SAUTO Network Programmability Foundation Practice Test 3 — 15 Questions

Question 1

You are constructing an XML payload for a NETCONF <edit-config> operation. Which namespace must be included to ensure the device correctly interprets the configuration data?

Accepted Answer

urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:netconf:base:1.0. The NETCONF protocol namespace urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:netconf:base:1.0 is defined in RFC 6241 and must be used to qualify all NETCONF protocol elements, including , , and . Without this namespace, the device cannot distinguish NETCONF protocol operations from vendor-specific or YANG-modeled data, and the request will be rejected or misinterpreted. This namespace is the mandatory base for any NETCONF message.

Answer

xml:ns:netconf:edit

Answer

http://www.cisco.com/ns/yang/base

Answer

urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:yang:1

Question 2

What is the primary benefit of using a REST API over manual CLI configuration for security policy deployment?

Accepted Answer

It ensures consistent, repeatable policy enforcement across the fleet.. REST APIs enable programmatic, idempotent, and version-controlled policy deployment, so the same policy can be applied consistently across hundreds of devices without human error. This consistency and repeatability across the fleet is the primary benefit over manual CLI configuration, which is error-prone and slow at scale. Automation also supports audit trails and rollback.

Answer

It removes the need for firewalls.

Answer

It automatically encrypts all traffic.

Answer

It provides faster CLI access to the device.

Question 3

Which Python construct is best for iterating over a list of IP addresses returned by an API call?

Accepted Answer

for loop. The 'for' loop is the standard Python construct for iterating over collections like lists.

Answer

if statement

Answer

while loop

Answer

try-except block

Question 4

When using the Cisco ISE REST API, what does the 'ERAS' (External RESTful Services) framework provide?

Accepted Answer

CRUD operations on ISE resources via REST.. ERAS enables external applications to perform CRUD operations on ISE resources like endpoints and policies.

Answer

Encrypted SSH tunneling for CLI.

Answer

Automated firmware updates.

Answer

Real-time threat intelligence feeds.

Question 5

In an HTTP request, what does the '201 Created' status code signify?

Accepted Answer

The resource was created successfully.. The 201 Created status code indicates that the request succeeded and a new resource was created as a result — typically returned in response to a POST or PUT that creates a resource. The response often includes a Location header pointing to the new resource's URI.

Answer

The request was accepted for processing but is not finished.

Answer

The request was received and processed successfully.

Answer

The request resulted in a temporary redirect.

Question 6

You are troubleshooting a Python script that uses the 'requests' library. The script fails with a 'SSLError'. What is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The server certificate is self-signed or invalid.. An SSLError occurs when the client cannot verify the SSL certificate presented by the server.

Answer

The API endpoint is down.

Answer

The authentication token is invalid.

Answer

The JSON payload contains invalid characters.

Question 7

What is the purpose of the 'json.loads()' function in Python?

Accepted Answer

To parse a JSON string into a Python object.. 'json.loads()' parses a JSON-formatted string and converts it into a Python dictionary.

Answer

To read a JSON file from disk.

Answer

To convert a Python dictionary to a JSON string.

Answer

To validate the structure of a JSON document.

Question 8

When modeling network data with YANG, what is the difference between a 'state' data node and a 'config' data node?

Accepted Answer

State data is read-only and reflects current operational status.. In YANG, 'config' data nodes represent configuration that can be modified by the user, while 'state' data nodes are read-only and reflect operational status. State data is typically used for monitoring and telemetry, and it cannot be set via NETCONF.

Answer

Config data is for telemetry.

Answer

There is no difference in YANG.

Answer

Config data is read-only.

Question 9

Which mechanism in YANG allows you to group multiple data nodes that are used in various parts of the model to reduce duplication?

Accepted Answer

grouping. A grouping in YANG is a reusable container of data nodes (leaf, leaf-list, list, container, etc.) that can be instantiated multiple times across the model using the 'uses' statement. This avoids duplicating identical node definitions in different parts of the tree, which is exactly the deduplication purpose described. Groupings are defined once and referenced wherever the same structure is needed.

Answer

typedef

Answer

module

Answer

augment

Question 10

When using the Cisco IOS-XE RESTCONF API, which header is required to tell the server the format of the payload being sent?

Accepted Answer

Content-Type. In RESTCONF (and HTTP in general), the Content-Type header tells the server the media type of the request body being sent, such as application/yang-data+json or application/yang-data+xml. Without it, the server cannot correctly parse the payload, so it is the required header for declaring the format of data being transmitted to the device.

Answer

Cache-Control

Answer

Accept

Answer

Authorization

Question 11

You are using Postman to test an API that requires an API key in the header. Where should this be configured in Postman?

Accepted Answer

Headers tab. The Headers tab in Postman is where you configure custom HTTP headers, including API keys that must be sent in the request header (e.g., 'X-API-Key: abc123'). This is the correct location because API keys in headers are not part of the URL, body, or authorization framework.

Answer

Params tab

Answer

Body tab

Answer

Authorization tab

Question 12

Which Python library is the standard for performing HTTP requests in an automation script?

Accepted Answer

requests. The 'requests' library is the de facto standard for making HTTP requests in Python automation scripts because it provides a simple, human-friendly API that handles sessions, headers, authentication, JSON parsing, and connection pooling out of the box. It abstracts away the low-level complexity that the standard library requires.

Answer

http.client

Answer

socket

Answer

urllib

Question 13

You are writing a script that interacts with Cisco DNA Center. You need to keep the session alive after authentication. Which token is commonly used for subsequent API calls?

Accepted Answer

X-Auth-Token. Cisco DNA Center's REST API uses a token-based authentication scheme where the client first authenticates via POST to /dna/system/api/v1/auth/token with Basic Auth credentials, and the response contains a token. Subsequent API calls must include this token in the X-Auth-Token HTTP header to maintain the session. This is the standard mechanism documented by Cisco for DNA Center automation.

Answer

OAuth Refresh Token

Answer

Session ID

Answer

Basic Auth Header

Question 14

What is the significance of the 'Accept' header in a REST API request?

Accepted Answer

It specifies the expected response format.. The Accept header in a REST API request tells the server what media type the client expects in the response, such as application/json or application/xml. It is a content negotiation mechanism defined in HTTP specifications.

Answer

It defines the data format being sent.

Answer

It tells the server to accept the connection.

Answer

It performs authentication.

Question 15

When managing Cisco devices via RESTCONF, what is the benefit of using the 'PATCH' method instead of 'PUT'?

Accepted Answer

PATCH performs partial updates to a resource.. In RESTCONF (RFC 8040), PATCH is used to perform a partial modification of a resource, allowing the client to send only the fields that need to change. PUT, by contrast, replaces the entire target resource with the representation in the request body, meaning any omitted fields are reset or removed. PATCH is therefore the correct choice when you want to update a subset of configuration without disturbing other existing settings.

Answer

PUT is deprecated in RESTCONF.

Answer

PATCH is only for JSON, not XML.

Answer

PATCH is faster.