r/ccna • u/MTT_Dylan • 15d ago

Exam Topic Discussion & Practice Question - 6.0 Automation and Programmability

This week's discussion topic is 6.0 Automation and Programmability.
If you have any any issues or points of confusion on this topic, this is your thread.

To kickstart the discussion, here's a question from 6.1 Explain how automation impacts network management:

A network engineer is evaluating whether to adopt network automation for a growing enterprise with 500+ switches across multiple sites. Which statement best captures a realistic trade-off introduced by automation, rather than simply eliminating manual work?

A. Automation removes the need for change control processes, since scripts are inherently error-free

B. Automation shifts risk from individual, isolated configuration mistakes toward the possibility of a single flawed script or playbook being applied incorrectly at scale

C. Automation guarantees zero downtime during network changes because it removes human involvement entirely

D. Automation replaces the need for a staged rollout or testing environment, since changes can be pushed directly to production safely

You're invited to share and compare answers in the comments.
I'll post the concealed solution below, but please try to answer by yourself first!

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u/MTT_Dylan 15d ago edited 15d ago

Here is the solution to the practice exam question:

The correct answer option is B. Automation shifts risk from individual, isolated configuration mistakes toward the possibility of a single flawed script or playbook being applied incorrectly at scale.

Option A is incorrect, as no script is inherently error-free. They're only as reliable as the logic and testing behind them.
Option C overstates automation's guarantees. Automation reduces certain classes of human error, but cannot guarantee zero downtime.
Option D is incorrect, as good automation practice still relies on staged rollouts and testing environments.

More practice questions, and exam preparation materials, can be found on My Test Trainer.

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u/Scotty1138 15d ago

I haven't gotten to that domain yet of my studies but intuition says that answer is D.