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200-901 Practice Question: A developer wants to automate the provisioning of…
A developer wants to automate the provisioning of a UCS server using Cisco Intersight. Which authentication method is recommended for programmatic access?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between interactive (session-based) and non-interactive (API key) authentication, leading candidates to mistakenly choose session tokens or basic auth because they are familiar from other Cisco platforms like UCS Manager or APIC.
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
✓
API Key with HMAC signing
Cisco Intersight recommends API key authentication with HMAC signing for programmatic access because it provides a secure, non-interactive method for automation scripts and tools. The API key consists of a key ID and a secret, and each request must include an HMAC signature generated from the request details, ensuring integrity and authenticity without exposing static credentials over the network.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Basic authentication with username and password
Why it's wrong here
Basic authentication is not supported for API access.
- ✓
API Key with HMAC signing
Why this is correct
Intersight recommends API keys with HMAC signing for automated access.
- ✗
Session token from Intersight UI
Why it's wrong here
Session tokens are temporary and not suitable for automation.
- ✗
OAuth2 with client credentials
Why it's wrong here
OAuth2 is used for third-party integrations, not native Intersight APIs.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.