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.
Which THREE are valid methods for automating network device configuration using Cisco IOS XE? (Choose three.)
NETCONF/YANG
NETCONF is a standard protocol for configuration.
SNMP Set requests
Why wrong: SNMP is mainly for monitoring, not configuration automation.
Telnet with Expect scripts
Why wrong: Telnet is insecure and not recommended.
CLI via SSH with Python (e.g., Netmiko)
CLI automation via SSH is common.
RESTCONF
RESTCONF provides a RESTful API for configuration.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
NETCONF/YANG
NETCONF/YANG is a valid method for automating network device configuration on Cisco IOS XE. NETCONF (RFC 6241) uses an XML-based RPC protocol to establish a secure SSH session (port 830) for configuration operations, while YANG (RFC 7950) provides a structured data model to define the configuration and state data. This combination allows for programmatic, transactional, and standardized configuration management, making it a core automation technology supported by Cisco.
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.
NETCONF/YANG
Why this is correct
NETCONF is a standard protocol for configuration.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
SNMP Set requests
Why it's wrong here
SNMP is mainly for monitoring, not configuration automation.
Telnet with Expect scripts
Why it's wrong here
Telnet is insecure and not recommended.
CLI via SSH with Python (e.g., Netmiko)
Why this is correct
CLI automation via SSH is common.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
RESTCONF
Why this is correct
RESTCONF provides a RESTful API for configuration.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Cisco often tests the distinction between monitoring protocols (SNMP) and configuration automation protocols (NETCONF/RESTCONF), and the trap here is that candidates mistakenly think SNMP Set requests are a valid configuration automation method, overlooking that SNMP is designed for read-heavy monitoring and lacks the transactional, model-driven capabilities of YANG-based protocols.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, NETCONF uses a candidate configuration datastore and commit operations to ensure atomic changes, while RESTCONF (RFC 8040) provides a RESTful API over HTTP/HTTPS using JSON or XML encoding, making it easier for web developers to integrate. In real-world scenarios, enterprises often use NETCONF/YANG for complex, multi-vendor environments where structured data models are critical, while RESTCONF is preferred for lightweight integration with cloud-native tools. A subtle behavior is that NETCONF supports multiple datastores (candidate, running, startup), whereas RESTCONF typically operates directly on the running configuration unless explicitly configured otherwise.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
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FAQ
Automation — This question tests Automation — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: NETCONF/YANG — NETCONF/YANG is a valid method for automating network device configuration on Cisco IOS XE. NETCONF (RFC 6241) uses an XML-based RPC protocol to establish a secure SSH session (port 830) for configuration operations, while YANG (RFC 7950) provides a structured data model to define the configuration and state data. This combination allows for programmatic, transactional, and standardized configuration management, making it a core automation technology supported by Cisco.
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.
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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.
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