Quick Answer
Ansible is the correct choice because it is an agentless automation platform that uses SSH to push configuration changes, such as VLAN deployment, to network devices, allowing engineers to define the desired state of VLANs in YAML playbooks and apply them consistently across multiple switches without manual intervention. This directly addresses the need for automating VLAN deployment across a fleet of switches, as Ansible’s push-based model and idempotent playbooks ensure each device reaches the correct VLAN configuration every time. On the Cisco DevNet Associate 200-901 exam, this question tests your understanding of automation tool selection for network tasks, often contrasting Ansible with agent-based tools like Puppet or Chef, or with scripting languages like Python. A common trap is choosing a tool that requires agents or is primarily for server configuration, but Ansible’s SSH-native approach makes it ideal for network gear. Memory tip: think “Ansible = Agentless SSH for Switches” to recall its VLAN deployment strength.
This 200-901 practice question tests your understanding of infrastructure and automation. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 needs to automate the deployment of a new VLAN across multiple switches. Which tool is best suited for this task?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
NetFlow
Why wrong: NetFlow is for traffic analysis, not automation.
Syslog
Why wrong: Syslog is for logging, not automation.
Ansible
Ansible is designed for configuration management and automation.
SNMP
Why wrong: SNMP is for monitoring, not configuration automation.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Ansible
Ansible is the correct tool because it is an agentless automation platform that uses SSH to push configuration changes, such as VLAN deployment, to network devices. It allows engineers to define the desired state of VLANs in YAML playbooks and apply them consistently across multiple switches without manual intervention.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
NetFlow
Why it's wrong here
NetFlow is for traffic analysis, not automation.
Syslog
Why it's wrong here
Syslog is for logging, not automation.
Ansible
Why this is correct
Ansible is designed for configuration management and automation.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
SNMP
Why it's wrong here
SNMP is for monitoring, not configuration automation.
Common exam traps
Cisco often tests the distinction between monitoring protocols (NetFlow, Syslog, SNMP) and automation tools (Ansible, Puppet, Chef), leading candidates to mistakenly choose SNMP because they recall it can write configurations, but they overlook its lack of idempotency and scalability for multi-switch VLAN deployment.
Detailed technical explanation
Ansible uses modules like 'ios_vlan' or 'junos_vlan' to interact with device APIs or CLI, ensuring idempotency—only changes that differ from the desired state are applied. In a real-world scenario, an engineer can use Ansible Tower or AWX to schedule VLAN rollouts across hundreds of switches, with built-in error handling and logging, which is far more efficient than manual CLI scripting.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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Infrastructure and Automation — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Infrastructure and Automation — This question tests Infrastructure and Automation — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Ansible — Ansible is the correct tool because it is an agentless automation platform that uses SSH to push configuration changes, such as VLAN deployment, to network devices. It allows engineers to define the desired state of VLANs in YAML playbooks and apply them consistently across multiple switches without manual intervention.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Same concept, more angles
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. An engineer is tasked with automating the backup of running configurations from 50 routers. Which approach is most scalable?
mediumWhy D: An Ansible playbook with the ios_config module's backup option is the most scalable approach because it uses a push-based automation model that can manage all 50 routers from a single control node, leveraging SSH for secure transport and idempotent configuration management without requiring any agent on the routers.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 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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