CCNP Network Assurance Practice Question
Which TWO statements about Cisco DNA Center's Assurance capabilities are correct?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers assume DNA Center is purely cloud-based or only supports wired networks, but Cisco deliberately tests the hybrid deployment model and the unified wired/wireless assurance scope.
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
✓
It uses streaming telemetry to collect data for real-time analytics.
Option A is correct because Cisco DNA Center Assurance relies on streaming telemetry (model-driven telemetry pushed from devices) rather than legacy SNMP polling, enabling near real-time analytics and faster issue detection. Option E is correct because Assurance applies machine learning and baseline analytics to historical data, allowing it to proactively identify trends and predict potential problems before they impact users. Option B is incorrect because Assurance covers both wired and wireless networks, including wireless client onboarding and RF health monitoring. Option C is incorrect because DNA Center is typically deployed as an on-premises appliance (with cloud-managed options like DNA Center in the cloud, but not exclusively cloud-based). Option D is incorrect because Assurance provides far more than health scores, including path trace, client 360 views, and network topology analysis.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
It uses streaming telemetry to collect data for real-time analytics.
Why this is correct
Streaming telemetry pushes continuous, model-driven data from network devices to Cisco DNA Center, enabling near real-time analytics rather than polling-based SNMP collection. This satisfies the stem's Assurance requirement for live health monitoring, rapid fault detection and granular visibility into device and client performance across the fabric.
- ✗
It supports only wired networks and not wireless.
Why it's wrong here
Assurance monitors wired and wireless clients, switches, and access points through telemetry from both domains, so restricting it to wired networks misstates its scope. It is tempting because Assurance's health scoring and path trace are often demonstrated on wired fabric deployments, where the feature set is most visible.
- ✗
It is a fully cloud-based solution with no on-premises components.
Why it's wrong here
DNA Center is delivered as an on-premises appliance cluster, with cloud connectivity only for optional services such as software updates and telemetry, so it is not fully cloud-based. The cloud-managed model is tempting because Cisco offers cloud-delivered management elsewhere, but Assurance runs locally.
- ✗
It only displays network device health scores and does not provide path tracing.
Why it's wrong here
Assurance provides path trace alongside device health scores, client health, and application experience, so claiming it only displays device health omits a core capability. Path trace is tempting to associate with separate troubleshooting tools, yet DNA Center's Assurance itself performs hop-by-hop path analysis.
- ✓
It can proactively detect potential issues based on historical trends.
Why this is correct
Assurance applies machine learning to telemetry retained from network devices, comparing current behaviour against established baselines to flag deviations before they become outages. This satisfies the stem's proactive requirement, since detection relies on historical trend analysis rather than reactive threshold alerts raised only after a fault has already occurred.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.