350-401 Automation Practice Question
A network engineer is implementing a CI/CD pipeline for network configuration changes. The pipeline uses Git for version control and Jenkins for orchestration. The engineer wants to ensure that configuration changes are validated before deployment to production devices. Which approach best integrates validation into the pipeline?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is thinking that post-deployment monitoring or manual review is sufficient, when CI/CD emphasizes automated pre-deployment validation to catch issues early.
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
✓
Run a syntax check using a YANG model validator against the proposed configuration before merging.
Integrating YANG model validation into the CI pipeline allows automated checks against device data models, ensuring configurations are syntactically and semantically correct before deployment. This proactive approach reduces errors and aligns with CI/CD best practices for network automation.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Run a syntax check using a YANG model validator against the proposed configuration before merging.
Why this is correct
Using a YANG model validator ensures the configuration adheres to the device's data model, catching syntax and semantic errors early. This validation can be automated in the CI pipeline, preventing invalid configurations from being deployed. It aligns with infrastructure-as-code best practices.
- ✗
Use SNMP traps to detect configuration errors after deployment.
Why it's wrong here
SNMP traps are reactive and occur after deployment. They can alert on issues but do not prevent invalid configurations from being pushed. The pipeline should include proactive validation steps, such as model checking or testing in a lab, before production deployment.
- ✗
Manually review the configuration changes in a change advisory board meeting.
Why it's wrong here
Manual review is time-consuming and not automated, which contradicts the CI/CD principle of continuous integration. While human oversight can be valuable, it does not provide the automated, repeatable validation needed in a pipeline. Automated tools should be used for consistency.
- ✗
Apply the configuration directly to production devices and monitor for errors.
Why it's wrong here
Applying directly to production bypasses validation and risks outages. The goal is to validate before deployment, not after. This approach is reactive and unsafe for a CI/CD pipeline, as it can cause network disruptions. Validation should occur in a pre-production environment.
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Key term
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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
This 350-401 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 350-401 exam.