonly used to send an API authentication token?

    AContent-Type

    BAuthorization✓

    CAccept

    DUser-Agent
    Show Answer & Explanation

    Correct Answer: B

    Explanation:

    The Authorization header carries authentication credentials: 'Bearer <token>' for OAuth/JWT tokens, 'Basic <base64>' for basic auth.

12. Question 12Automation and Programmability

    What is the purpose of an API key or token in REST API authentication?

    ATo encrypt the API response

    BTo identify and authenticate the client making the API request, and to authorize access to specific resources✓

    CTo compress API data

    DTo cache API responses
    Show Answer & Explanation

    Correct Answer: B

    Explanation:

    API keys/tokens authenticate clients: the server verifies the key before processing requests. Token types: API keys (simple, in header/query), OAuth 2.0 Bearer tokens (scoped access, expirable), JWT (self-contained claims). Tokens should be kept secret and transmitted over HTTPS.

13. Question 13Automation and Programmability

    Which data serialization format is most commonly used by REST APIs and uses key-value pairs with curly braces?

    AXML

    BYAML

    CJSON✓

    DCSV
    Show Answer & Explanation

    Correct Answer: C

    Explanation:

    JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is the most widely used data format for REST APIs. It uses key-value pairs enclosed in curly braces {} for objects and square brackets [] for arrays. XML uses angle-bracket tags. YAML uses indentation-based formatting. CSV is for tabular data.

14. Question 14Automation and Programmability

    A network engineer uses a REST API call with the HTTP GET method. What is the expected behavior?

    ACreate a new resource on the server

    BRetrieve/read data from the server without modifying it✓

    CUpdate an existing resource on the server

    DDelete a resource from the server
    Show Answer & Explanation

    Correct Answer: B

    Explanation:

    HTTP GET retrieves data from the server without modifying it (read-only, idempotent). POST creates a new resource. PUT/PATCH update existing resources. DELETE removes a resource. These are the standard CRUD operations mapped to HTTP methods used in REST APIs.