200-901 Infrastructure and Automation Practice Question
This 200-901 practice question tests your understanding of infrastructure and automation. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 network automation engineer uses Ansible to manage a group of Cisco IOS XE devices. The playbook fails with 'unreachable' for some devices. Which TWO actions should the engineer take to troubleshoot the connectivity?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use the 'ios_command' module to test connectivity.
Option C is correct because the 'ios_command' module can be used to verify basic connectivity by sending a simple command (e.g., 'show version') to the device. If the module returns a response, it confirms that Ansible can reach the device and that the credentials are valid, isolating the issue to the specific task or playbook logic rather than connectivity.
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.
✗
Increase the timeout value in the playbook.
Why it's wrong here
May mask underlying issue but not direct troubleshooting.
✗
Ignore the unreachable devices and proceed.
Why it's wrong here
Should troubleshoot rather than ignore.
✓
Use the 'ios_command' module to test connectivity.
Why this is correct
Helps verify device accessibility.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Verify the device IP address and credentials in the inventory.
Why this is correct
Common cause of unreachable.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the misconception that SNMP is required for Ansible management, but the trap here is that candidates confuse SNMP-based monitoring with SSH-based automation, leading them to select Option D instead of focusing on the actual connectivity layer.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Ansible's 'unreachable' status means the control node failed to establish an SSH connection (TCP port 22) or NETCONF (port 830) to the device. The 'ios_command' module leverages the same connection plugin (e.g., ansible.netcommon.network_cli) as the failing playbook, so a successful test with it confirms the underlying transport is functional. In real-world scenarios, intermittent unreachability can stem from ACLs blocking SSH or from device CPU overload causing connection drops, which a timeout increase alone won't fix.
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.
Infrastructure and Automation — This question tests Infrastructure and Automation — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use the 'ios_command' module to test connectivity. — Option C is correct because the 'ios_command' module can be used to verify basic connectivity by sending a simple command (e.g., 'show version') to the device. If the module returns a response, it confirms that Ansible can reach the device and that the credentials are valid, isolating the issue to the specific task or playbook logic rather than connectivity.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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