350-401 Automation Practice Question
A network administrator is using Cisco SD-WAN to manage a large enterprise network. They want to automate the deployment of a new branch site using a template. Which component of Cisco SD-WAN is responsible for pushing the configuration to the WAN edge devices?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates confuse the roles of the SD-WAN controllers, particularly assuming that vSmart or vBond might handle configuration pushes because they are involved in device onboarding.
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
✓
vManage
In Cisco SD-WAN, vManage is the management plane component that centralizes configuration and policy. It stores templates and orchestrates their deployment to WAN edge devices. The other components have different roles: vBond handles orchestration and NAT traversal, vSmart manages control plane policies, and vAnalytics provides reporting. Only vManage is responsible for pushing configurations.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
vSmart
Why it's wrong here
vSmart is the control plane controller that distributes routing and policy information to WAN edge devices. It does not manage device configuration templates. While it plays a critical role in overlay topology and policies, the actual configuration push for templates is performed by vManage. vSmart receives policies from vManage but does not push device configurations.
- ✓
vManage
Why this is correct
vManage is the centralized management plane in Cisco SD-WAN. It hosts the templates and orchestrates configuration pushes to WAN edge devices via the vBond and vSmart controllers. When a template is attached to a device, vManage generates the configuration and sends it to the device. This makes vManage the correct component for automating branch deployment.
- ✗
vAnalytics
Why it's wrong here
vAnalytics is a reporting and analytics platform that provides visibility into network performance. It does not participate in configuration management or template deployment. Its purpose is to collect and analyze data for monitoring and troubleshooting. It is not involved in pushing configurations to WAN edge devices.
- ✗
vBond
Why it's wrong here
vBond acts as the orchestrator for control plane and data plane authentication. It helps devices discover each other and establish secure connections, but it does not push configuration templates. Its role is limited to initial device onboarding and NAT traversal. Configuration management is handled by vManage, not vBond.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Cisco exam blueprint
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