350-601 Network Practice Question
An engineer needs to automate a repetitive configuration task on a Nexus switch. Which method is most suitable for programmatic access?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between monitoring protocols (SNMP) and programmatic configuration interfaces (NX-API), leading candidates to mistakenly choose SNMP v3 because it supports secure access, even though it cannot perform configuration changes.
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
✓
NX-API
NX-API provides a RESTful interface that allows programmatic access to Nexus switches using HTTP/HTTPS methods (GET, POST, DELETE) with JSON or XML payloads. This makes it the most suitable method for automating repetitive configuration tasks because it supports modern scripting languages (Python, Ansible) and enables idempotent, structured configuration changes without requiring interactive CLI sessions.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
FTP file transfer
Why it's wrong here
FTP is for file transfer, not configuration automation.
- ✓
NX-API
Why this is correct
NX-API allows JSON/XML-based API calls for configuration and monitoring.
- ✗
CLI scripting with Tcl
Why it's wrong here
Tcl is limited; NX-API is more robust for automation.
- ✗
SNMP v3
Why it's wrong here
SNMP can be used but is less flexible for configuration.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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