CCNA - Cisco Certified Network Associate Practice Questions: Automation and Programmability Domain

Published: June 22, 2025 | 20 min read

Test your CCNA - Cisco Certified Network Associate knowledge with 10 practice questions from the Automation and Programmability domain. Includes detailed explanations and answers.

CCNA - Cisco Certified Network Associate Practice Questions

Master the Automation and Programmability Domain

Test your knowledge in the Automation and Programmability domain with these 10 practice questions. Each question is designed to help you prepare for the CCNA - Cisco Certified Network Associate certification exam with detailed explanations to reinforce your learning.

Question 1

Which Cisco technology allows network devices to be managed and configured through a centralized controller?

A) Cisco DNA Center

B) Cisco ASA

C) Cisco Packet Tracer

D) Cisco Webex

Show Answer & Explanation

Correct Answer: A

Explanation: Cisco DNA Center is a centralized network management system that provides automation, analytics, and assurance.

Question 2

You are tasked with automating the configuration of multiple switches in your network using a Python script. Which library would you use to interact with the devices using SSH?

A) Paramiko

B) Netmiko

C) Ansible

D) Pandas

Show Answer & Explanation

Correct Answer: B

Explanation: CORRECT: Netmiko is a library specifically designed for simplifying SSH connections to network devices. Paramiko is a low-level SSH library and requires more code to handle network devices. Netmiko is correct as it is tailored for network automation. Ansible is an automation tool, not a library, and works differently. Pandas is a data manipulation library and not used for network device interaction.

Question 3

What is the primary role of a network controller in a software-defined networking (SDN) environment?

A) To provide a graphical user interface for network management

B) To centralize control and management of network devices

C) To physically connect network devices

D) To encrypt network traffic

Show Answer & Explanation

Correct Answer: B

Explanation: CORRECT: A network controller in SDN centralizes control and management of network devices, allowing for more efficient and flexible network management. While it may offer a GUI, its primary role is not to provide one. Correct, it centralizes control and management. It does not physically connect devices. It does not encrypt traffic, though it may facilitate secure communications.

Question 4

In a network automation script, you need to retrieve the running configuration of a Cisco device using RESTCONF. Which HTTP method would you use?

A) POST

B) GET

C) PUT

D) DELETE

Show Answer & Explanation

Correct Answer: B

Explanation: CORRECT: GET is the HTTP method used to retrieve data. POST is used to create resources, not retrieve them. GET is correct for retrieving data. PUT is used to update resources, not retrieve them. DELETE is used to remove resources, not retrieve them.

Question 5

In a network automation script, what is the purpose of using an 'idempotent' operation?

A) To ensure the operation can be run multiple times without changing the result.

B) To increase the speed of the script execution.

C) To encrypt the data being transferred.

D) To provide a user interface for the script.

Show Answer & Explanation

Correct Answer: A

Explanation: CORRECT: An idempotent operation can be applied multiple times without changing the result, ensuring consistent configuration. Idempotency does not inherently increase execution speed. Idempotency is not related to data encryption. Idempotency does not provide a user interface.

Question 6

You need to retrieve the current configuration from a Cisco switch using an API. Which protocol would you use to achieve this?

A) SMTP

B) SNMP

C) RESTCONF

D) FTP

Show Answer & Explanation

Correct Answer: C

Explanation: CORRECT: RESTCONF is a protocol that uses RESTful principles to access network configuration data via HTTP. SMTP is used for email transmission, not network configuration retrieval. SNMP is used for network management, but not specifically for retrieving configurations via APIs. RESTCONF is designed for retrieving and modifying configurations using RESTful APIs. FTP is used for file transfers, not API-based configuration retrieval.

Question 7

Which of the following describes the role of REST APIs in network automation?

A) They provide a graphical user interface for network configuration.

B) They allow for the manual configuration of network devices.

C) They enable programmatic access to network devices using HTTP methods.

D) They are used to monitor network traffic in real-time.

Show Answer & Explanation

Correct Answer: C

Explanation: CORRECT: REST APIs allow programmatic access to network devices using HTTP methods, facilitating automation. REST APIs do not provide a graphical user interface. REST APIs are not used for manual configuration. REST APIs are not specifically for real-time traffic monitoring.

Question 8

You are tasked with configuring a network device using a Python script. Which library would you use to automate interactions with network devices via SSH?

A) os

B) paramiko

C) sys

D) json

Show Answer & Explanation

Correct Answer: B

Explanation: CORRECT: Paramiko is a Python library used to automate interactions with network devices via SSH. 'os' is used for interacting with the operating system, not for SSH connections. 'paramiko' is correct for SSH automation. 'sys' is used for system-specific parameters and functions, not SSH. 'json' is for handling JSON data, not SSH connections.

Question 9

A network engineer needs to automate the configuration of multiple Cisco switches using REST APIs. Which data format is most commonly used for exchanging data with Cisco's REST APIs?

A) XML

B) YAML

C) JSON

D) CSV

Show Answer & Explanation

Correct Answer: C

Explanation: JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is the most common data format used for exchanging data with Cisco's REST APIs. It's lightweight, human-readable, and easily parsed by both the client and the server. XML is also used but JSON is preferred for its efficiency. YAML and CSV are less commonly used in this context.

Question 10

What is the significance of using version control (like Git) when managing network configurations as code?

A) It makes it more difficult to track changes.

B) It introduces security vulnerabilities.

C) It enables collaboration and allows for rollback to previous versions.

D) It slows down the configuration process.

Show Answer & Explanation

Correct Answer: C

Explanation: Version control allows multiple engineers to collaborate efficiently and provides the ability to revert to previous configurations if needed.

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About CCNA - Cisco Certified Network Associate Certification

The CCNA - Cisco Certified Network Associate certification validates your expertise in automation and programmability and other critical domains. Our comprehensive practice questions are carefully crafted to mirror the actual exam experience and help you identify knowledge gaps before test day.