- Exam Snapshot: The Numbers You Need Cold
- Domain Breakdown at a Glance
- Question Formats You'll See
- Registration and Retake Mechanics
- Blueprint Versioning: v1.0 vs v1.1
- Who Hires CCNA Automation Holders
- Must-Know Topic Checklist by Domain
- Final-Week Review Plan
- Certification Validity and Renewal
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Exam 200-901 CCNAAUTO costs USD 300, runs 120 minutes, and is offered in English and Japanese.
- Understanding and Using APIs and Infrastructure and Automation each weigh 20%, totaling 40% of the exam.
- Failed attempts require a five-calendar-day wait before retesting, starting the day after the attempt.
- Certification stays active three years; renewal needs 30 Continuing Education credits.
Exam Snapshot: The Numbers You Need Cold
Before you touch a single practice question, memorize the logistics. These are the facts examiners assume you already know and that trip up unprepared candidates on test day.
- Certifying body: Cisco Systems, Inc.
- Testing provider: Pearson VUE, either at an authorized test center or via OnVUE online proctoring
- Exam code and title: 200-901 CCNAAUTO, Automating Networks Using Cisco Platforms
- Fee: USD 300
- Duration: 120 minutes
- Languages: English and Japanese
- Prerequisites: None formal; no mandatory training required
- Result delivery: Pass/fail, available online within 48 hours
For a deeper walkthrough of every fee component and what you're actually paying for, see the full CCNA Automation Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown.
Domain Breakdown at a Glance
Six domains make up the 200-901 CCNAAUTO blueprint. Two of them carry double weight, and that imbalance should directly shape your study hours.
| Domain | Weight |
|---|---|
| Software Development and Design | 15% |
| Understanding and Using APIs | 20% |
| Cisco Platforms and Development | 15% |
| Application Deployment and Security | 15% |
| Infrastructure and Automation | 20% |
| Network Fundamentals | 15% |
Understanding and Using APIs and Infrastructure and Automation together make up 40% of the exam - nearly half your score depends on these two areas alone. For the complete rundown of every objective inside each domain, read the CCNA Automation Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 6 Content Areas.
Understanding and Using APIs (20%)
Candidates must be comfortable consuming and troubleshooting APIs against Cisco platforms, not just reading documentation.
- Interpreting API responses and error codes
- Authentication mechanisms used by API calls
- Working with request/response structures in automation workflows
Infrastructure and Automation (20%)
This domain tests whether you can apply automation concepts to real infrastructure tasks rather than just define terms.
- Infrastructure as Code concepts applied to network environments
- Automation tooling behavior and workflow logic
- Version control practices in an automation pipeline
Question Formats You'll See
Cisco's 2026 exam briefing describes a mixed-format exam rather than a straight multiple-choice test. Expect:
- Single-answer questions
- Multiple-answer questions
- Drag-and-drop matching tasks
- Script-completion tasks
- Lab-style items
Script-completion items in particular reward candidates who have actually written and debugged code rather than memorized flashcards. If you're unsure how format variety affects overall difficulty, the guide How Hard Is the CCNA Automation Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 breaks this down section by section.
Key Takeaway
Don't train exclusively with static multiple-choice banks. Practice completing partial scripts and matching drag-and-drop concepts so the format itself isn't a surprise on test day.
Registration and Retake Mechanics
The 200-901 CCNAAUTO exam is closed-book. You'll sign Cisco's confidentiality agreement, go through identity verification, and follow standard proctoring rules whether you sit at a test center or use OnVUE at home.
If you don't pass on the first attempt, you cannot immediately rebook. You must wait five full calendar days, beginning the day after your attempt, before retesting. There's no discount for retakes - standard attempts cost the same USD 300 as the initial exam. Full eligibility details, including what counts as an authorized identification document, are covered in CCNA Automation Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
Blueprint Versioning: v1.0 vs v1.1
This is a detail that catches even careful candidates off guard. The official exam-topics page and Cisco's June 2026 Cisco Live briefing identify the current blueprint as v1.1. However, the exam-overview page on Cisco's site still retains a v1.0 label. Always study from the exam-topics page listing v1.1 rather than assuming the overview page reflects the newest version.
This versioning gap is also why legacy DevNet Associate practice materials can be misleading - some content overlaps, but you should never treat old question banks as automatically current. Free practice environments like the Cisco DevNet Sandbox are genuinely useful for hands-on API and programmability work, but pair them with a current blueprint checklist, not an outdated study plan.
Who Hires CCNA Automation Holders
Because the blueprint spans scripting, APIs, Cisco platform tooling, and infrastructure automation, the certification signals a specific hybrid skill set: enough networking fundamentals to be credible on infrastructure, plus enough software literacy to automate it. That combination typically appeals to teams responsible for:
- Network automation and NetDevOps initiatives inside larger IT organizations
- Infrastructure teams migrating manual configuration tasks to scripted, API-driven workflows
- Platform and DevOps groups that need someone fluent in both Cisco environments and automation tooling
For a broader look at the types of roles and job titles associated with this credential, see CCNA Automation Jobs, and for a realistic assessment of return on the certification investment, read Is the CCNA Automation Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026.
Must-Know Topic Checklist by Domain
Use this as a rapid self-check before exam day. If any bullet feels unfamiliar, that's your next study session.
Software Development and Design (15%)
Foundational coding and design concepts that underpin every automation task.
- Code structure and reusable design patterns
- Data formats used in automation workflows
Cisco Platforms and Development (15%)
Working knowledge of Cisco-specific platforms and how development interacts with them.
- Platform-specific tooling and interfaces
- Development practices tied to Cisco environments
Application Deployment and Security (15%)
Deploying applications responsibly while keeping security top of mind.
- Secure deployment practices
- Common security considerations in automated pipelines
Network Fundamentals (15%)
Core networking knowledge that grounds every automation scenario in real infrastructure.
- Fundamental networking concepts as they apply to automated environments
For the complete objective-by-objective expansion of every domain listed above, cross-reference this checklist against the CCNA Automation Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 6 Content Areas so nothing on the blueprint slips through.
Final-Week Review Plan
Generic study techniques only work if they're mapped to this specific blueprint's weight distribution. Since Understanding and Using APIs and Infrastructure and Automation together account for 40% of the exam, your final review week should be weighted accordingly.
API Deep Review
- Re-run hands-on exercises in the Cisco DevNet Sandbox focused on API authentication and response handling
- Drill script-completion practice items tied to API workflows
Infrastructure and Automation Deep Review
- Revisit Infrastructure as Code and version control concepts
- Practice drag-and-drop items matching automation tooling steps
Remaining Four Domains
- Spend proportionally less time here since each is weighted at 15%
- Focus only on topics flagged weak during self-checks
Logistics and Light Review
- Confirm Pearson VUE appointment details, whether test center or OnVUE
- Light review only - avoid cramming new material
If you want a complete week-by-week plan built from day one rather than just the final stretch, see the CCNA Automation Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt. And for realistic practice under timed conditions before your actual appointment, run through scenario-based questions on 200901exam.com's practice tests.
Certification Validity and Renewal
Once earned, CCNA Automation stays active for three years. Renewal at the associate level requires 30 Continuing Education credits, which you can obtain through eligible training and approved activities. One of the simplest paths: passing another associate-level certification exam earns the full 30 credits needed for renewal.
Knowing this upfront helps with long-term career planning - if you're already targeting another associate-level Cisco credential within the three-year window, that exam can double as your renewal mechanism. For a numbers-first view of what candidates actually pay across the certification's full lifecycle, revisit the CCNA Automation Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown.
Frequently Asked Questions
The exam is 200-901 CCNAAUTO, titled Automating Networks Using Cisco Platforms, administered through Pearson VUE.
The exam fee is USD 300, and standard retake attempts cost the same amount as the original attempt.
Understanding and Using APIs and Infrastructure and Automation each carry 20% weight, together representing 40% of the exam - the largest concentration of any two domains on the blueprint.
The certification remains active for three years. Renewal at the associate level requires 30 Continuing Education credits, which can include credits earned by passing another associate-level exam.
No. There are no formal prerequisites or mandatory training requirements to register for the 200-901 CCNAAUTO exam.
For deeper explanations of terminology, name changes, and exact definitions used throughout this cheat sheet, see companion resources like What Is CCNA Automation?, CCNA Automation Meaning, and What Does CCNA Automation Stand For?. When you're ready to test your readiness under realistic conditions, head back to 200901exam.com and start a practice session.