CCNP Network Assurance Practice Question
A network engineer is deploying Cisco DNA Center Assurance to monitor a campus fabric. The engineer needs to verify that the fabric underlay and overlay health scores are being calculated correctly. Which data source does Cisco DNA Center Assurance primarily use to compute the fabric health score?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that SNMP polling or NetFlow is the primary data source for DNA Center Assurance health scores, when in fact streaming telemetry via the Network Data Platform is the foundation.
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
✓
Streaming telemetry from fabric nodes via the network data platform
Cisco DNA Center Assurance computes fabric health scores using streaming telemetry collected by the Network Data Platform. This telemetry includes underlay and overlay performance metrics, control plane status, and client health. The NDP processes this data to generate real-time health scores, enabling proactive monitoring and troubleshooting. Other data sources like SNMP, syslog, or NetFlow supplement assurance but are not the primary basis for fabric health scoring.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Syslog messages forwarded to the DNA Center syslog collector
Why it's wrong here
Syslog messages are event-driven and not continuous, so they cannot provide the comprehensive, real-time metrics required for health scoring. While DNA Center does collect syslog for assurance, it is not the primary source for fabric health scores. Health scores depend on streaming telemetry and NDP analytics, not syslog alone.
- ✗
SNMP polling of fabric edge nodes every 5 minutes
Why it's wrong here
SNMP polling provides device-level statistics but is not the primary source for fabric health scores. DNA Center Assurance relies on streaming telemetry and network data platform for granular fabric analytics. SNMP polling lacks the real-time, context-rich data needed for overlay and underlay health computation. Thus, this is not the correct data source.
- ✗
NetFlow records exported from fabric edge switches
Why it's wrong here
NetFlow provides flow-level visibility but does not directly feed the fabric health score calculation. DNA Center Assurance uses NetFlow for application experience analytics, but fabric health is based on streaming telemetry from the NDP. NetFlow lacks the granular device and fabric control plane metrics needed for health scoring.
- ✓
Streaming telemetry from fabric nodes via the network data platform
Why this is correct
Cisco DNA Center Assurance uses streaming telemetry from fabric nodes, collected by the Network Data Platform (NDP), to compute health scores. This provides near-real-time data on underlay and overlay performance, including latency, packet loss, and fabric control plane status. The NDP aggregates and analyzes this data to generate the health score.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Cisco exam blueprint
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