The short version
200-901 CCNAAUTO is Cisco’s associate-level exam on network automation and programmability. It runs 120 minutes and tests six areas: software development, APIs, Cisco platforms, application deployment and security, infrastructure automation, and network fundamentals. This guide follows the v1.1 exam topics that Cisco publishes for the exam.
What the exam is
The full name is Automating Networks Using Cisco Platforms, version 1.1. Passing it earns the CCNA Automation credential. If you remember the older name, DevNet Associate, this is the same exam code (200-901) under the newer certification name. Cisco’s exam topics change from time to time, so always check the current list before you start.
Think of it as a programmer’s exam with a network engineer’s vocabulary. You read short Python scripts, JSON and YAML snippets, Git output, HTTP requests and responses, and Ansible or bash code, and you say what they do. You also need to know what Cisco’s main platforms are for, such as Meraki, Catalyst Center, ACI, Catalyst SD-WAN, NSO and Webex. Few questions ask you to memorize a command. Most ask you to read something, reason about it, and choose.
Who it is for
Cisco states no formal prerequisites. In practice the exam suits several kinds of people:
- Network engineers who want to automate configuration they now type by hand.
- Developers and DevOps engineers who work with Cisco infrastructure.
- System administrators moving toward automation work.
- Students and career changers looking for a first automation credential.
If you can read basic Python and know what an IP address and a VLAN are, you have a workable start. The prerequisites page lists what helps and gives you a self-check.
Format at a glance
| Item | What is known |
|---|---|
| Exam code | 200-901 CCNAAUTO |
| Exam topics version | 1.1 |
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Languages | English and Japanese, according to Cisco’s exam page |
| Number of questions | Not published by Cisco |
| Passing score | Not published by Cisco |
| Delivery | Proctored through Pearson VUE, at a test center or online |
| Retake after a fail | Wait five calendar days |
| Validity of the credential | Three years |
Numbers you find on forums, such as a fixed question count or a passing score out of 1000, do not come from Cisco. Cisco says it sets passing scores statistically and that they can change. The exam format page goes through all of this in detail.
The six domains and their weightings
| Domain | Weighting |
|---|---|
| 1. Software Development and Design | 15% |
| 2. Understanding and Using APIs | 20% |
| 3. Cisco Platforms and Development | 15% |
| 4. Application Deployment and Security | 15% |
| 5. Infrastructure and Automation | 20% |
| 6. Network Fundamentals | 15% |
APIs and Infrastructure and Automation carry the most weight, 20% each, so together they make up about two fifths of the exam. That does not mean you can ignore the rest. Cisco notes that related topics outside the list can appear, and the topics may change without notice. Domain by domain details, with typical traps, are on the domains explained page.
What the exam does not test
You will not be asked to build a large application. You will not configure a router through a console. You do need to be comfortable with small pieces of code, and you should have run a few of them yourself. Reading about a REST call and sending one with Python’s requests library are very different experiences, and the second one is what makes exam questions feel easy.
How to prepare
Cisco points to its own learning material and to the DevNet resources: Sandbox environments, Learning Labs, Code Exchange and API documentation. Use them. They are free, and doing a lab teaches you more than reading about it. Practice exams then show you where your knowledge is thin. Our practice sets are one tool for that check. They do not replace the vendor’s learning material or hands-on work.
Our practice exams
There are five original practice sets for this exam, 100 questions each, 500 in total. Every question is tagged by domain, so your results show where to focus. Each answer option has its own feedback. Take a look at the 200-901 practice exams when you want a check on your readiness.
FAQ
Is 200-901 the same as DevNet Associate?
The exam code is the same. Cisco has since used the CCNA Automation name for the credential. Study material written for older exam topics may cover items that were removed, so match what you study to the v1.1 topics.
How long is the exam?
120 minutes, according to Cisco. The number of questions is not published.
Do I need to know how to program?
You need to read and write basic Python, especially calls to REST APIs. You do not need to be a software engineer.
How long is the credential valid?
Three years. Cisco lists renewal by passing the current exam, passing a higher-level Cisco exam, or earning continuing education credits.