350-501 Automation and Assurance Practice Question
This 350-501 practice question tests your understanding of automation and assurance. 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.
Refer to the exhibit. An engineer configured a telemetry subscription to push interface state data to a collector. The subscription shows 'State: Invalid'. What is the most likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
The encoding 'encode-kvgpb' is not supported; must use 'encode-json'.
Why wrong: encode-kvgpb is a valid encoding for GPB (Google Protocol Buffers) in IOS XR telemetry.
B
The collector at 192.168.1.1:57500 is not reachable or the service is down.
The last error directly states 'Connection refused', meaning the receiver is not accepting connections. The engineer should check the collector's status.
C
The xpath filter is malformed; it should be /interfaces/interface/state.
Why wrong: The xpath '/interfaces-interface-state' is not a standard path but may be accepted depending on the model; however the error is about connection, not filter.
D
The periodic update interval of 500 ms is too fast causing subscription failure.
Why wrong: The subscription state 'Invalid' is not due to update interval; a fast interval might cause high CPU but not invalid state.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The collector at 192.168.1.1:57500 is not reachable or the service is down.
The 'State: Invalid' with error 'Connection refused' indicates that the receiver (collector) is not accepting the connection. The most likely fix is to ensure the collector is up and listening on the specified port. Option C correctly identifies this. Option A is wrong because the xpath syntax is correct for the model. Option B is wrong because encoding kvgpb is valid. Option D is wrong because the periodic update policy is correctly configured.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
The encoding 'encode-kvgpb' is not supported; must use 'encode-json'.
Why it's wrong here
encode-kvgpb is a valid encoding for GPB (Google Protocol Buffers) in IOS XR telemetry.
✓
The collector at 192.168.1.1:57500 is not reachable or the service is down.
Why this is correct
The last error directly states 'Connection refused', meaning the receiver is not accepting connections. The engineer should check the collector's status.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✗
The xpath filter is malformed; it should be /interfaces/interface/state.
Why it's wrong here
The xpath '/interfaces-interface-state' is not a standard path but may be accepted depending on the model; however the error is about connection, not filter.
✗
The periodic update interval of 500 ms is too fast causing subscription failure.
Why it's wrong here
The subscription state 'Invalid' is not due to update interval; a fast interval might cause high CPU but not invalid state.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
→Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
→Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
→Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related 350-501 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Automation and Assurance — This question tests Automation and Assurance — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The collector at 192.168.1.1:57500 is not reachable or the service is down. — The 'State: Invalid' with error 'Connection refused' indicates that the receiver (collector) is not accepting the connection. The most likely fix is to ensure the collector is up and listening on the specified port. Option C correctly identifies this. Option A is wrong because the xpath syntax is correct for the model. Option B is wrong because encoding kvgpb is valid. Option D is wrong because the periodic update policy is correctly configured.
What should I do if I get this 350-501 question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related 350-501 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
This 350-501 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 350-501 exam.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.