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.
Which TWO tools are commonly used for automated network compliance checking against a desired state? (Select two)
SolarWinds
Why wrong: SolarWinds is for monitoring, not automated compliance checking.
Ansible
Ansible can compare current config to a desired state and report differences.
Microsoft Visio
Why wrong: Visio is a diagramming tool, not for compliance checking.
pyATS (with Genie)
pyATS with Genie provides operational state validation and compliance.
Chef
Why wrong: Chef is mainly for server automation, not network compliance.
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
B is correct because Ansible is an automation tool that uses playbooks (YAML-based) to define a desired network state and can enforce compliance by comparing the current device configuration against the defined state using modules like `ios_config` or `nxos_config`. It is widely used for network compliance checking due to its agentless architecture and idempotent behavior.
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.
SolarWinds
Why it's wrong here
SolarWinds is for monitoring, not automated compliance checking.
Ansible
Why this is correct
Ansible can compare current config to a desired state and report differences.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Microsoft Visio
Why it's wrong here
Visio is a diagramming tool, not for compliance checking.
pyATS (with Genie)
Why this is correct
pyATS with Genie provides operational state validation and compliance.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Chef
Why it's wrong here
Chef is mainly for server automation, not network compliance.
Common exam traps
Cisco often tests the distinction between monitoring tools (like SolarWinds) and automation/compliance tools (like Ansible and pyATS), trapping candidates who confuse network monitoring with automated state enforcement.
Detailed technical explanation
pyATS (with Genie) is a Cisco-developed test automation framework that leverages Genie parsers to model device state (e.g., `show running-config`, `show ip route`) into structured data, enabling deterministic compliance checks against a desired state defined in YAML testbed files. Under the hood, pyATS uses a library of parsers that convert CLI output into Python objects, allowing for precise comparison of operational state (e.g., BGP neighbors, OSPF timers) against a baseline, which is critical for continuous compliance in CI/CD pipelines.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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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 — B is correct because Ansible is an automation tool that uses playbooks (YAML-based) to define a desired network state and can enforce compliance by comparing the current device configuration against the defined state using modules like `ios_config` or `nxos_config`. It is widely used for network compliance checking due to its agentless architecture and idempotent behavior.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 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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