As I discussed in my earlier weblog on the CCNP Automation core examination (AUTOCOR), I needed to supply an insider’s view of the examination matters for the brand new skilled automation observe. I contemplate myself an insider as a result of I used to be a part of the group of product managers, psychometricians, program managers, and subject material specialists that helped focus on (and typically argue) for what ought to and sshouldn’tbe included within the certification.
This culminated in a whole lot of hours locked in a room to hash out the examination matters’ lists that are actually accessible for evaluation. To say that it’s a whole lot of exhausting work is an understatement. Nonetheless, the group’s whole focus is to ship a complete examination that you simply, the learner, discover useful sufficient to pursue in your skilled profession.
Nevertheless, I do know that there are typically questions as to why issues had been constructed or tasked a sure method, and its (E)-NAUTO drawback (not a’ drawback, get it?) for me to take a while out of my day to reply your burning enterprise automation examination subject questions.
ENAUTO 1.1 Eliminated Subjects
From design patterns to resolution operate
The primary huge departure is from the earlier ENAUTO 1.1 area 1. This area centered on software program improvement practices. Whereas matters like git utilization and performance are vital, many of the area handled correct coding and improvement practices, interpretations of Python scripts, and the advantages of automation tooling (digital environments, infrastructure as code, and the like). We needed to evolve the ENAUTO to focus extra on the performance and practitioner degree. We took these ideas and both eliminated them fully (do we have to know the advantages of Infrastructure as Code or ought to we be capable to make the most of IaC tooling in an automation resolution?) or integrated them into a bigger, automation centered job. Understanding these matters continues to be useful. Nevertheless, a community automation engineer in right now’s world doesn’t must promote the advantages of APIs; as an alternative, they’re being requested how you can ship the best worth to a corporation by leveraging current instruments, minimizing disruption, and avoiding pointless tool-spread.
Gadgets and platforms take middle stage
Just like the AUTOCOR examination, the introductory paragraph for the examination matters particularly calls out sure platforms and working programs. Nevertheless, you would possibly discover a separation between units and platforms throughout the examination domains—an intentional change. Each enterprise has distinctive wants. For some, managing all units by a controller or platform is sensible; others might choose device-by-device administration utilizing automation and orchestration tooling. Each abilities maintain significance, so each domains have been included within the examination, with every specializing in its respective space.
The machine configuration area is Python heavy, specializing in a wide range of libraries and protocols which are generally used to handle units.
- We give attention to issues like NETCONF, RESTCONF, and CLI-based automation strategies and libraries to drive automated configuration throughout the fleet.
- To not be omitted, Ansible is included, because it’s generally used to supply configuration administration for a number of units.
- Lastly, we didn’t neglect on-box strategies for automation, so we made certain to incorporate duties round using Visitor shell on IOS-XE platforms and my favourite, Embedded Occasion Supervisor (EEM).
Controllers and platforms, nonetheless, are additionally vital as a result of they supply simple automation and single “pane” visibility throughout giant, geographically separated, disparate enterprises. These platforms are additionally developed with APIs at their core, permitting for performance, configuration, and observability to be extracted by way of programmatic strategies, a win for automation builders!
Whereas there’s some overlap, the intent is to make sure that the capabilities supplied by the platforms, like extra Jinja2 templating or creating bigger automation routines leveraging the APIs supplied by the platform (e.g. kicking off a tool improve routine utilizing an API, relatively than constructing the automation your self and utilizing that as a part of an onboarding routine). This isn’t to push or “promote” of us on one administration fashion vs. one other, simply as an example the frequent duties engineers face in each eventualities.
New software program, who dis?
Eager eyes will discover the software program platforms in scope on the prime of the examination matters sheet. Even keener eyes may even see that there are two platforms which are fully new to the automation observe, Cisco Identification Companies Engine (ISE) and Cisco ThousandEyes. These could seem misplaced, however let’s dive into why these platforms are vital.
Cisco ISE
Cisco ISE supplies a foundational “single supply” for all machine entry and consumer identification inside an enterprise community.
- ISE can also present safety and entry coverage to units that reside on the community.
- Due to this, ISE has a plethora of details about the community that could be required within the provisioning of the configurations of units, together with safety posture and community segmentation.
Let’s take into account, that is not a safety examination; learners won’t be anticipated to configure ISE, however it’s in scope to have the ability to use ISE APIs as a part of a segmentation or coverage enforcement automation throughout the campus switches and routers.
Cisco ThousandEyes
Cisco ThousandEyes operates on the different finish of the deployment, not in provisioning, however in operations and administration. Finish-users of the community care in regards to the high quality of their expertise throughout the community; they don’t care whether or not the configuration utilized to their swap was automated or typed by hand on the CLI, it simply must work.
- Just like Cisco ISE, this examination doesn’t anticipate you to know the ins and outs of ThousandEyes (though, should you are , the ENNA examination is for you)
- It’s best to be capable to perceive how you can question particular APIs from the ThousandEyes cloud platform for metrics and an understanding if an automatic change made the consumer expertise higher or worse.
This knowledge might then drive a particular end result to the automation (rollbacks, anybody?), which might even be automated. Once more, you don’t must create the exams however know how you can interpret the information and outcomes from exams as a pre- and post-change validation to your automation.
Digital twinning
Talking of pre- and post-change, have you ever heard about Cisco Modeling Labs? When you haven’t, it’s a community simulation platform that runs Cisco Digital Community Features (VNFs), like digital routers, switches, firewalls, and wi-fi controllers.
These VNFs could be related to one another in a digital canvas, which permit a consumer to mannequin a community, its configurations, and the habits due to these modifications. It supplies full control-plane simulation if routes are modified, VLANs are added, or ACL guidelines are eliminated. Community engineers are utilizing it to check for a wide range of exams from affiliate to knowledgeable due to the capabilities within the platform.
The fusion was pure: community managers not trusting the automation to do what it mentioned it will do; community automation engineers wanting to check and show that their automation options labored. Cisco Modeling Labs fills that want for pre-change testbed which turns into the post-change commonplace for all configurations. Community automation engineers needs to be fluent in Cisco Modeling Labs and the concept of digital twins as a testbed for his or her automation earlier than implementation into manufacturing. All of us prefer to keep away from these “resume producing occasions”, proper?
We’ve gotta AI the enterprise
I do know, I do know. AI is in every single place, and you could or is probably not going through AI burnout. Nevertheless, as somebody who has all the time considered practicality at the beginning when studying one thing new, you may relaxation simple that this was put into the examination matters for causes past simply ensuring that we “checked the AI field”.
- This area is centered round having the ability to determine and focus on varied issues round AI throughout the enterprise; one thing we should always all really feel snug with on this fast-moving house.
- You might be requested to create an MCP server that would permit an AI agent to speak with varied units throughout the community utilizing the FastMCP, which is a extremely popular MCP framework.
This job is deliberately written in the identical verbiage as that from the AUTOCOR examination matters. As an automation skilled, we foresee that it is going to be your accountability to translate instruments and capabilities into one thing that can be utilized by AI for automation routines. Having the ability to design, develop, and scope the configuration for that MCP appropriately might be a really important ability to have, which is why it seems in each AUTOCOR and ENAUTO (and I wager you may guess what different examination has it as a job as properly).
By this main uplift on the examination, we hope that the abilities which are being requested are reflective of frequent issues that right now’s enterprise automation engineers are being requested to resolve. We tried to strike the correct mix of controllers and platforms, but additionally tie in validation and testing, as a result of these are vital ideas to incorporate in your workflow, and we hope that every one these abilities can be utilized in your skilled profession.
As all the time, you could find me on LinkedIn or on X (@qsnyder) if in case you have any questions relating to this or some other examination. Completely happy learning!
Efficient February 3, 2026, the 300-435 ENAUTO examination might be up to date to v2.0 and renamed “Automating and Programming Cisco Enterprise Options.” Obtain examination matters
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