350-601 Automation Practice Test 3 — 15 Questions

Question 1

An organization is deploying Ansible for network automation across multiple Nexus 9000 leaf switches. They need to ensure that configuration tasks are idempotent and only apply changes when necessary. Which best practice should be followed when using the cisco.nxos.nxos_config module?

Accepted Answer

Use the 'replace' option with a provided configuration file to enforce desired state.. Option D is correct because setting the 'replace' option in nxos_config module ensures the switch configuration matches the intended state, making the operation idempotent. Options A and B are generally not recommended for idempotency, and C is not a standard practice.

Answer

Write idempotent playbooks by checking 'show running-config' before each task.

Answer

Set 'always_run' parameter to 'yes' to force execution.

Answer

Use the 'backup' option to always restore previous configuration.

Question 2

What is the primary purpose of NX-API on Cisco Nexus switches in a data center automation context?

Accepted Answer

To provide a RESTful API that allows programmatic access to CLI commands and structured data output.. NX-API provides a RESTful API interface on Cisco Nexus switches, enabling programmatic access to CLI commands and returning structured data in formats like JSON or XML. This is essential for data center automation because it allows external tools (e.g., Ansible, Python scripts) to configure and retrieve state from the switch without requiring interactive CLI sessions, directly supporting infrastructure-as-code workflows.

Answer

To replace SNMP for monitoring and alerting.

Answer

To enable direct configuration from a web browser without CLI.

Answer

To create a web-based GUI for manual switch configuration.

Question 3

A Python script using the pyATS framework to parse 'show interface' output on a Nexus 9000 switch fails with a parsing error, even though the CLI command runs successfully. What is the most likely missing component?

Accepted Answer

The Genie parser for the specific NX-OS version is not installed or imported.. The pyATS framework relies on Genie parsers to convert raw CLI output into structured data. If the Genie parser for the specific NX-OS version is missing or not imported, the script cannot parse the 'show interface' output, resulting in a parsing error even though the CLI command itself runs successfully. This is the most likely missing component because pyATS/Genie parsers are version-specific and must be installed for the exact platform and OS version.

Answer

The script does not include the correct authentication method.

Answer

The script uses the wrong device type (e.g., iosxe instead of nxos).

Answer

The switch is not configured with NETCONF.

Question 4

A network team is planning to automate configuration management of a brownfield Nexus 9000 fabric using YANG data models and NETCONF. Which consideration is critical when implementing this solution?

Accepted Answer

The operational state must be modeled against the device-specific YANG model to avoid configuration drift.. In a brownfield Nexus 9000 fabric, the operational state (e.g., interface status, routing table) must be modeled against the device-specific YANG model to detect and correct configuration drift. NETCONF uses YANG models to define both configuration and operational data, but only the device-specific native model accurately reflects the actual running state. Without this alignment, automated remediation may push incorrect configurations, leading to network instability.

Answer

NETCONF replaces CLI entirely; no fallback necessary.

Answer

Using NETCONF for configuration ensures zero touch provisioning.

Answer

All NX-OS versions support the same YANG models; no compatibility check needed.

Question 5

Which tool provides a programmatic HTTP-based interface to execute CLI commands on Cisco Nexus switches and returns structured JSON data?

Accepted Answer

NX-API. NX-API (Option D) is the correct answer because it provides a programmatic HTTP/HTTPS-based interface that allows you to send CLI commands to Cisco Nexus switches and receive structured JSON (or XML) responses. This enables automation and integration without requiring an SSH session, directly fulfilling the question's requirement for an HTTP-based interface with structured JSON output.

Answer

Ansible

Answer

pyATS

Answer

Netmiko

Question 6

When using Cisco NSO (Network Services Orchestrator) to automate service creation across a data center network, what is a key consideration regarding device compatibility?

Accepted Answer

Each device must have a corresponding NED that matches its OS version.. B is correct because Cisco NSO uses Network Element Drivers (NEDs) to translate service models into device-specific CLI, SNMP, or NETCONF commands. Each NED is tied to a specific device OS version (e.g., IOS-XE 16.12, NX-OS 9.3), so mismatched NEDs cause configuration failures or incomplete deployments. Without a compatible NED, NSO cannot communicate with or configure the device.

Answer

NSO requires NETCONF for all devices.

Answer

Device YANG models must be hand-coded by the team.

Answer

NSO only supports Cisco devices.

Question 7

An Ansible playbook using the cisco.nxos.nxos_config module fails with the error: 'Unsupported parameters for (cisco.nxos.nxos_config) module: connection type setting'. What is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The playbook includes an invalid parameter 'connection: network_cli' inside the task block.. The error 'Unsupported parameters for (cisco.nxos.nxos_config) module: connection type setting' occurs because the `connection: network_cli` parameter is being passed inside the task block of the playbook. The `cisco.nxos.nxos_config` module does not accept a `connection` parameter at the task level; connection settings must be defined at the play or inventory level. This is a common syntax error when using Ansible network modules.

Answer

The SSH key authentication is misconfigured.

Answer

The module is not installed correctly.

Answer

The playbook is targeting a device running an unsupported NX-OS version.

Question 8

What is a key advantage of using structured data (e.g., JSON or XML) from Cisco NX-API responses compared to traditional CLI scraping (e.g., using regular expressions)?

Accepted Answer

It provides machine-readable output that is less prone to parsing errors due to display changes.. Option B is correct because structured data is predictable and parsable, reducing errors compared to relying on raw text output.

Answer

It automatically commits changes to running-config.

Answer

It requires no software libraries to parse.

Answer

It eliminates the need for any authentication.

Question 9

Which TWO are benefits of using the Cisco NX-API for network automation compared to traditional SSH-based scripting?

Accepted Answer

Enables batching multiple CLI commands in a single HTTP request. Option A is correct because the Cisco NX-API allows batching multiple CLI commands into a single HTTP request, which reduces the number of round trips and improves automation efficiency. This is a key advantage over traditional SSH-based scripting, where each command typically requires a separate connection or session.

Answer

Supports direct configuration of IPSec and SSL VPNs

Answer

Eliminates the need for any authentication

Answer

Allows for real-time streaming of syslog messages

Question 10

Which THREE components are required to successfully use NETCONF for configuration automation on a Nexus 9000 switch?

Accepted Answer

SSH connectivity must be established to the switch. B is correct because NETCONF operates over SSH as its transport protocol (RFC 6242), so SSH connectivity to the switch is mandatory for establishing the NETCONF session. Without SSH, the NETCONF client cannot connect to the NETCONF server running on the Nexus 9000.

Answer

The NX-API must be enabled as a fallback

Answer

The switch must be running the NX-OS Essentials license

Question 11

Which TWO statements are true regarding the differences between REST API (NX-API) and NETCONF for automating Nexus switches?

Accepted Answer

NX-API uses HTTP/HTTPS as the transport protocol. NX-API (REST API) uses HTTP or HTTPS as its transport protocol, allowing RESTful operations (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) over standard web ports. This is in contrast to NETCONF, which uses SSH as its transport (RFC 6241). Therefore, option B is correct.

Answer

NETCONF can only be used for configuration, not for operational state

Answer

NETCONF primarily uses JSON for data encoding

Answer

Both use SSH as their default transport

Question 12

Refer to the exhibit. An engineer is trying to automate configuration using NX-API on a Nexus 9000 switch. They have enabled 'feature nxapi' but when they attempt to send a POST request to the NX-API endpoint, they receive '400 Bad Request' with 'Invalid message format'. What is the most likely missing configuration?

Accepted Answer

The NX-API HTTP/HTTPS server is not configured with a port (e.g., 'nxapi http port 80').. The '400 Bad Request' with 'Invalid message format' error indicates the NX-API server is not listening on the expected port. Even with 'feature nxapi' enabled, the HTTP or HTTPS server must be explicitly configured with a port (e.g., 'nxapi http port 80') to accept REST API requests. Without this, the switch does not expose the NX-API endpoint, causing the client to receive a malformed response.

Answer

The switch does not have the 'nxapi' feature enabled.

Answer

The engineer is using the wrong URL path; should be /ins instead of /api.

Answer

The authentication method is set to 'none' but should be 'basic'.

Question 13

Refer to the exhibit. A Python script is processing the response from NX-API. It attempts to extract the interface state using `response['ins_api']['outputs']['output']['body']['ROW_interface']['state']` but receives a KeyError. What is the most likely reason?

Accepted Answer

The JSON structure has an extra level 'TABLE_interface' before 'ROW_interface'.. The NX-API response for interface commands includes a 'TABLE_interface' key that wraps the 'ROW_interface' key. The script attempts to access 'ROW_interface' directly under 'body', but the correct path is `response['ins_api']['outputs']['output']['body']['TABLE_interface']['ROW_interface']['state']`. Option B correctly identifies this missing intermediate level.

Answer

The 'output' key is a list, not a dictionary.

Answer

The 'ins_api' key is nested inside another object.

Answer

The 'body' key is missing because the command failed.

Question 14

Refer to the exhibit. What is the intended effect of this Ansible playbook task?

Accepted Answer

It ensures VLAN 10 exists with the name 'Automation_VLAN' on the target switches.. The Ansible playbook task uses the `cisco.nxos.nxos_vlans` module with the `state: merged` directive, which ensures that the specified VLAN configuration (VLAN 10 with name 'Automation_VLAN') is present on the target Nexus switches. If VLAN 10 does not exist, it will be created; if it exists with a different name, it will be updated. The `merged` operation does not delete or reboot; it only applies the configuration to align the device's state with the playbook's desired state.

Answer

It deletes VLAN 10 from all switches.

Answer

It saves the running configuration to startup.

Answer

It reboots the Nexus switches after applying the configuration.

Question 15

A network engineer wants to automate the deployment of VLANs across 50 Nexus switches in a data center. Which approach provides the most consistent and repeatable results with minimal manual effort?

Accepted Answer

Ansible playbook with nxos_vlan module. Ansible playbook with the nxos_vlan module is the correct choice because it provides idempotent, declarative automation that ensures consistent VLAN configuration across all 50 Nexus switches with minimal manual effort. Ansible handles SSH connectivity and state management natively, eliminating the need for custom scripting and reducing the risk of human error.

Answer

Python script using netmiko

Answer

Manual CLI on each switch

Answer

Bash script with SSH