CCNA AI and Network Operations Practice Test 9 — 15 Questions

Question 1

Why is idempotency valuable in network automation?

Accepted Answer

It ensures repeated runs converge on the same desired state safely.. Idempotent operations can be applied repeatedly without causing unintended changes once the desired state is already present.

Answer

It guarantees every API call will use TCP instead of UDP.

Answer

It encrypts device credentials stored in scripts.

Answer

It forces the controller to use only one management protocol.

Question 2

A network automation script sends this HTTP request to a controller API:

POST /api/v1/devices

What does the POST method typically indicate in a RESTful API?

Accepted Answer

It creates a new resource or submits data to be processed. POST usually means the client is submitting information to create a new resource or asking the server to process the provided payload. In a controller-based networking context, that often means onboarding a device, creating an object, or starting a workflow. This question is testing method recognition rather than deep programming skill. GET is commonly used for retrieval, DELETE for removal, and PUT for full replacement or update behavior that is typically idempotent. POST is different because repeating the same POST can create multiple objects or trigger repeated actions, depending on the API design. For CCNA purposes, the plain-English takeaway is simple: POST is generally associated with create-or-submit behavior, not read-only retrieval.

Answer

It retrieves an existing resource without changing it

Answer

It deletes the targeted resource permanently

Answer

It replaces the entire existing resource in an idempotent way

Question 3

A controller API returns this data:

{
  "device": {
    "hostname": "Dist-1",
    "interfaces": [
      {"name": "Gig0/0", "status": "up"},
      {"name": "Gig0/1", "status": "down"}
    ]
  }
}

Which statement is correct?

Accepted Answer

The interfaces field is an array of objects. The interfaces field is an array of objects. The giveaway is the square brackets around the interface entries. In JSON, square brackets represent an array, and braces represent an object. Each interface entry inside that array has key-value pairs such as name and status, which makes each entry its own object. In plain language, the controller is returning a list of interface records for one device. The hostname field, by contrast, is a single value. This style of question appears in automation topics because the exam wants you to recognize common data structures used in controller APIs without requiring deep programming expertise. Understanding the difference between an object and an array is usually enough.

Answer

The response is XML because it contains nested elements

Answer

The hostname field is a list

Answer

The format shown is YAML

Question 4

Which two statements accurately describe REST-based APIs in a network automation context?

Accepted Answer

They commonly use HTTP methods such as GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE.. REST APIs are a modern way for software tools to interact with networking systems. In plain language, they let one application ask another application for information or tell it to make a change using standard web-style requests. That is why methods such as GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE show up so often in automation examples. REST APIs also commonly exchange structured data, and JSON is one of the most common formats because it is compact and easy to process programmatically.

They do not depend on Telnet, and they absolutely do not remove the need for security controls. In real deployments, authentication and authorization are often critical. REST APIs are also not limited to one device category. They can exist on routers, switches, wireless controllers, cloud platforms, and many other systems.

Answer

They require Telnet to exchange structured data.

Answer

They can be used only on physical routers and never on controllers.

Answer

They eliminate the need for authentication or authorization.

Question 5

An automation script must retrieve the current configuration state of a device from a REST API without modifying anything. Which HTTP method should it use?

Accepted Answer

GET. When a script only needs to read information, the normal REST choice is GET. In plain terms, GET asks the server, “Show me the current data,” without telling it to create, replace, or delete anything. That is why GET is the standard method for retrieving device state, configuration details, statistics, or inventory information from an API endpoint.

The other methods imply change. POST commonly creates or submits data. PUT commonly updates an existing resource. DELETE removes something. For a read-only query, GET is the clean and expected method.

Answer

DELETE

Answer

PUT

Answer

POST

Question 6

Which two statements accurately describe JSON?

Accepted Answer

JSON is a structured data format commonly used by APIs.. JSON is a lightweight structured data format commonly used in APIs and automation workflows. In plain language, it provides a readable way to represent data as key-value pairs, objects, and arrays so software can exchange information consistently. It is popular in network automation because it is compact and widely supported by tools, controllers, and web-based interfaces.

CCNA questions on JSON usually test recognition, not coding expertise. You should be able to identify that JSON is a data format, not a transport protocol, and that arrays are shown with square brackets. The correct answers in this question focus on those recognition skills rather than on advanced programming details.

Answer

JSON is the same thing as HTTPS.

Answer

JSON is required only for IPv6 networks.

Answer

JSON is a spanning-tree mode.

Question 7

An API response returns a list of interface objects in JSON. Which structure most likely represents that list?

Accepted Answer

An array containing multiple interface objects. In JSON, a list is most naturally represented as an array. In plain language, when an API needs to return several interfaces, routes, VLANs, or similar repeated items, it usually places them inside square brackets as an ordered collection. Each item inside that array might itself be an object containing keys such as name, status, or IP address.

CCNA automation questions usually test whether you recognize that square brackets signal a list. If the response contains many similar interface records, the best structure is the one that looks like a JSON array of interface objects rather than a single scalar value.

Answer

A single integer with the value 1

Answer

A native VLAN field

Answer

An STP root bridge ID

Question 8

Match each HTTP method to the most accurate action it commonly represents in REST-style APIs.

Accepted Answer

GET: Retrieve data from a resource. HTTP methods correspond to CRUD operations in REST: GET for read, POST for create, PUT for full update, PATCH for partial update, DELETE for delete, and HEAD for headers only.

Answer

GET: Create a new resource

Answer

GET: Update an existing resource

Answer

GET: Delete a resource

Question 9

Which two statements accurately describe APIs in network automation?

Accepted Answer

APIs provide a defined way for software systems to interact.. APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) define a standardized, structured method for software systems to communicate, enabling network automation tools to programmatically retrieve operational data or push configuration changes. This eliminates the need for manual CLI or SNMP interactions, allowing scalable and repeatable automation workflows. Options A and B correctly describe this. Option C is false because APIs require authentication; they do not bypass security. Option D is false because APIs are software interfaces, not Ethernet duplex settings. Option E is false because APIs work over various protocols (e.g., HTTP/HTTPS), not just Telnet.

Answer

APIs eliminate all need for authentication.

Answer

APIs are a form of Ethernet duplex setting.

Answer

APIs are only valid on devices running Telnet.

Question 10

In a controller-based design, which statement best describes a northbound API?

Accepted Answer

An application-facing API used by external software to communicate with the controller. A northbound API is the interface exposed by the controller to external applications, orchestration systems, dashboards, or automation tools. In plain language, it is the way software above the controller communicates with the controller so that it can request data, apply policy, or trigger changes. This is different from the southbound side, where the controller interacts with the underlying infrastructure devices.

This concept appears often in automation topics because it helps define where the controller sits in the larger architecture. A northbound API is not a physical cable, and it does not replace security controls. It is an application-facing software interface, which is exactly what the correct answer should capture.

Answer

A cable type used between controller clusters

Answer

The link-state protocol the controller uses to reach switches

Answer

A mechanism that removes the need for authentication

Question 11

Which two statements accurately describe controller-based networking at the CCNA level?

Accepted Answer

A controller can centralize management and policy logic.. A software-defined networking (SDN) controller centralizes management, policy logic, and network intelligence, reducing manual per-device configuration. Option B is correct because northbound APIs (e.g., REST APIs) allow external applications, orchestration tools, and automation scripts to interact with the controller for dynamic network control. Option C is wrong because controllers do not eliminate switches and routers; these devices still forward packets based on instructions from the controller. Option D is wrong because controllers are fundamental to network automation—they provide programmable interfaces and centralized logic that enable automated provisioning and policy enforcement. Option E is wrong because modern controllers use secure communication channels such as HTTPS, SSH, or TLS, not Telnet (which is insecure and rarely used in controller architectures).

Answer

Controllers eliminate all need for switches and routers.

Answer

Controllers are unrelated to automation.

Answer

Controllers require Telnet for all communication.

Question 12

Which two statements accurately describe JSON arrays?

Accepted Answer

A JSON array is an ordered list of items.. JSON arrays are ordered lists enclosed in square brackets. In plain language, they are commonly used when an API needs to return multiple similar items such as interfaces, VLANs, or routes. Each element in the array might be a simple value or a more complex object. Arrays are therefore a normal structure for lists in automation and API payloads.

The wrong answers usually confuse arrays with objects or claim properties they do not have. The two correct answers are the ones that preserve the ideas of list structure and square-bracket notation.

Answer

A JSON array is the same thing as an OSPF area.

Answer

A JSON array must always contain exactly one item.

Answer

A JSON array replaces the need for all keys in structured data.

Question 13

Match each REST or API concept to its most accurate description.

Accepted Answer

REST: Architectural style using stateless operations and standard HTTP methods. The correct matches are: REST (Architectural style using stateless operations and standard HTTP methods), API endpoint (Specific URL where an API can be accessed), HTTP method (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE to perform CRUD operations), and JSON (Lightweight data format commonly used in API requests and responses). Each description uniquely identifies the corresponding concept. REST is not a protocol or data format; it is an architectural style. An API endpoint is the URL path. HTTP methods are the verbs. JSON is the data interchange format. These are fundamental concepts in RESTful APIs.

Question 14

Why is a northbound API especially useful in a controller-based network architecture?

Accepted Answer

It allows external software to interact programmatically with the controller.. A northbound API is especially useful because it gives external applications and automation tools a defined way to communicate with the controller. In plain language, it allows software above the controller to request information, apply policies, or trigger changes without manual per-device interaction. That is one of the main reasons controller-based networking fits well with orchestration and automation. Option C is incorrect because a northbound API does not replace authentication and authorization; it is an interface that uses existing security mechanisms. Option D is incorrect because VLAN tagging is a data‑plane function unaffected by the northbound API; the API does not eliminate the need for VLANs. The controller is the centralized system, and the northbound API is the software-facing interface that exposes it. The correct answer is the one centered on application integration rather than on physical connectivity or device forwarding.

Answer

It is the cable standard used to connect access points.

Answer

It replaces all need for authentication and authorization.

Answer

It makes VLAN tagging unnecessary.

Question 15

Match each common automation term to its most accurate meaning.

Accepted Answer

Infrastructure as Code: Managing infrastructure through machine-readable definition files. Infrastructure as Code (IaC) refers to managing and provisioning infrastructure through machine-readable definition files, enabling automation and version control. Idempotence means that performing the same operation multiple times results in the same state, ensuring consistency. The declarative model allows the user to define the desired end state, and the system automatically determines how to achieve it. In contrast, the imperative model requires the user to specify step-by-step instructions to reach the desired state. These four terms are fundamental to understanding network automation approaches.