- A
Event-driven architecture
Event-driven architecture enables asynchronous communication via events, suitable for decoupled notification.
- B
Model-View-Controller (MVC)
Why wrong: MVC is a design pattern for user interfaces, not for inter-service communication.
- C
RESTful API
Why wrong: REST is a synchronous request-response pattern; not ideal for asynchronous notifications.
- D
Monolithic architecture
Why wrong: Monolithic architecture combines all functionality into one unit, not consistent with microservices.
Question 693 of 1,000
200-901 Software Development and Design Practice Question
This 200-901 practice question tests your understanding of software development and design. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
A developer is designing a microservices-based network management system. One requirement is that when a new device is discovered, multiple other services must be notified asynchronously to perform tasks like inventory update, monitoring setup, and log collection. Which architectural pattern best fits this requirement?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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
✓
Event-driven architecture
The event-driven architecture is correct because it enables asynchronous, decoupled communication between services. When a new device is discovered, an event (e.g., a message on a message broker like Kafka or RabbitMQ) is published, and multiple subscriber services (inventory, monitoring, logging) react independently without blocking the discovery service. This pattern directly supports the requirement for loose coupling and asynchronous notification.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Event-driven architecture
Why this is correct
Event-driven architecture enables asynchronous communication via events, suitable for decoupled notification.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Model-View-Controller (MVC)
Why it's wrong here
MVC is a design pattern for user interfaces, not for inter-service communication.
- ✗
RESTful API
Why it's wrong here
REST is a synchronous request-response pattern; not ideal for asynchronous notifications.
- ✗
Monolithic architecture
Why it's wrong here
Monolithic architecture combines all functionality into one unit, not consistent with microservices.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between synchronous (REST) and asynchronous (event-driven) communication patterns, and the trap here is assuming that RESTful APIs can be used for asynchronous notifications when they are inherently synchronous unless combined with additional mechanisms like webhooks or polling.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In an event-driven architecture, the discovery service publishes a 'device.discovered' event to a message broker (e.g., Apache Kafka topic or RabbitMQ exchange). Subscriber services consume the event using their own consumer groups, allowing each to process at its own pace and even replay events if needed. This pattern also supports eventual consistency and can leverage event sourcing for audit trails, which is critical in network management systems where device state changes must be reliably tracked.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the 200-901 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 200-901 question test?
Software Development and Design — This question tests Software Development and Design — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Event-driven architecture — The event-driven architecture is correct because it enables asynchronous, decoupled communication between services. When a new device is discovered, an event (e.g., a message on a message broker like Kafka or RabbitMQ) is published, and multiple subscriber services (inventory, monitoring, logging) react independently without blocking the discovery service. This pattern directly supports the requirement for loose coupling and asynchronous notification.
What should I do if I get this 200-901 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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.
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