200-901 Infrastructure and Automation Practice Question
This 200-901 practice question tests your understanding of infrastructure and automation. 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.
Which THREE practices help ensure idempotent network automation? (Select three)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Using the 'state' parameter in Ansible modules to define desired state
Option A is correct because using the 'state' parameter in Ansible modules (e.g., 'state: present' or 'state: absent') explicitly declares the desired end state of a resource. This allows the module to compare the current state against the desired state and only make changes if necessary, ensuring that running the playbook multiple times produces the same result without unintended side effects.
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.
✓
Using the 'state' parameter in Ansible modules to define desired state
Why this is correct
This ensures the module only takes action if the current state does not match the desired state.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Using a transactional approach (e.g., configure candidate and commit)
Why this is correct
Transactions allow atomic changes and easy rollback, ensuring consistency.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Running commands multiple times to ensure they are applied
Why it's wrong here
Repeating commands can cause errors on subsequent runs and is not idempotent.
✓
Checking the current state before applying changes
Why this is correct
Pre-checks prevent unnecessary changes and reduce side effects.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Always appending new configuration commands to the running config
Why it's wrong here
Appending can lead to duplicate entries and is not idempotent.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the misconception that simply running a command multiple times or appending configuration ensures idempotency, when in fact true idempotency requires state checking and declarative desired-state definitions.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Repeating commands can cause errors on subsequent runs and is not idempotent.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Idempotent network automation relies on declarative models where the automation tool (e.g., Ansible, NAPALM) retrieves the current device state via NETCONF or CLI, compares it to the desired state, and applies only the necessary deltas. For example, using 'state: merged' in Ansible's ios_config module ensures that if a VLAN already exists with the correct parameters, no change is made, whereas 'state: replaced' would remove any non-specified parameters. This contrasts with imperative scripts that blindly push commands, which can cause failures or configuration drift over multiple runs.
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: Using the 'state' parameter in Ansible modules to define desired state — Option A is correct because using the 'state' parameter in Ansible modules (e.g., 'state: present' or 'state: absent') explicitly declares the desired end state of a resource. This allows the module to compare the current state against the desired state and only make changes if necessary, ensuring that running the playbook multiple times produces the same result without unintended side effects.
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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