Cisco Certified DevNet Associate

The Cisco Certified DevNet Associate credential, now branded CCNA Automation, validates that you can write Python, call REST APIs, and automate Cisco infrastructure with  tooling. It is earned by passing a single exam, 200-901, officially titled Automating Networks Using Cisco Platforms. The certification suits network engineers learning to code, developers who work near network infrastructure, and DevOps staff who support Cisco environments. This page summarizes the official exam details, domains, policies, and preparation approach.

Why the name changed and what it means for you

Cisco originally created the DevNet track to prove software skills against its own platforms. Effective 3 February 2026, Cisco folded that track into its familiar CCNA, CCNP, and CCIE families, so DevNet Associate became CCNA Automation. The exam number stayed 200-901, while the short code moved from DEVASC to CCNAAUTO. The current blueprint is version 1.1, and its topic areas closely follow the earlier DevNet Associate outline.

In practice, study material labeled DEVASC is still largely useful, but you should always compare it against the current topic list on Cisco’s site because Cisco states that topics may change without notice.

Exam structure and format

The certification requires one exam with a 120 minute time limit. Cisco does not publish a fixed question count, and the number can differ between exam forms, so be cautious about any site that quotes an exact figure. Cisco’s topic outline also does not state a passing score, which means any specific cut score you see elsewhere should be treated as unofficial.

The outline emphasizes interpretation and construction tasks. You may be asked to read API documentation and build a request, interpret a Python script, a Dockerfile, an Ansible playbook, or a RESTCONF response, or troubleshoot from an HTTP status code. Cisco offers an exam tutorial so you can see the interface before test day.

Syllabus and domain breakdown

Cisco’s version 1.1 outline splits the exam into six domains:

• Software Development and Design (15%): comparing XML, JSON, and YAML, parsing them into Python data structures, test driven development, agile versus lean versus waterfall, MVC and Observer patterns, and everyday Git operations including branching and conflict handling.

• Understanding and Using APIs (20%): building REST requests from documentation, webhooks, HTTP response codes, authentication with basic credentials, tokens, and API keys, and writing Python with the requests library.

• Cisco Platforms and Development (15%): Meraki, Catalyst Center, ACI, Catalyst SD-WAN, and NSO for network management, UCS Manager and Intersight for compute, Webex and Unified Communications Manager for collaboration, security platforms such as XDR, Firepower, and ISE, plus YANG, RESTCONF, and NETCONF.

• Application Deployment and Security (15%): deployment models, containers versus virtual machines, CI/CD components, Dockerfiles, Python unit tests, secret protection, OWASP threats like XSS and CSRF, and Bash basics.

• Infrastructure and Automation (20%): controller level versus device level management, network simulation tools such as Cisco Modeling Labs and pyATS, infrastructure as code, Ansible, Terraform, interpreting YANG models and unified diffs, and reading sequence diagrams that include API calls.

• Network Fundamentals (15%): MAC addresses, VLANs, IP addressing and subnet masks, switches, routers, firewalls, load balancers, control and data planes, DHCP, DNS, NAT, SNMP, NTP, common port values, and diagnosing application connectivity problems.

Note that Network Fundamentals is a full domain in this version, which surprises candidates who prepared only on Python and APIs.

Eligibility requirements

There is no formal prerequisite certification. Commonly cited guidance suggests roughly a year of software development practice, including basic Python, along with basic networking knowledge. Treat that as a recommendation rather than a rule. Anyone can register for the exam.

Registration process

Cisco exams are scheduled through Pearson VUE, and you will need a Cisco account tied to your certification profile. Delivery options, available dates, ID requirements, and local pricing are set by Cisco and Pearson VUE, so follow the scheduling steps on Cisco’s official exam page rather than relying on a third party walkthrough. If your employer holds Cisco Learning Credits, Cisco indicates the exam can be redeemed with them.

Career value of CCNA Automation

This credential speaks to a specific kind of role: engineers who replace manual device configuration with scripts, APIs, and pipelines. The blueprint touches the controllers and tools that appear in  Cisco environments, including Meraki, Catalyst Center, ACI, SD-WAN, NSO, Webex, Ansible, and Terraform. That makes it relevant for network automation engineer and NetDevOps style positions, and for developers building integrations on Webex or Meraki.

It also works as a stepping stone. Cisco’s automation track continues to CCNP Automation and CCIE Automation, and the associate exam can be used toward recertification of existing credentials.

Preparing with practice tests

Because many questions ask you to interpret code or documentation rather than recall a definition, timed practice helps you judge pace across 120 minutes. The free practice tests on AllExamQuestions.com can serve as one part of your preparation, best used after you have worked through Cisco’s free learning labs and sandboxes and want to find weak domains.