Integration testing is the correct choice because running automated tests against a simulated network environment validates how multiple network components—such as routers, switches, and firewalls—interact as a whole, which is the core purpose of integration testing. Unlike unit tests that check individual pieces or end-to-end tests that verify full system behavior, this CI/CD pipeline integration testing stage focuses on detecting interface and communication failures between integrated units before deployment. On the Cisco DevNet Associate 200-901 exam, this concept often appears in questions about pipeline stages and testing strategies, where a common trap is confusing integration testing with system or end-to-end testing. Remember that a simulated network environment is specifically designed to test component interactions, not the final production behavior. A helpful memory tip: think of integration testing as “the handshake test”—it ensures that all the network pieces can talk to each other correctly before they go live.
200-901 Software Development and Design Practice Question
This 200-901 practice question tests your understanding of software development and design. 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.
A company uses a CI/CD pipeline to deploy network configurations. The pipeline includes a stage that runs automated tests against a simulated network environment. Which testing strategy does this represent?
Why wrong: Regression testing ensures that new changes do not adversely affect existing functionality, but the scenario is about testing in a simulated environment before deployment.
B
Unit testing
Why wrong: Unit testing tests individual functions or modules, not integrated configurations in a simulated environment.
C
Integration testing
Integration testing validates the interaction between components in a simulated or staging environment.
D
Smoke testing
Why wrong: Smoke testing is a preliminary test to check basic functionality, not a full test against a simulated environment.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Integration testing
Option C is correct because running automated tests against a simulated network environment validates how multiple network components (e.g., routers, switches, firewalls) interact as a whole. This is integration testing, which focuses on detecting interface and communication failures between integrated units, not on individual components or end-to-end system behavior. In a CI/CD pipeline for network configurations, this stage ensures that the combined changes work together before deployment to production.
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.
✗
Regression testing
Why it's wrong here
Regression testing ensures that new changes do not adversely affect existing functionality, but the scenario is about testing in a simulated environment before deployment.
✗
Unit testing
Why it's wrong here
Unit testing tests individual functions or modules, not integrated configurations in a simulated environment.
✓
Integration testing
Why this is correct
Integration testing validates the interaction between components in a simulated or staging environment.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Smoke testing
Why it's wrong here
Smoke testing is a preliminary test to check basic functionality, not a full test against a simulated environment.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between integration testing and unit testing by describing a scenario that involves multiple components interacting, leading candidates to mistakenly choose unit testing because they focus on the word 'automated tests' rather than the environment (simulated network) that implies multi-device interaction.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
Regression testing ensures that new changes do not adversely affect existing functionality, but the scenario is about testing in a simulated environment before deployment.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Integration testing in a network CI/CD pipeline often uses tools like Cisco Modeling Labs (CML) or GNS3 to spin up virtual topologies that mirror production. The tests might verify BGP peering establishment, OSPF neighbor adjacency, or VLAN trunking between switches, ensuring that configuration snippets from different modules (e.g., routing, switching, security) don't conflict. A subtle behavior is that integration tests can catch 'silent failures' like MTU mismatches or ACL ordering issues that unit tests would miss because they only appear when multiple devices exchange traffic.
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.
Software Development and Design — This question tests Software Development and Design — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Integration testing — Option C is correct because running automated tests against a simulated network environment validates how multiple network components (e.g., routers, switches, firewalls) interact as a whole. This is integration testing, which focuses on detecting interface and communication failures between integrated units, not on individual components or end-to-end system behavior. In a CI/CD pipeline for network configurations, this stage ensures that the combined changes work together before deployment to production.
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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