200-901 CCNA Automation Certification Guide
What is Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Automation?
Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Automation is Cisco's associate-level automation certification for people combining software skills with network and infrastructure platforms. The 200-901 CCNAAUTO exam emphasizes software design, APIs, application deployment and security, infrastructure automation, and Cisco platforms. It is the current canonical successor to the DevNet Associate naming.
Cisco lists no formal prerequisite, but that does not make preparation trivial. Most learners have one or more years of software development experience, including Python. The useful question is not whether a learner is allowed to register; it is whether the learner can explain and practice the published domains before paying for an attempt.
Current naming matters. Cisco now uses Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Automation as the canonical credential name. Older references may use Cisco Certified DevNet Associate, DevNet Associate; this draft keeps those terms only as historical aliases, not as the page title, tag, or slug authority.
Quick facts
| Field | Current official information |
|---|---|
| Level | Associate |
| Track | Automation |
| Requirement | Pass one required exam |
| Primary exam | 200-901 CCNAAUTO |
| Minimum exam fees | US$300, or Cisco Learning Credits; taxes may apply |
| Primary exam duration | 120 minutes |
| Concentration exam duration | Not applicable |
| Official exam languages | English | Japanese |
| Validity | Three years |
| Delivery | Proctored written exam; online or in person |
| Formal prerequisites | None |
Our take
How to pick
Use CCNA Automation as the anchor for an associate-level NetDevOps or infrastructure-development path. It is a broadening credential for a traditional network engineer only when programming is becoming part of the actual role.
What's new
The content is stable. This feed will update as exam changes, retirements, or new reviews are confirmed.
Who it is for
It fits developers, DevOps practitioners, network engineers moving toward NetDevOps, and learners who can already write and debug basic Python. The official recommended background is not a prerequisite, but it is a useful readiness signal.
It is not a traditional routing-first certification. A learner who cannot yet explain basic network behavior may need broader networking foundations before automation work becomes meaningful.
Why it may be worth considering
The credential is useful when the target work sits between code and operations. It rewards learners who can reason about APIs, automation workflows, application behavior, and platform integration rather than only memorizing syntax.
The certification should be evaluated against a specific role outcome, not as a generic signal of seniority. Choose CCNA Automation when programming and infrastructure automation are central to the target role. Choose broad CCNA when the immediate gap is network operations and troubleshooting.
Where this certification fits
Compare the three associate options in Which CCNA Should You Choose?. Pick one primary associate anchor based on the target role instead of assuming that all three form a standard sequence.
Path position
| Foundation or previous step | Current certification | Common next step |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Python, networking or systems knowledge, and hands-on API practice | CCNA Automation | CCNP Automation, NetDevOps work, or automation inside another infrastructure track |
This is a common progression, not a mandatory prerequisite chain.
Exam overview and skills covered
The current exam is 200-901 CCNAAUTO v1.1. Its scope connects software development practices with infrastructure and Cisco platforms.
| Scope area | What to practice |
|---|---|
| Software design and development | Python basics, modular code, testing, version control, and safe error handling |
| APIs and structured data | REST concepts, authentication, HTTP operations, JSON, XML, and data validation |
| Application deployment and security | Containers, deployment concepts, secrets, dependencies, and operational checks |
| Infrastructure automation | Repeatable workflows, configuration state, templates, orchestration, and change validation |
| Cisco platforms | Platform APIs and controllers, including Cisco Catalyst Center (formerly Cisco DNA Center) |
Instead of SSH-ing into 50 switches to make the same VLAN change, automation lets you define the change once, test it, apply it consistently across the fleet, and keep a record of what changed. The goal is not to remove engineers from the process. It is to replace repetitive one-off commands with tested, reviewable, and repeatable workflows.
Configuration management tools: a practical comparison
This is a practical memory aid, not an official exam-domain table.
| Dimension | Ansible | Puppet | Chef |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical architecture | Agentless for common network automation | Agent-server | Client-server with Chef Infra Client |
| Primary authoring format | YAML playbooks | Declarative Puppet DSL manifests | Ruby-based Chef DSL recipes and cookbooks |
| Typical control model | Controller-initiated push | Agent periodically requests and applies a catalog | Client runs on a schedule and pulls policy/configuration |
| Common communication | CLI over SSH, NETCONF, or HTTP/HTTPS APIs, depending on platform and plugin | HTTPS with certificate-based authentication | Chef client communicates with Chef Infra Server and downloads required policy data |
| Memory hook | No persistent agent is normally installed on the network device | The server compiles desired state; the agent enforces it | Recipes converge each node toward its declared state |
Real implementations vary, so treat “push” and “pull” as common operating patterns rather than universal rules.
Cost, duration, languages, and validity
The current recorded exam pricing is US$300, or Cisco Learning Credits; taxes may apply. The primary exam duration is 120 minutes.
Cisco lists the credential validity as Three years. The current recertification note for this level is: Renew by eligible exam activity or 30 Continuing Education credits before expiration.
Fees shown in U.S. dollars are planning figures. Taxes, local currency conversion, vouchers, Cisco Learning Credits, language availability, remote-proctoring eligibility, and appointment inventory can change by location. Verify the checkout and appointment screens before payment.
Recorded official exam languages: English | Japanese.
How to register
- Create or confirm the Cisco account that will be used for the certification record. Use a stable personal email where possible.
- Complete the Certification Tracking System profile and make sure the legal name matches the identification that will be presented on exam day.
- Open the current official exam page from the sources below, confirm that the exam code and language are still active, and follow Cisco's authorized scheduling flow.
- Review delivery rules before paying. The recorded delivery method for this draft is: Proctored written exam; online or in person.
- Save the appointment confirmation and recheck identification, system, rescheduling, and check-in requirements before the appointment.
How to prepare
A good preparation plan moves from the official blueprint to evidence of performance. Reading alone is not enough, and practice questions should be used to diagnose gaps rather than to memorize answer patterns.
- Start with the official exam topics. Turn every domain and sub-objective into a checklist. Mark each item as explain, demonstrate, troubleshoot, or compare.
- Build the minimum foundation first. Do not use exam-specific material to hide missing basics. Cisco Networking Academy, Skills for All, Cisco U., and the official learning resources can fill different gaps.
- Practice the work, not only the vocabulary. Write small Python programs that call an API, validate responses, handle errors, and transform structured data. Use authentication safely and avoid embedding secrets directly in scripts or repositories. Represent a desired infrastructure change as repeatable code or a declarative artifact. Test automation against a lab or sandbox and record the difference between intended and observed state.
- Use spaced review and error logs. Record why an answer, configuration, investigation, or design choice was wrong. Revisit the underlying concept before repeating the same question set.
- Run a final readiness review. Use the official blueprint to identify weak domains, then complete mixed practice and hands-on validation under realistic time constraints. No course or practice score guarantees a pass.
Official Cisco resources
- Official certification page: https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/learn/training-certifications/certifications/automation/ccna-automation/index.html
- Official exam and training page: https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/learn/training-certifications/certifications/automation/ccna-automation/exams-and-training.html
- Current Cisco exams list: https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/learn/training-certifications/exams/list.html
- Cisco certification catalog: https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/learn/training-certifications/certifications/index.html
- Recertification policy: https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/learn/training-certifications/certifications/recertification/index.html
- Cisco career certification map: https://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en_us/training-events/certifications/career-path.pdf?cachemode=refresh
This draft does not add marketplace or affiliate links. Add an external preparation resource only after a standalone review exists in the review registry for the same language.