Course contents

Chapter 14: Automation and ProgrammabilityLesson 5 of 5

Test: automation and programmability

Ten questions on the whole course, each with an explanation.

Intermediate · 10 min read

Technical definition

Network automation is the use of software, such as controllers, REST APIs and configuration management tools, to configure and monitor network devices from one place instead of typing commands on each device. The intended configuration lives in a controller or in files, and the tools make the devices match it.

Ten questions on the whole course, using the automation lab from the lessons: the NetOps PC (10.10.0.50) and Catalyst Center (cc1.example.com, 10.10.0.10) on the management network 10.10.0.0/24 behind R1, and the access switches SW1 (10.10.1.11) and SW2 (10.10.1.12) managed on VLAN 99. If you get one wrong, the explanation names the lesson to go back to.

Predict · scenario 1

1. SW1 forwards a frame by looking up its MAC address table. Later, Catalyst Center pushes a template to SW1 over NETCONF. Which planes are doing these two jobs?

Predict · scenario 2

2. Catalyst Center configures VLAN 30 on SW1 and SW2 using NETCONF on TCP port 830. Which interface is it using, and what does NETCONF carry?

Predict · scenario 3

3. A script reads this body from GET /dna/intent/api/v1/network-device?hostname=SW1: {"response": [{"hostname": "SW1", "softwareVersion": "17.9.4", "serialNumber": "FOC2211X0AB"}], "version": "1.0"}. Which Python expression returns the serial number?

Predict · scenario 4

4. You want to change only the description of R1's GigabitEthernet0/0/0 through RESTCONF and leave its address and other settings as they are. Which method fits, and what reply means it worked?

Predict · scenario 5

5. A read-only account logs in to Catalyst Center, gets a valid token and sends a POST to create a VLAN. The reply is 403 Forbidden. What does that mean?

Predict · scenario 6

6. RESTCONF on R1 answers other requests, but a GET to https://r1.example.com/restconf/data/ietf-interfaces:interfaces/interface=GigabitEthernet0/0/0 returns 404 Not Found. What is the most likely cause?

Predict · scenario 7

7. An Ansible playbook ends with this recap: SW1 : ok=1 changed=1 failed=0 and SW2 : ok=1 changed=0 failed=0. What happened?

Predict · scenario 8

8. terraform plan prints '+ resource "iosxe_vlan" "cameras"' and 'Plan: 1 to add, 0 to change, 0 to destroy.' What has changed on SW1 so far?

Predict · scenario 9

9. Catalyst Center raises an issue: SW2's uplink errors are far above their normal level for that hour and day, and 15 related alerts are grouped into it. Which kind of AI is at work?

Predict · scenario 10

10. An AI assistant suggests 'switchport trunk allowed vlan 30' under Gi1/0/24 to add VLAN 30 to a trunk that carries VLANs 10, 20 and 99. A colleague pastes it in. What happens?