hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
200-901 Practice Question: A network automation script uses RESTCONF to…
A network automation script uses RESTCONF to configure a router. The script receives an HTTP 409 Conflict response. What is the most likely cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between HTTP 409 Conflict (resource state conflict) and HTTP 400 Bad Request (malformed syntax), leading candidates to confuse a semantic conflict with a syntax error.
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
✓
The resource already exists
RESTCONF uses HTTP status codes to indicate the result of an operation. An HTTP 409 Conflict specifically means the request could not be completed due to a conflict with the current state of the resource. In the context of a network automation script using RESTCONF to configure a router, this most commonly occurs when the script attempts to create a resource (e.g., an interface or VLAN) that already exists, violating the resource's uniqueness constraint.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
The resource already exists
Why this is correct
A 409 Conflict typically occurs when trying to create a resource that already exists.
- ✗
The router is unreachable
Why it's wrong here
Unreachable would result in a connection timeout or no response, not a 409.
- ✗
The request body is malformed
Why it's wrong here
Malformed bodies typically return 400 Bad Request.
- ✗
Incorrect authentication
Why it's wrong here
Authentication errors result in 401 Unauthorized or 403 Forbidden, not 409.
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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.