The correct answer is that Cisco DNA Center can proactively detect potential issues based on historical trends, and it uses streaming telemetry rather than traditional polling for real-time data collection. This is correct because DNA Center’s Assurance capabilities leverage model-driven telemetry—such as gRPC, NETCONF/YANG, or UDP-based push—to stream continuous, sub-second analytics from network devices, enabling faster troubleshooting and proactive anomaly detection by comparing live data against historical baselines. On the ENCOR 350-401 exam, this topic tests your understanding of how Assurance differs from legacy SNMP-based monitoring; a common trap is assuming DNA Center relies on periodic polling, when in fact it uses push-based streaming for near-instant visibility. Remember the memory tip: “Streaming beats polling” — if the answer mentions SNMP or periodic queries, it’s likely wrong for DNA Center Assurance.
350-401 Network Assurance Practice Question
This 350-401 practice question tests your understanding of network assurance. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 statements about Cisco DNA Center's Assurance capabilities are correct?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
It uses streaming telemetry to collect data for real-time analytics.
Option A is correct because Cisco DNA Center uses model-driven telemetry (e.g., gRPC, NETCONF/YANG, or UDP-based push) to stream real-time data from network devices, enabling sub-second analytics and faster troubleshooting compared to traditional polling methods like SNMP.
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.
✓
It uses streaming telemetry to collect data for real-time analytics.
Why this is correct
Correct.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
It supports only wired networks and not wireless.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect; it supports both.
✗
It is a fully cloud-based solution with no on-premises components.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect; it has on-premises components.
✗
It only displays network device health scores and does not provide path tracing.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect; it does provide path tracing.
✓
It can proactively detect potential issues based on historical trends.
Why this is correct
Correct.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume DNA Center is purely cloud-based or only supports wired networks, but Cisco deliberately tests the hybrid deployment model and the unified wired/wireless assurance scope.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Cisco DNA Center Assurance leverages a combination of streaming telemetry (e.g., YANG-pushed data via gRPC or UDP) and periodic polling to build a time-series database. The proactive detection in Option E relies on machine learning models that analyze historical trends (e.g., baseline CPU utilization or packet loss patterns) to flag anomalies before they impact users, which is a key differentiator from simple threshold-based alerting.
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 small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this 350-401 question in full detail.
Network Assurance — This question tests Network Assurance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: It uses streaming telemetry to collect data for real-time analytics. — Option A is correct because Cisco DNA Center uses model-driven telemetry (e.g., gRPC, NETCONF/YANG, or UDP-based push) to stream real-time data from network devices, enabling sub-second analytics and faster troubleshooting compared to traditional polling methods like SNMP.
What should I do if I get this 350-401 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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