20+ practice questions focused on Automation — one of the most tested topics on the Cisco DCCOR / CCNP Data Center Core 350-601 exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation so you learn why the right answer is correct.
Start Automation PracticeA network engineer wants to automate the deployment of a new VLAN across all Cisco Nexus switches in a data center using Python scripts. Which tool is most appropriate for this task?
Explanation: Cisco NX-API provides a RESTful API interface on Nexus switches, allowing direct HTTP/HTTPS calls to configure VLANs programmatically. Using Python's requests library, you can send structured JSON payloads to the API endpoint, making it the most direct and efficient method for script-driven automation without requiring intermediate tools or protocols.
A data center team is troubleshooting an automation script that uses REST API to configure a Cisco Nexus 9000 switch. The script fails with a '401 Unauthorized' error. What is the most likely cause?
Explanation: A 401 Unauthorized error in REST API communication indicates that the request lacks valid authentication credentials. For Cisco Nexus 9000 switches, REST API access typically requires a token-based authentication (e.g., using HTTP Basic Auth to obtain a session token or cookie). If the token is invalid or expired, the API server rejects the request with a 401 status code, as the script cannot prove its identity.
An engineer is designing an automation solution for a large data center with multiple Cisco UCS Manager domains. Which approach best ensures idempotent configuration operations?
Explanation: Option B is correct because Ansible's declarative modules for Cisco UCS Manager (e.g., `ucs_*` modules) are designed to be idempotent: they compare the current state of the configuration against the desired state defined in the playbook and only apply changes when necessary. This ensures that running the same playbook multiple times yields the same result without unintended side effects, which is critical for large-scale automation across multiple UCS domains.
A DevOps team uses Ansible to automate the configuration of Cisco Nexus switches. After running a playbook, some switches have the correct configuration but others do not. The playbook uses the 'nxos_config' module. Which action should be taken to ensure consistent configuration?
Explanation: The 'nxos_config' module's 'backup' option saves the running configuration to a file before applying changes. This ensures that if a switch fails to apply the configuration correctly, the original configuration is preserved for rollback, enabling consistent recovery across all switches. Without this, some switches may have partial or incorrect configurations that cannot be easily reverted.
A network engineer is implementing automated configuration management using Cisco NSO (Network Services Orchestrator). The team wants to ensure that any configuration changes made directly on the devices (out-of-band) are detected and reconciled. Which NSO feature should be used?
Explanation: Fast-map synchronization is the correct NSO feature because it is specifically designed to detect and reconcile configuration changes made directly on managed devices (out-of-band changes). It compares the device's running configuration against NSO's CDB and generates the necessary NETCONF or CLI operations to bring the device back into sync with NSO's desired state, ensuring consistency without manual intervention.
+15 more Automation questions available
Practice all Automation questions1. Baseline your knowledge
Start with 10 questions to gauge your current understanding of Automation. This tells you whether you need a concept refresher or just practice.
2. Review every explanation
For each question — right or wrong — read the full explanation. Understanding why an answer is correct is more valuable than knowing the answer itself.
3. Focus on exam traps
Automation questions on the 350-601 frequently use trap wording. Look for subtle differences in answers that test your precision, not just general knowledge.
4. Reach 80% consistently
Do repeated sessions until you score 80%+ three times in a row. Then move to mixed-mode practice to test cross-topic recall under realistic conditions.
The exact number varies per candidate. Automation is tested as part of the Cisco DCCOR / CCNP Data Center Core 350-601 blueprint. Practicing with targeted Automation questions ensures you can handle any format or difficulty that appears.
Yes. Courseiva provides free 350-601 practice questions across all exam topics and domains. The platform includes topic-based practice, mock exams, missed-question review, bookmarked questions, and readiness tracking — no account required.
Difficulty is subjective, but Automation is a high-priority exam concept tested in multiple ways — direct recall, scenario analysis, and command-output interpretation. Consistent practice is the best way to build confidence.
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