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200-901 Practice Question: A network administrator wants to use Ansible to…
A network administrator wants to use Ansible to automate the configuration of a Cisco IOS-XE device. Which module is designed for this purpose?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the candidate's ability to match the correct module to the specific device OS, so the trap here is that candidates may choose the generic ansible.netcommon.network_config module, thinking it works universally, without realizing that dedicated OS-specific modules provide better reliability and feature support.
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
✓
cisco.ios.ios_config
The cisco.ios.ios_config module is specifically designed for managing Cisco IOS and IOS-XE device configurations via Ansible. It supports idempotent configuration updates using CLI commands, allowing the administrator to push, merge, or replace configuration snippets on the target device. This module is part of the Cisco IOS collection and directly interacts with the device's CLI to apply configuration changes.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
cisco.ios.ios_config
Why this is correct
The cisco.ios.ios_config module pushes configuration lines to IOS-XE devices over SSH or NETCONF, handling idempotent line and section changes natively. It satisfies the stem's requirement for a purpose-built Ansible module targeting Cisco IOS-XE, unlike generic modules such as ios_command, which only retrieve output without applying configuration.
- ✗
cisco.nxos.nxos_config
Why it's wrong here
cisco.nxos.nxos_config manages Cisco NX-OS switches such as Nexus platforms, not IOS-XE devices. It is tempting because it is a Cisco network configuration module, and it would be correct when pushing configuration to a Nexus switch running NX-OS in a data-centre fabric.
- ✗
ansible.netcommon.network_config
Why it's wrong here
ansible.netcommon.network_config is a platform-agnostic wrapper requiring explicit connection and parser settings, so it does not natively target IOS-XE. It is tempting because it configures many network platforms, and it would be correct for a multi-vendor environment where no vendor-specific collection is available.
- ✗
cisco.asa.asa_config
Why it's wrong here
cisco.asa.asa_config targets Cisco ASA firewall appliances, so it cannot manage IOS-XE devices. It is tempting because it is a Cisco configuration module with a similar name pattern, and it would be the correct choice when automating access-control and interface configuration on an ASA security appliance.
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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.