350-601 Automation Practice Question
For consistent multi-data-center automation, which tool is best suited to orchestrate both NX-OS and ACI across sites?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between configuration management tools (Puppet, Chef, Ansible) and true orchestration platforms (NSO), trapping candidates who assume any automation tool can handle multi-site consistency without understanding NSO's model-driven, stateful orchestration and NED architecture.
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
✓
Cisco NSO
Cisco NSO (Network Services Orchestrator) is the correct tool because it provides multi-domain, multi-vendor orchestration with native support for both NX-OS and ACI through its Network Element Drivers (NEDs). NSO uses a model-driven approach with YANG data models and NETCONF/RESTCONF protocols to manage configuration consistency across distributed data centers, enabling service-level abstraction and closed-loop automation that other tools lack.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Cisco NSO
Why this is correct
NSO is built for service orchestration across multiple domains including NX-OS and ACI.
- ✗
Puppet
Why it's wrong here
Puppet is primarily for configuration management, not cross-domain orchestration.
- ✗
Ansible
Why it's wrong here
Ansible is good but not as comprehensive for multi-domain orchestration as NSO.
- ✗
Chef
Why it's wrong here
Chef is a configuration management tool, not an orchestrator.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 350-601 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 350-601 exam.