This 200-901 practice question tests your understanding of cisco platforms and development. 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.
A developer needs to authenticate to the Cisco SD-WAN vManage API. Which two steps are required to obtain a session token?
POST j_username and j_password to the /j_security_check endpoint.
First step for JSESSIONID.
GET the /dataservice/client/token endpoint.
Second step to get X-XSRF-TOKEN.
Provide an API key in the HTTP header.
Why wrong: Not used in vManage.
POST credentials to the /authenticate endpoint.
Why wrong: No such endpoint.
Use OAuth2 client credentials grant.
Why wrong: Not natively supported.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
POST j_username and j_password to the /j_security_check endpoint.
Option A is correct because the Cisco SD-WAN vManage API uses a form-based authentication mechanism where credentials (j_username and j_password) are submitted via a POST request to the /j_security_check endpoint. This endpoint validates the credentials and, upon success, returns a JSESSIONID cookie that serves as the session token for subsequent API calls. Option B is correct because after obtaining the JSESSIONID, a GET request to /dataservice/client/token is required to retrieve an XSRF token, which must be included in the header of all subsequent requests to prevent cross-site request forgery attacks.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
POST j_username and j_password to the /j_security_check endpoint.
Why this is correct
First step for JSESSIONID.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
GET the /dataservice/client/token endpoint.
Why this is correct
Second step to get X-XSRF-TOKEN.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Provide an API key in the HTTP header.
Why it's wrong here
Not used in vManage.
POST credentials to the /authenticate endpoint.
Why it's wrong here
No such endpoint.
Use OAuth2 client credentials grant.
Why it's wrong here
Not natively supported.
Common exam traps
Cisco often tests the distinction between the initial credential submission endpoint (/j_security_check) and the token retrieval endpoint (/dataservice/client/token), leading candidates to mistakenly think a single POST to /authenticate is sufficient or that OAuth2 is used.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, the vManage API relies on Java Servlet security, where the /j_security_check endpoint is part of the container-managed authentication. The JSESSIONID cookie is a standard Java session identifier, and the XSRF token is a server-generated, per-session value that must be passed in the 'X-XSRF-TOKEN' header for state-changing requests. In a real-world scenario, failing to include the XSRF token after obtaining the JSESSIONID will result in a 403 Forbidden error, even with a valid session.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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FAQ
Cisco Platforms and Development — This question tests Cisco Platforms and Development — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: POST j_username and j_password to the /j_security_check endpoint. — Option A is correct because the Cisco SD-WAN vManage API uses a form-based authentication mechanism where credentials (j_username and j_password) are submitted via a POST request to the /j_security_check endpoint. This endpoint validates the credentials and, upon success, returns a JSESSIONID cookie that serves as the session token for subsequent API calls. Option B is correct because after obtaining the JSESSIONID, a GET request to /dataservice/client/token is required to retrieve an XSRF token, which must be included in the header of all subsequent requests to prevent cross-site request forgery attacks.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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