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.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
! From a Nexus switch:
interface Ethernet1/1
description Connected to Server
switchport mode access
switchport access vlan 10
spanning-tree portfast
no shutdown
An automation engineer runs a Python script using the Cisco NXOS NX-API to retrieve the interface configuration. The JSON response shows the 'switchport access vlan' as '10'. However, VLAN 10 does not exist in the VLAN database. What is the expected behavior of the switch regarding this interface?
Refer to the exhibit.
! From a Nexus switch:
interface Ethernet1/1
description Connected to Server
switchport mode access
switchport access vlan 10
spanning-tree portfast
no shutdown
A
The interface will work but traffic will be dropped
Why wrong: The interface will be down, not working and dropping traffic.
B
The switch will automatically create the VLAN
Why wrong: NX-OS does not automatically create VLANs.
C
The interface will be error-disabled
Why wrong: Error-disabled typically occurs due to security violations, not missing VLAN.
D
The interface will be operationally down
Without the VLAN, the interface cannot function and is placed in down state.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The interface will be operationally down
When a switchport is configured with an access VLAN that does not exist in the VLAN database, the interface remains administratively up but is placed in an operationally down state. This occurs because the switch cannot forward traffic for a non-existent VLAN, and the interface will not transition to a forwarding state until the VLAN is created. The NX-API response reflects the configured VLAN ID, but the operational status is determined by the VLAN's existence.
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.
✗
The interface will work but traffic will be dropped
Why it's wrong here
The interface will be down, not working and dropping traffic.
✗
The switch will automatically create the VLAN
Why it's wrong here
NX-OS does not automatically create VLANs.
✗
The interface will be error-disabled
Why it's wrong here
Error-disabled typically occurs due to security violations, not missing VLAN.
✓
The interface will be operationally down
Why this is correct
Without the VLAN, the interface cannot function and is placed in down state.
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 distinction between configuration and operational state, trapping candidates who assume a configured VLAN ID automatically makes the interface active even if the VLAN does not exist.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, the switch's forwarding engine checks the VLAN membership list before allowing the interface to become operational. If the VLAN is absent, the interface remains in a 'notconnect' or 'down' state as per IEEE 802.1Q and Cisco's implementation. In real-world scenarios, this prevents accidental misconfigurations from causing silent traffic loss, and the 'show interface status' command will display the interface as 'down' rather than 'up/up'.
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 help-desk technician troubleshoots why a newly connected PC cannot reach shared printers on the same floor. The cable is good, the switch port is active, but the PC is in VLAN 20 and the printers are in VLAN 10. The uplink trunk only allows VLAN 10. A trunk being up does not mean every VLAN crosses it.
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: The interface will be operationally down — When a switchport is configured with an access VLAN that does not exist in the VLAN database, the interface remains administratively up but is placed in an operationally down state. This occurs because the switch cannot forward traffic for a non-existent VLAN, and the interface will not transition to a forwarding state until the VLAN is created. The NX-API response reflects the configured VLAN ID, but the operational status is determined by the VLAN's existence.
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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