200-901 Infrastructure and Automation Practice Question
During an automation script run, a network device returns HTTP 429. What does this indicate?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests HTTP 429 to distinguish it from HTTP 503 (Service Unavailable), which is a server overload but not specifically a client rate limit, and candidates may confuse the two due to both involving temporary unavailability.
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
✓
Rate limiting
HTTP 429 (Too Many Requests) indicates the client has sent too many requests in a given amount of time, triggering rate limiting on the server. In network automation, devices like routers or switches enforce rate limits to prevent resource exhaustion, often based on RFC 6585. This is common when automation scripts exceed API call thresholds, requiring retry logic with exponential backoff.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Internal server error
Why it's wrong here
HTTP 429 signals too many requests, meaning the client exceeded a rate limit and should back off and retry. Internal server error is 500, returned when the server itself faults. It is tempting because both indicate the request failed server-side, but 500 concerns server malfunction, not client throttling.
- ✓
Rate limiting
Why this is correct
HTTP 429 is the standard 'Too Many Requests' status code, returned when a client exceeds the server's permitted request rate within a given window. It directly signals rate limiting, satisfying the stem's scenario of an automation script being throttled by the network device.
- ✗
Authentication failure
Why it's wrong here
HTTP 429 signals too many requests, meaning rate limiting, not credential rejection. Authentication failure is 401, and 403 covers insufficient permission. It is tempting because both produce failed requests during automation, yet 401 concerns missing or invalid credentials rather than request volume.
- ✗
Resource not found
Why it's wrong here
HTTP 429 signals too many requests, meaning the client exceeded a rate limit. Resource not found is 404, returned when the target URI does not exist. It is tempting because both surface as failed automation calls, but 404 concerns an unresolvable path, not throttling.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
One of 975 original 200-901 practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.