200-901 Understanding and Using APIs Practice Question
A developer is building a Python application that consumes the Cisco Meraki Dashboard API. The application must store the API key securely and include it on every request. Which HTTP request header should the application set to authenticate each call?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming every Cisco API uses Authorization: Bearer, when Meraki specifically requires its own X-Cisco-Meraki-API-Key header instead.
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
✓
X-Cisco-Meraki-API-Key: <API_KEY>
Cisco Meraki Dashboard API authentication uses a proprietary request header, X-Cisco-Meraki-API-Key, populated with a key created under the organization's dashboard profile. Unlike OAuth-based Cisco APIs that expect an Authorization Bearer token, Meraki requires this specific header on each call, and the application must also send appropriate Content-Type and Accept headers for JSON.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Authorization: Bearer <API_KEY>
Why it's wrong here
The Bearer scheme is used for OAuth 2.0 access tokens, not for Meraki Dashboard API keys. A Meraki API key is a long-lived static token that the dashboard expects in a custom X-Cisco-Meraki-API-Key header, so sending it as a Bearer token would cause the API to reject the request as unauthenticated.
- ✓
X-Cisco-Meraki-API-Key: <API_KEY>
Why this is correct
The Meraki Dashboard API authenticates requests with a custom header named X-Cisco-Meraki-API-Key whose value is the API key generated in the dashboard. Setting this header on every call is the documented method, and it works alongside the required Content-Type and Accept headers for JSON payloads.
- ✗
Authorization: Basic <base64(API_KEY:)>
Why it's wrong here
HTTP Basic authentication encodes a username and password pair, not a single API key. Meraki does not accept Basic credentials for dashboard API access, so even a correctly base64-encoded API key in this header would fail authentication and the application would receive 401 Unauthorized responses on every request.
- ✗
X-Auth-Token: <API_KEY>
Why it's wrong here
X-Auth-Token is the header used by OpenStack APIs, not by the Cisco Meraki Dashboard API. Although it is a plausible-looking custom header, Meraki ignores it, so the request would be treated as unauthenticated and rejected, wasting a round trip and producing confusing 401 errors in the logs.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Cisco exam blueprint
This 200-901 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 200-901 exam.