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CCNA AI and Network Operations Practice Question
Drag and drop the following steps into the correct order for an agentic AI system to remediate a network performance issue using Cisco IOS-XE CLI commands.
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap is that candidates may confuse the order of diagnosis and action, or think monitoring should be enabled first. Remember: diagnose first, then act, then monitor, then verify.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Enter global configuration mode, diagnose interface with 'show interfaces', apply QoS policy, enable SNMP monitoring, verify with 'show running-config'.
The agent first enters configuration mode, then diagnoses the interface, applies QoS, enables monitoring, and finally verifies the changes.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Enter global configuration mode, diagnose interface with 'show interfaces', apply QoS policy, enable SNMP monitoring, verify with 'show running-config'.
Why this is correct
The correct sequence first establishes the configuration context through `configure terminal`, then runs `show interfaces` to inspect interface statistics such as drops, CRC errors, or queue output, which reveals the actual cause of performance degradation. Only after this diagnosis does it make sense to apply a QoS policy (via class-map/policy-map) to shape or prioritize traffic, and then enable SNMP monitoring to collect operational data that reflects the applied policy. Finally, `show running-config` verifies that the QoS policy and SNMP settings are present and correctly attached. This follows the troubleshooting lifecycle: diagnose, implement, monitor, verify.
- ✗
Enable SNMP monitoring, enter global configuration mode, apply QoS policy, diagnose interface with 'show interfaces', verify with 'show running-config'.
Why it's wrong here
Starting with SNMP monitoring before `show interfaces` means you are generating management traffic and capturing data before you know the interface's issue or which metrics matter — you may miss the root cause entirely. Furthermore, since the QoS policy has not yet been applied, the SNMP data will only record the baseline fault state, not the effect of the fix, making before/after comparison impossible. In the correct order, monitoring is an after-action tool that measures the impact of the QoS change, and the diagnosis should always precede any configuration change. The verify step at the end cannot salvage this because the sequence itself is out of order.
- ✗
Apply QoS policy, enter global configuration mode, diagnose interface with 'show interfaces', enable SNMP monitoring, verify with 'show running-config'.
Why it's wrong here
This option is impossible on Cisco IOS: a QoS policy cannot be applied from privileged EXEC mode — you must first enter global configuration mode via `configure terminal` before issuing `class-map` or `policy-map` commands. Additionally, even if the command order were possible, applying QoS without first running `show interfaces` is a blind action; you may be prioritizing traffic on a link whose true problem is physical-layer errors, duplex mismatch, or a wiring fault, not congestion. SNMP monitoring and final verification are correctly positioned near the end, but the preamble is fatally flawed because configuration is attempted before the required mode and before any diagnosis.
- ✗
Enter global configuration mode, apply QoS policy, diagnose interface with 'show interfaces', enable SNMP monitoring, verify with 'show running-config'.
Why it's wrong here
The critical flaw here is that QoS is applied before running `show interfaces`, so the configuration is not driven by empirical evidence from interface counters and queue statistics. For example, if the interface had high input errors or late collisions, a QoS policy would not resolve those physical-layer issues, and you might unnecessarily deprioritize traffic. Correct troubleshooting requires diagnosis first to confirm that congestion exists and to identify the specific traffic classes needing QoS treatment. SNMP monitoring after QoS is logically placed, but the ordering error at the front of the sequence means you are implementing a solution before understanding the problem.
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The 200-301 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓Enter global configuration mode, diagnose interface with 'show interfaces', apply QoS policy, enable SNMP monitoring, verify with 'show running-config'.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
The correct sequence first establishes the configuration context through `configure terminal`, then runs `show interfaces` to inspect interface statistics such as drops, CRC errors, or queue output, which reveals the actual cause of performance degradation. Only after this diagnosis does it make sense to apply a QoS policy (via class-map/policy-map) to shape or prioritize traffic, and then enable SNMP monitoring to collect operational data that reflects the applied policy. Finally, `show running-config` verifies that the QoS policy and SNMP settings are present and correctly attached. This follows the troubleshooting lifecycle: diagnose, implement, monitor, verify.
✗Enable SNMP monitoring, enter global configuration mode, apply QoS policy, diagnose interface with 'show interfaces', verify with 'show running-config'.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The specific factual error is that SNMP monitoring should be enabled after QoS is applied, not before, to ensure the monitoring captures the effect of the QoS policy.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates might think monitoring should be enabled first to collect baseline data, but in remediation, the agent first diagnoses and applies changes, then enables monitoring to verify.
✗Apply QoS policy, enter global configuration mode, diagnose interface with 'show interfaces', enable SNMP monitoring, verify with 'show running-config'.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The specific factual error is that QoS policies cannot be applied without first entering configuration mode. The order violates the CLI workflow.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates might mistakenly think QoS can be applied directly from privileged EXEC mode, or they may confuse the order of diagnosis and action.
✗Enter global configuration mode, apply QoS policy, diagnose interface with 'show interfaces', enable SNMP monitoring, verify with 'show running-config'.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The specific factual error is that applying QoS before diagnosis is premature; the agent needs to identify the problem first. This order could lead to incorrect or unnecessary changes.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates might think that since the issue is known (performance), QoS can be applied immediately, but proper troubleshooting requires diagnosis first.
Analysis generated from the official 200-301blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Agentic AI in Network Operations
Key term
QoS
QoS (Quality of Service) is a network technique that manages data traffic to ensure critical applications get the bandwidth and low latency they need.
Key term
Interface
An interface is a point of connection or interaction between two systems, devices, or software components that allows them to exchange information or signals.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 200-301 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 200-301 exam.