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.
An engineer is troubleshooting a NETCONF session that fails to establish with a Cisco IOS XE device. The SSH connection succeeds, but NETCONF capabilities are not exchanged. What is the most likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The device's NETCONF server is not enabled.
Option D is correct because NETCONF uses a client-server model where the server (the Cisco IOS XE device) must have the NETCONF server explicitly enabled. If the SSH transport succeeds but capabilities are not exchanged, it indicates the NETCONF subsystem is not active on the device. The `netconf-yang` feature must be enabled via `netconf-yang` in global configuration mode to start the NETCONF server and allow capability exchange.
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 device requires authentication via SSH keys but password was used.
Why it's wrong here
That would cause authentication failure, not capabilities exchange issue.
✗
The firewall is blocking port 830.
Why it's wrong here
SSH connection succeeded, so port 830 is reachable.
✗
The device is running an older IOS version that does not support NETCONF.
Why it's wrong here
If SSH works, IOS XE generally supports NETCONF if enabled.
✓
The device's NETCONF server is not enabled.
Why this is correct
If netconf-yang feature is not enabled, SSH connects but no NETCONF capabilities.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
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 SSH transport success and NETCONF protocol success, trapping candidates who assume a successful SSH connection implies NETCONF is fully operational.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NETCONF operates over SSH using a dedicated subsystem (e.g., `subsystem netconf`). When the SSH connection is established, the client sends a `hello` message containing its capabilities; the server responds with its own `hello` only if the NETCONF subsystem is active. If the server is not enabled, the SSH session remains open but no NETCONF messages are exchanged, leading to a timeout or failure. In real-world scenarios, this often happens after a device reload if the `netconf-yang` configuration is not saved or if the feature is not enabled in the boot config.
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: The device's NETCONF server is not enabled. — Option D is correct because NETCONF uses a client-server model where the server (the Cisco IOS XE device) must have the NETCONF server explicitly enabled. If the SSH transport succeeds but capabilities are not exchanged, it indicates the NETCONF subsystem is not active on the device. The `netconf-yang` feature must be enabled via `netconf-yang` in global configuration mode to start the NETCONF server and allow capability exchange.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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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