Cisco CCNA Automation (formerly DevNet Associate): key terms

Flashcards for this exam Cisco CCNA Automation (formerly DevNet Associate) guide Class dates

• .dockerignoreA file that excludes paths from the Docker build context sent to the builder.Foundational
• .gitignoreA file listing patterns of files and directories Git should not track, such as build outputs and secrets.Foundational
• AnsibleRed Hat's agentless, open-source automation tool that configures systems and network devices using YAML playbooks over SSH, WinRM, or APIs.Foundational
• Ansible Ad-Hoc CommandA one-off Ansible command run from the CLI to execute a single module against hosts without writing a playbook.Foundational
• Ansible Automation Platform (AAP)Red Hat's enterprise automation platform providing automation controller (formerly AWX/Tower), execution environments, Automation Hub, and Event-Driven Ansible.Advanced
• Ansible CollectionA distribution format bundling Ansible modules, plugins, roles, and playbooks under a namespace, shared via Ansible Galaxy or Automation Hub.Intermediate
• Ansible FactsSystem information that Ansible gathers from managed hosts at the start of a play and stores as variables.Intermediate
• Ansible InventoryThe list of managed hosts and groups, with variables, that Ansible targets, written in INI or YAML or generated dynamically.Foundational
• Ansible ModuleA discrete unit of code that Ansible executes to perform a task, such as installing packages or configuring interfaces.Intermediate
• Ansible PlaybookA YAML file containing one or more plays that map groups of hosts to ordered tasks executed with Ansible modules.Foundational
• Ansible RoleA standardized directory structure that packages tasks, handlers, variables, templates, and files for reuse across playbooks.Intermediate
• Ansible VaultAn Ansible feature that encrypts sensitive variables and files with AES-256 so they can be stored in version control.Intermediate
• API Authentication MethodsWays clients prove identity to APIs, including HTTP Basic, API keys, bearer tokens, OAuth 2.0, and mutual TLS.Foundational
• API PaginationSplitting large API result sets into pages retrieved by successive requests using offsets, page numbers, or cursors.Intermediate
• API Rate LimitingRestricting how many API requests a client can make in a time period to protect service availability.Intermediate
• Application Programming Interface (API)A defined contract that lets software components communicate by exposing operations, data formats, and rules for requests and responses.Foundational
• Bind MountMounting a specific file or directory from the host filesystem into a container.Foundational
• BranchA movable pointer to a commit that represents an independent line of development in Git.Foundational
• Check ModeAnsible's dry-run mode (--check) that reports what would change without making changes, often combined with --diff.Intermediate
• ChefAn agent-based configuration management tool (now Progress Chef) that uses Ruby-based recipes and cookbooks.Foundational
• Cisco Catalyst CenterCisco's enterprise network controller and assurance platform, formerly Cisco DNA Center, with northbound Intent REST APIs.Intermediate
• Cisco Network Services Orchestrator (NSO)Cisco's model-driven, multivendor network orchestration platform that uses YANG service models and network element drivers.Advanced
• CloneCreating a local copy of a remote Git repository, including its full history and a remote named origin.Foundational
• CommitA snapshot of tracked changes in a Git repository, with an author, message, timestamp, and pointer to its parent commit(s).Foundational
• Configuration ManagementMaintaining systems in a known, consistent desired state by automating the configuration of operating systems, software, and settings.Foundational
• ContainerA lightweight, isolated runtime environment that packages an application with its dependencies and shares the host operating system kernel.Foundational
• Container ImageAn immutable, layered package containing an application, its runtime, libraries, and configuration, used to create containers.Foundational
• CronA time-based job scheduler and its five-field schedule syntax (minute, hour, day of month, month, day of week).Foundational
• cURLA command-line tool and library for transferring data with URLs, widely used to test HTTP APIs.Foundational
• Data SerializationConverting in-memory data structures into a format that can be stored or transmitted, and back (deserialization).Foundational
• Declarative ConfigurationSpecifying the desired end state of a system and letting a tool determine the steps to reach it.Foundational
• Dependency ManagementDeclaring, resolving, pinning, and updating the external libraries an application relies on.Foundational
• DeploymentA Kubernetes workload object that manages ReplicaSets to provide declarative updates, scaling, and rollback for stateless pods.Foundational
• Dev ContainerA container-based development environment defined by devcontainer.json, used by VS Code, Codespaces, and other tools.Intermediate
• DevOpsA culture and set of practices that unify software development and IT operations to deliver changes quickly, safely, and reliably.Foundational
• DockerA platform and toolset for building, shipping, and running containers, including Docker Engine, the docker CLI, Docker Compose, and Docker Desktop.Foundational
• Docker ComposeA tool for defining and running multi-container applications using a compose.yaml file.Foundational
• Docker HubDocker's public cloud registry hosting official images, verified publisher images, and user repositories.Foundational
• Docker LayerA read-only filesystem diff produced by a Dockerfile instruction; images are stacks of layers combined by a union filesystem.Intermediate
• Docker Network DriverThe networking mode for Docker containers: bridge, host, overlay, macvlan, ipvlan, or none.Intermediate
• Docker VolumeDocker-managed persistent storage that exists independently of a container's lifecycle.Foundational
• DockerfileA text file of instructions (FROM, RUN, COPY, CMD, and others) that Docker uses to build a container image.Foundational
• ENTRYPOINTA Dockerfile instruction defining the executable that always runs when a container starts; CMD supplies default arguments.Intermediate
• Exception HandlingManaging runtime errors in code with constructs such as try, except, else, and finally in Python.Foundational
• Extensible Markup Language (XML)A markup language for structured data using nested, tag-delimited elements with attributes and namespaces.Foundational
• Fast-Forward MergeA merge where Git simply moves the branch pointer forward because the target branch has no commits not already in the source.Intermediate
• GitA free, open-source distributed version control system that tracks changes to files and enables collaborative development.Foundational
• git bisectA Git command that performs a binary search through commit history to find the commit that introduced a bug.Advanced
• git cherry-pickA Git command that applies the changes from a specific existing commit onto the current branch as a new commit.Intermediate
• Git HookA script Git runs automatically at points such as pre-commit, commit-msg, or pre-push, or on the server at pre-receive.Intermediate
• git logA Git command that displays commit history with authors, dates, messages, and optionally diffs and graphs.Foundational
• git pullA Git command that fetches changes from a remote and integrates them into the current branch.Foundational
• git pushA Git command that uploads local branch commits to a remote repository.Foundational
• git resetA Git command that moves the current branch pointer to a specified commit, optionally changing the staging area and working tree.Intermediate
• git revertA Git command that creates a new commit that undoes the changes made by a previous commit.Foundational
• git stashA Git command that temporarily shelves uncommitted changes so you can work on something else and reapply them later.Intermediate
• Git TagA named reference to a specific commit, typically used to mark release versions.Foundational
• GitHubA cloud platform for hosting Git repositories with collaboration, code review, CI/CD (Actions), package hosting, and security features.Foundational
• GitHub ActionsGitHub's integrated CI/CD and automation platform that runs YAML-defined workflows in response to repository events.Foundational
• GitLab CI/CDGitLab's built-in CI/CD system, configured with a .gitlab-ci.yml file defining stages and jobs run by GitLab Runners.Foundational
• GraphQLA query language and runtime for APIs that lets clients request exactly the fields they need from a single endpoint.Intermediate
• gRPCA high-performance open-source RPC framework that uses HTTP/2 transport and Protocol Buffers serialization.Intermediate
• gRPC Network Management Interface (gNMI)An OpenConfig gRPC-based protocol for retrieving and modifying configuration and streaming telemetry using YANG-modeled paths.Advanced
• HEADA Git reference to the currently checked-out commit, usually pointing indirectly to the current branch.Intermediate
• HTTP MethodsThe verbs used in HTTP requests, chiefly GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, and DELETE, that map to read, create, replace, partial update, and delete operations.Foundational
• HTTP Status CodesThree-digit codes in HTTP responses indicating results: 1xx informational, 2xx success, 3xx redirection, 4xx client error, 5xx server error.Foundational
• IdempotencyThe property that applying the same operation multiple times produces the same result as applying it once.Foundational
• Imperative ConfigurationSpecifying the explicit sequence of commands or steps needed to change a system's state.Foundational
• Integration TestAn automated test that verifies multiple components or services work together correctly.Foundational
• JavaScript Object Notation (JSON)A lightweight, text-based data interchange format of objects (key-value pairs) and arrays, widely used by REST APIs.Foundational
• JenkinsA widely used open-source automation server for building CI/CD pipelines, extended through thousands of plugins.Foundational
• Jinja2A Python templating engine used by Ansible, Salt, and network automation scripts to generate configurations from variables.Intermediate
• JSON Web Token (JWT)A compact, URL-safe token format consisting of a base64url-encoded header, payload of claims, and signature.Intermediate
• Kubernetes (K8s)An open-source CNCF container orchestration platform that automates deployment, scaling, networking, and self-healing of containerized applications.Foundational
• LintingAutomated static checking of source code or configuration for style issues, errors, and suspicious constructs.Foundational
• Local Kubernetes ClusterA single-machine Kubernetes environment for development and testing, such as minikube, kind, k3d, or Docker Desktop Kubernetes.Foundational
• MergeCombining the changes from one Git branch into another, creating a merge commit when histories have diverged.Foundational
• Merge ConflictA situation where Git cannot automatically combine changes because the same part of a file was modified differently in both branches.Foundational
• Microservices ArchitectureAn architectural style that structures an application as small, independently deployable services communicating over APIs.Foundational
• MockingReplacing real dependencies in tests with controllable fake objects that simulate behavior and record interactions.Intermediate
• Model-Driven Telemetry (MDT)Streaming YANG-modeled operational data from network devices to collectors, replacing periodic SNMP polling.Advanced
• Model-View-Controller (MVC)A software design pattern that separates an application into the data model, the user interface view, and the controller that handles input.Intermediate
• Multi-Stage BuildA Dockerfile technique using multiple FROM stages so build tools stay in early stages and only needed artifacts are copied to the final image.Intermediate
• NAPALMNetwork Automation and Programmability Abstraction Layer with Multivendor support, a Python library offering a unified API across network operating systems.Advanced
• ncclientA Python library for NETCONF client operations against network devices.Intermediate
• NetBoxAn open-source network source of truth for IPAM and DCIM data, with REST and GraphQL APIs used to drive automation.Intermediate
• NETCONFThe Network Configuration Protocol (RFC 6241), an XML-based RPC protocol over SSH (port 830) for installing, manipulating, and deleting device configuration.Intermediate
• NETCONF DatastoresConceptual configuration stores accessed by NETCONF: running, candidate, and startup.Advanced
• NetmikoA Python library that simplifies SSH connections to network devices for sending CLI commands and configuration across many vendors.Intermediate
• Network ProgrammabilityUsing software, APIs, and data models to configure, monitor, and operate networks programmatically instead of by CLI.Foundational
• Northbound and Southbound APIsController interfaces: northbound APIs face applications and users, while southbound APIs face network devices.Foundational
• OAuth 2.0An authorization framework that lets applications obtain limited, delegated access tokens to APIs without handling user passwords.Intermediate
• Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)A programming paradigm that organizes code into classes and objects combining data (attributes) and behavior (methods).Intermediate
• OpenAPI Specification (OAS)A vendor-neutral standard (formerly Swagger) for describing REST APIs in YAML or JSON, including paths, parameters, schemas, and authentication.Intermediate
• OpenConfigAn operator-led initiative that defines vendor-neutral YANG models and the gNMI/gNOI specifications for network management.Advanced
• pipThe standard package installer for Python, which installs packages from the Python Package Index (PyPI) or other indexes.Foundational
• PodThe smallest deployable unit in Kubernetes: one or more containers sharing network namespace, storage volumes, and a lifecycle.Foundational
• Port PublishingMapping a host port to a container port so external clients can reach a containerized service.Foundational
• PostmanA popular API platform for building, sending, testing, and documenting HTTP requests, with collections, environments, and scripting.Foundational
• Protocol Buffers (Protobuf)Google's language-neutral binary serialization format defined by .proto schemas.Advanced
• Pull Request (PR)A request to merge changes from one branch into another, providing a place for code review, discussion, and automated checks.Foundational
• PuppetAn agent-based configuration management tool using a declarative DSL in manifests and modules, with agents pulling catalogs from a server.Foundational
• Push vs Pull Configuration ModelWhether a central server pushes configuration to nodes or nodes periodically pull configuration from a server.Intermediate
• pyATSCisco's Python test automation framework, with the Genie library for parsing, learning, and comparing network device state.Intermediate
• pytestA popular Python testing framework that discovers test_*.py files and uses plain assert statements with rich failure reporting.Intermediate
• PythonA high-level, interpreted, general-purpose programming language widely used for automation, scripting, data processing, and network programmability.Foundational
• Python DictionaryA mutable Python mapping of unique, hashable keys to values, the natural representation of JSON objects.Foundational
• Python FunctionA reusable block of Python code defined with def that takes parameters and optionally returns a value.Foundational
• Python Requests LibraryThe de facto Python HTTP client library for calling REST APIs.Foundational
• RebaseReapplying commits from one branch on top of another base commit, producing a linear history.Intermediate
• RefactoringRestructuring existing code to improve readability, maintainability, or performance without changing its external behavior.Foundational
• RemoteA named reference to another copy of a Git repository, typically hosted on a server, used for fetching and pushing.Foundational
• RepositoryA storage location that holds a project's files and their complete version history in a version control system.Foundational
• Representational State Transfer (REST)An architectural style for web APIs that uses stateless HTTP requests on resources identified by URIs.Foundational
• RESTCONFAn HTTP-based protocol (RFC 8040) that provides a REST-like interface to YANG-modeled data, using XML or JSON over HTTPS.Intermediate
• SaltA Python-based configuration management and remote execution tool (SaltStack, now owned by Broadcom) using a master/minion architecture over a ZeroMQ event bus.Intermediate
• ScriptingWriting small programs, typically in interpreted languages such as Bash, Python, or PowerShell, to automate repetitive tasks.Foundational
• Semantic Versioning (SemVer)A versioning scheme of MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH where major indicates breaking changes, minor adds compatible features, and patch fixes bugs.Foundational
• ServiceA Kubernetes object that provides a stable virtual IP and DNS name to load balance traffic to a set of pods selected by labels.Foundational
• Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)A traditional UDP-based protocol for monitoring and managing network devices using MIBs, polling (ports 161) and traps (port 162).Foundational
• SOAPA legacy XML-based messaging protocol for web services that wraps requests in an envelope and is described by WSDL.Intermediate
• Software-Defined Networking (SDN)A network architecture that separates the control plane from the data plane and centralizes control in software controllers with programmable APIs.Foundational
• Staging AreaThe Git index where changes are prepared with git add before being recorded in the next commit.Foundational
• Synchronous vs Asynchronous APIWhether an API call returns the final result immediately or accepts the request and completes it later, with status retrieved by polling or callback.Intermediate
• Technical DebtThe implied future cost of rework caused by choosing quick or limited solutions now instead of better approaches.Foundational
• Telemetry Subscription ModesThe ways telemetry sessions are established and data is sent: dial-in vs dial-out, and periodic vs on-change.Advanced
• Test-Driven Development (TDD)A development practice of writing a failing test first, writing just enough code to pass it, then refactoring (red-green-refactor).Intermediate
• Twelve-Factor AppA methodology of twelve best practices for building portable, scalable, cloud-native software-as-a-service applications.Intermediate
• Unit TestAn automated test that verifies a small, isolated piece of code, such as a function or class, independent of external dependencies.Foundational
• Virtual Environment (venv)An isolated Python environment with its own interpreter link and installed packages, separate from the system Python.Foundational
• WebhookAn HTTP callback in which a system sends an HTTP POST to a configured URL when an event occurs.Foundational
• XPathA query language for selecting nodes in an XML document using path expressions.Advanced
• YAML Ain't Markup LanguageA human-friendly data serialization format using indentation for structure, used by Ansible, Kubernetes, and CI pipelines.Foundational
• YANGYet Another Next Generation (RFC 7950), a data modeling language that defines the structure of configuration and operational data for network devices.Intermediate