This 350-401 practice question tests your understanding of automation. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A company uses Chef to automate network device configuration. The network devices are Cisco IOS XE running in a brownfield environment. Which Chef component is used to manage the state of the devices?
Ohai
Why wrong: Ohai collects system attributes.
Chef client
The client runs on each managed device to enforce desired state.
Chef workstation
Why wrong: The workstation is for development.
Chef server
Why wrong: The server stores data, but does not run on managed nodes.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Chef client
In a Chef-managed brownfield environment with Cisco IOS XE devices, the Chef client is the agent that runs on each device (or on a proxy like a guest shell) and applies the desired state defined in cookbooks. It is responsible for converging the device's configuration to match the policy, making it the correct component for state management.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Ohai
Why it's wrong here
Ohai collects system attributes.
Chef client
Why this is correct
The client runs on each managed device to enforce desired state.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Chef workstation
Why it's wrong here
The workstation is for development.
Chef server
Why it's wrong here
The server stores data, but does not run on managed nodes.
Common exam traps
Cisco often tests the distinction between the Chef client (the agent that enforces state) and the Chef server (the repository), leading candidates to mistakenly select the server as the component that manages device state.
Detailed technical explanation
The Chef client uses a pull-based model, periodically checking in with the Chef server to fetch the latest run list and cookbooks, then converging the node's state. For Cisco IOS XE devices, the Chef client often runs inside a guest shell (Linux container) and uses the 'cisco_ios' cookbook with resources like 'cisco_interface' or 'cisco_vlan' to apply configurations via NETCONF/YANG or CLI. This allows idempotent state management even in brownfield environments where devices already have existing configurations.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the 350-401 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Automation — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
Automation practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
All 350-401 questions
2,015 questions across all exam domains
ENCOR 350-401 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
350-401 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Practise 350-401 questions linked to Architecture.
Practise 350-401 questions linked to Enterprise Network Design.
Practise 350-401 questions linked to SD-Access Architecture.
Practise 350-401 questions linked to SD-WAN Architecture.
Practise 350-401 questions linked to QoS Architecture.
Practise 350-401 questions linked to Virtualization.
Practise 350-401 questions linked to Network Function Virtualization.
Practise 350-401 questions linked to Virtual Machines and Hypervisors.
Practise 350-401 questions linked to VRF and Path Isolation.
Practise 350-401 questions linked to Infrastructure.
Practise 350-401 questions linked to OSPF.
Practise 350-401 questions linked to BGP.
Practice this exam
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Automation — This question tests Automation — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Chef client — In a Chef-managed brownfield environment with Cisco IOS XE devices, the Chef client is the agent that runs on each device (or on a proxy like a guest shell) and applies the desired state defined in cookbooks. It is responsible for converging the device's configuration to match the policy, making it the correct component for state management.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This 350-401 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 350-401 exam.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.