EX294 Manage inventories and credentials Practice Question
This EX294 practice question tests your understanding of manage inventories and credentials. 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.
An Ansible playbook uses a vault-encrypted variable `db_password` from a vars file. The playbook fails with 'Decryption failed' error. Which of the following could be the cause?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The vault ID in the encrypted file does not match the provided vault ID.
Option C is correct because Ansible Vault supports multiple vault IDs, and the vault ID used to encrypt the variable must match the vault ID provided at runtime (via `--vault-id` or `ansible.cfg`). If the encrypted file was created with vault ID 'prod' but the playbook is run with vault ID 'dev', Ansible will fail with 'Decryption failed' because it cannot find a matching password for that ID.
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.
✗
The vault password is correct but the file is corrupted.
Why it's wrong here
Corruption would cause a different error.
✗
The vault password file path is incorrect in ansible.cfg.
Why it's wrong here
This would cause a 'no password' error, not decryption failure.
✓
The vault ID in the encrypted file does not match the provided vault ID.
Why this is correct
A vault ID mismatch causes decryption failure.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The variable is not encrypted but marked as `!vault`.
Why it's wrong here
If unencrypted, Ansible would not attempt decryption.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume 'Decryption failed' always means a wrong password, but Ansible's vault ID mismatch is a distinct and common cause that is explicitly tested in the exam.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Ansible Vault uses AES-256 encryption in CBC mode with a PBKDF2-derived key. The vault ID is stored as a plaintext header in the encrypted file (e.g., `$ANSIBLE_VAULT;1.2;AES256;dev`). When decrypting, Ansible iterates over provided vault IDs and passwords; if no matching ID is found, decryption fails. This is especially relevant in multi-environment setups where different vault IDs protect different secrets.
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Manage inventories and credentials — This question tests Manage inventories and credentials — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The vault ID in the encrypted file does not match the provided vault ID. — Option C is correct because Ansible Vault supports multiple vault IDs, and the vault ID used to encrypt the variable must match the vault ID provided at runtime (via `--vault-id` or `ansible.cfg`). If the encrypted file was created with vault ID 'prod' but the playbook is run with vault ID 'dev', Ansible will fail with 'Decryption failed' because it cannot find a matching password for that ID.
What should I do if I get this EX294 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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