hardMultiple Select
350-401 Practice Question: Which three statements about telemetry data…
Which three statements about telemetry data collection methods are true? (Choose three.)
⚠ Common exam trap
350-401 often tests the misconception that SNMP is push-based (it is primarily pull-based) and that telemetry data is limited to XML encoding (it supports JSON and GPB as well).
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
✓
Syslog messages can be used as a form of telemetry to report events and state changes.
Option B is correct because syslog is a standard event-notification mechanism in which devices send severity-tagged messages about events and state changes to a collector, making it a valid (if unstructured) telemetry source. Option C is correct because model-driven telemetry (MDT) on platforms like IOS XE/NX-OS supports subscription types including periodic (sample-interval based) and event-driven (on-change) subscriptions, often configured via NETCONF/RESTCONF or gNMI. Option D is correct because gNMI (gRPC Network Management Interface) provides Get, Set, and Subscribe RPCs, so it both retrieves/manipulates configuration and state and carries streaming telemetry subscriptions. Option A is not correct as stated: SNMP traps are indeed agent-initiated (push), but the option's framing is misleading because SNMP polling is pull-based and traps are only one part of SNMP, so it is not a true blanket statement about SNMP being push-based telemetry. Option E is not correct because telemetry data can be encoded in multiple formats, including JSON (e.g., JSON-IETF), Protobuf/GPB, and XML, so XML is not the only encoding.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
SNMP is a push-based telemetry method where agents send traps to the NMS.
Why it's wrong here
SNMP traps are push, but SNMP polling is pull; the statement is misleading because SNMP is primarily a pull protocol for data collection.
- ✓
Syslog messages can be used as a form of telemetry to report events and state changes.
Why this is correct
Syslog sends event-driven data from devices to a collector, fitting the telemetry definition.
- ✓
Model-driven telemetry supports both periodic and event-driven subscriptions.
Why this is correct
MDT subscriptions can be configured for periodic updates or triggered by changes.
- ✓
gNMI is a protocol used to retrieve and manipulate configuration state, and it also supports telemetry subscriptions.
Why this is correct
gNMI defines RPCs for Get, Set, and Subscribe; the Subscribe RPC is used for telemetry.
- ✗
Telemetry data can only be encoded in XML format.
Why it's wrong here
Telemetry supports multiple encodings including JSON, GPB, and XML.
Go deeper
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Key term
NETCONF Protocol
NETCONF is a network management protocol that uses a structured data format to configure, retrieve, and modify network devices in a standard, programmatic way.
Key term
REST API for Network Devices
A REST API for network devices is a set of rules that allows software applications to communicate with routers, switches, and firewalls using standard web methods like GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE over HTTP or HTTPS.
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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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