350-601 Automation Practice Question
A data center team is implementing configuration automation for a fleet of Nexus 9000 switches. They need a solution that supports idempotent configuration, works well with version control, and does not require an agent on the switches. Which two tools should they consider?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between agent-based (Puppet, Chef) and agentless (Ansible, NSO) automation tools, and the trap here is that candidates may overlook the 'no agent' requirement and select Puppet or Chef because they are familiar configuration management tools, or they may dismiss NSO because it is less commonly used in smaller environments.
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
✓
Ansible
C is correct because Ansible is an agentless automation tool that uses SSH to push declarative configurations to Nexus 9000 switches. It supports idempotent playbooks, meaning the same playbook can be run multiple times without changing the state if the desired configuration is already in place, and its YAML-based playbooks integrate seamlessly with version control systems like Git.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Puppet
Why it's wrong here
Puppet requires an agent on the switches, violating the agentless requirement.
- ✗
Chef
Why it's wrong here
Chef also requires an agent, violating the agentless requirement.
- ✓
Ansible
Why this is correct
Ansible is agentless, uses SSH/NX-API, and its playbooks are idempotent and version-controllable.
- ✗
Python with Paramiko
Why it's wrong here
While agentless, Python scripts are not inherently idempotent and require custom logic.
- ✓
Cisco NSO
Why this is correct
Cisco NSO is agentless, uses NETCONF/YANG, and provides idempotent configurations with version control via CDB.
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