Cisco CCNA (200-301): Automation and Programmability
Table of Contents
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Automation and Programmability is 10% of the Cisco CCNA (200-301) exam. This module covers how software-defined networking and automation change network management. Modern networking careers increasingly expect these skills, so do not skip them.
Automation reduces manual errors and speeds up changes across many devices. You learn how controllers, APIs, and configuration tools reshape the work.
How Automation Changes Networks
Manual, box-by-box configuration is slow and easy to get wrong. Automation applies consistent changes at scale, enforces standards, and rolls back faster. The trade is an upfront investment in tooling and skills.
| Approach | Configuration | Scale |
|---|---|---|
| Traditional | Per-device CLI | Slow, error-prone |
| Controller-based | Central policy | Fast, consistent |
Controller-Based and Software-Defined Networking
Controller-based networking splits the control plane from the data plane. The controller makes the decisions, and the devices forward traffic.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Underlay | Physical network of devices and links |
| Overlay | Virtual network built on top, such as VXLAN |
| Fabric | The combined underlay and overlay system |
| Northbound API | Controller to applications |
| Southbound API | Controller to network devices |
Cisco DNA Center manages a campus from one place, replacing per-device CLI with policy and automation.
REST APIs
A REST API lets software configure and query devices over HTTP. It maps CRUD operations to HTTP verbs.
| CRUD | HTTP verb |
|---|---|
| Create | POST |
| Read | GET |
| Update | PUT or PATCH |
| Delete | DELETE |
A response code of 200 means success, while 401 means unauthorized and 404 means not found. Data is usually encoded in JSON or XML.
JSON Data
JSON stores data as key-value pairs and arrays. You must recognize valid structure on the exam.
{
"device": "R1",
"interfaces": ["g0/0", "g0/1"],
"enabled": true,
"ospf": { "process": 1, "area": 0 }
}
Keys are strings in quotes, values can be strings, numbers, booleans, arrays, or objects, and commas separate items.
Configuration Management Tools
Three tools automate configuration at scale. Know their basic model.
| Tool | Model | Agent |
|---|---|---|
| Ansible | Push, procedural | Agentless (SSH) |
| Puppet | Pull, declarative | Agent-based |
| Chef | Pull, declarative | Agent-based |
Ansible is popular for network work because it is agentless and uses readable YAML playbooks. To learn it hands-on, read the Ansible for beginners guide .
Next Steps
You have now covered all six CCNA domains. Reinforce the foundations in Network Fundamentals , practice automation with the Ansible for beginners guide , and test your readiness with the Cisco CCNA Practice Test . Explore more learning paths in Courses and Playbooks and return to the Cisco CCNA Course .
