- A
The domain has multiple IP addresses
Why wrong: That would be multiple A records.
- B
The domain uses IPv6
Why wrong: IPv6 is indicated by AAAA records.
- C
The IP address is directly provided
Why wrong: CNAME does not provide an IP; it provides an alias.
- D
The domain is an alias for another domain
The CNAME points to the canonical name.
Question 775 of 1,000
200-901 Network Fundamentals Practice Question
This 200-901 practice question tests your understanding of network fundamentals. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 sees that a DNS query for 'www.example.com' returns a CNAME record. What does this mean?
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 domain is an alias for another domain
A CNAME (Canonical Name) record maps an alias domain name to another canonical domain name. When a DNS query for 'www.example.com' returns a CNAME record, it means 'www.example.com' is an alias for another domain (e.g., 'example.com'), and the resolver must perform a second query to obtain the actual A or AAAA record. This is defined in RFC 1035 and is used to simplify domain management.
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 domain has multiple IP addresses
Why it's wrong here
That would be multiple A records.
- ✗
The domain uses IPv6
Why it's wrong here
IPv6 is indicated by AAAA records.
- ✗
The IP address is directly provided
Why it's wrong here
CNAME does not provide an IP; it provides an alias.
- ✓
The domain is an alias for another domain
Why this is correct
The CNAME points to the canonical name.
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 a CNAME record directly provides an IP address, when in fact it only provides an alias that requires further resolution.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, a CNAME record creates a dependency chain: the resolver must follow the alias to the canonical name and then resolve that name to an IP address. A subtle behavior is that a CNAME record cannot coexist with any other record type (like MX or NS) for the same name per RFC 1034, which prevents ambiguity. In real-world scenarios, CNAMEs are often used for CDN services (e.g., 'www.example.com' CNAME to 'example.cloudfront.net') to allow flexible traffic redirection without changing the user-facing domain.
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 junior network technician can log in to a core router but cannot reach the enable prompt or configuration mode. The AAA server is authenticating the login — but the authorisation policy only grants privilege level 1, not 15. Authentication (who you are) is working; authorisation (what you can do) is not.
Visual reference
Quick reference
Common DNS Record Types
| Record | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
| A | IPv4 address mapping | example.com → 93.184.216.34 |
| AAAA | IPv6 address mapping | example.com → 2606:2800::1 |
| CNAME | Alias to another hostname | www → example.com |
| MX | Mail server for domain | example.com → mail.example.com (priority 10) |
| TXT | Text data (SPF, DKIM, verification) | v=spf1 include:_spf.example.com ~all |
| NS | Authoritative name servers | example.com NS ns1.example.com |
| PTR | Reverse DNS (IP → hostname) | 34.216.184.93.in-addr.arpa → example.com |
| SOA | Zone authority record | Primary NS, admin email, serial, TTL defaults |
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 200-901 question test?
Network Fundamentals — This question tests Network Fundamentals — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The domain is an alias for another domain — A CNAME (Canonical Name) record maps an alias domain name to another canonical domain name. When a DNS query for 'www.example.com' returns a CNAME record, it means 'www.example.com' is an alias for another domain (e.g., 'example.com'), and the resolver must perform a second query to obtain the actual A or AAAA record. This is defined in RFC 1035 and is used to simplify domain management.
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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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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.
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