Top 42 Python

for Network
Device
Interaction MCQ
Q&A with
Explanations
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1. Which Python library is commonly used for SSH communication with network devices?
A) Flask
B) Netmiko
C) Django
D) BeautifulSoup
Correct Answer: B) Netmiko
Explanation: Netmiko is a Python library designed for SSH connections to network devices,
allowing for interaction and automation.

2. What is the purpose of the send_command method in Netmiko?

A) To send a file to the device
B) To send a command to the device and retrieve the output
C) To reset the network device
D) To initiate a backup
Correct Answer: B) To send a command to the device and retrieve the output
Explanation: The send_command method in Netmiko sends a command to the device and
returns the output, enabling automated device management.

3. What is required to use Paramiko for SSH interaction with a network device?
A) A valid SSH key
B) A web browser
C) An internet connection
D) A Python compiler
Correct Answer: A) A valid SSH key
Explanation: Paramiko uses SSH keys or passwords to authenticate and establish a secure
connection with network devices.

4. In Python, how do you execute a command on a network device using Paramiko?

A) exec_command()
B) send_command()
C) run_command()
D) execute_command()
Correct Answer: A) exec_command()
Explanation: In Paramiko, the exec_command() method is used to send a command to the
remote device and retrieve its output.

5. What is the main purpose of using Python for interacting with network devices?
A) To create user interfaces for devices
B) To automate configuration and monitoring tasks
C) To replace the devices entirely
D) To reduce the need for network security
Correct Answer: B) To automate configuration and monitoring tasks
Explanation: Python is used to automate repetitive network tasks like configuration,
monitoring, and data collection, making network management more efficient.

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6. Which of the following libraries allows interaction with network devices through
Telnet?
A) Telnetlib
B) Netmiko
C) Paramiko
D) Requests
Correct Answer: A) Telnetlib
Explanation: Telnetlib is a Python library for interacting with devices via Telnet, although
Netmiko can also be used for both SSH and Telnet connections.

7. Which command is used to connect to a network device using Netmiko?

A) connect()
B) ssh_connect()
C) ConnectHandler()
D) start_connection()
Correct Answer: C) ConnectHandler()
Explanation: ConnectHandler() is used to initiate a connection to the network device in
Netmiko by providing connection parameters.

8. How does Python handle large outputs from network devices?

A) By ignoring the output
B) By saving the output to a text file
C) By truncating the output
D) By buffering and displaying the output
Correct Answer: D) By buffering and displaying the output
Explanation: Python buffers the output, allowing the user to handle large amounts of data
and process it as needed.

9. What Python data structure is often used to store device command outputs?
A) Lists
B) Tuples
C) Dictionaries
D) Strings
Correct Answer: A) Lists
Explanation: Lists are used to store device command outputs, especially when multiple
outputs need to be processed or analyzed.

10. How do you retrieve command output in Python from a device after sending a
command with Netmiko?
A) Use the send_command() function
B) Use the execute() function
C) Use the get_output() function
D) Use the run() function
Correct Answer: A) Use the send_command() function
Explanation: The send_command() function in Netmiko sends the command to the device
and retrieves the output for further processing.
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11. Which command can be used to format output data in Python for readability?
A) format()
B) print()
C) pretty_print()
D) clean()
Correct Answer: A) format()
Explanation: The format() method in Python can be used to clean and format output data
for better readability and structure.

12. Which of the following is a key benefit of automating device configuration with
Python?
A) Increased manual work
B) Error-prone tasks
C) Consistency and efficiency in configuration management
D) Network downtime
Correct Answer: C) Consistency and efficiency in configuration management
Explanation: Automating device configuration with Python ensures consistent, error-free
configurations across devices, improving efficiency and reducing human error.

13. How can you parse structured device output such as show interfaces in Python?
A) By manually reading the output
B) By using regular expressions
C) By ignoring the output
D) By saving it to a file
Correct Answer: B) By using regular expressions
Explanation: Regular expressions allow parsing and extracting relevant information from
structured device output, such as show interfaces.

14. What Python function can be used to send a command to a Cisco device and retrieve
the output?
A) send_command()
B) exec_command()
C) run_command()
D) ssh_send()
Correct Answer: A) send_command()
Explanation: The send_command() function is used in Python to send commands and
receive outputs from network devices like Cisco routers.

15. How can Python be used to backup device configurations automatically?

A) By writing configuration to a local file
B) By saving configurations to a cloud server
C) By using a manual backup method
D) By creating a configuration file on the device
Correct Answer: A) By writing configuration to a local file
Explanation: Python scripts can automate the backup of network device configurations by
connecting via SSH or Telnet and saving the configuration to a local file.
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16. Which of the following is an example of a show command output that can be parsed
using Python?
A) show ip route
B) show vlan brief
C) show version
D) All of the above
Correct Answer: D) All of the above
Explanation: Python can parse outputs from various show commands (e.g., show ip route,
show vlan brief, and show version) to retrieve specific data for automation.

17. How do you automate changes to configurations across multiple devices using Python?
A) By manually entering configuration commands on each device
B) By writing a Python script that iterates over devices and applies changes
C) By using a GUI tool
D) By modifying the device firmware
Correct Answer: B) By writing a Python script that iterates over devices and applies changes
Explanation: Python scripts can automate configuration changes across multiple devices by
connecting to each device and applying the changes.

18. What does the save_config() function do in a network automation script?

A) It saves the current script
B) It saves device configuration to a backup file
C) It saves all device logs
D) It saves the output of a command
Correct Answer: B) It saves device configuration to a backup file
Explanation: The save_config() function is used to save a device's configuration to a file,
ensuring backup and easy restoration.

19. Which Python function is used to close an SSH connection once the interaction is
complete?
A) close()
B) disconnect()
C) exit()
D) end_session()
Correct Answer: A) close()
Explanation: The close() function is used to terminate the SSH session after interaction with
the device is complete.

20. What is the main use of Python's show run command in network automation?
A) To restart the network device
B) To display the device’s running configuration
C) To perform diagnostics on the device
D) To configure a device
Correct Answer: B) To display the device’s running configuration
Explanation: The show run command displays the device’s running configuration, which can
be retrieved and analyzed using Python for automation.
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21. Which Python method is used to check if a device is reachable before sending
commands?
A) ping()
B) is_reachable()
C) check_connection()
D) connect()
Correct Answer: A) ping()
Explanation: The ping() method can be used to check if a device is reachable on the network
before proceeding with further commands.

22. What is the function of the timeout parameter in network device interaction scripts?
A) It specifies how long to wait for the device to respond before the connection is
terminated
B) It specifies how long the device will remain offline
C) It sets the time for the device to perform tasks
D) It limits the number of commands that can be sent
Correct Answer: A) It specifies how long to wait for the device to respond before the
connection is terminated
Explanation: The timeout parameter controls how long the Python script will wait for a
response from the device before terminating the session.

23. Which command would you use to retrieve the device hostname using Python?
A) show hostname
B) show running-config
C) show version
D) show sys
Correct Answer: A) show hostname
Explanation: The show hostname command provides the device's hostname, which can be
retrieved and parsed using Python.

24. What is the primary benefit of automating configuration backups in Python?

A) Manual intervention is always required
B) Ensures periodic backups with less human error
C) The device configuration can be lost if automated
D) Backup files are automatically encrypted
Correct Answer: B) Ensures periodic backups with less human error
Explanation: Automating configuration backups ensures that they are taken regularly and
reduces the chances of human error or forgetting to back up important configurations.

25. Which Python library is commonly used to interact with network devices over SSH for
automation tasks?
A) Requests
B) Paramiko
C) Twisted
D) Pillow
Correct Answer: B) Paramiko
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Explanation: Paramiko is a Python library used for SSH-based network automation tasks,
allowing communication with network devices securely.

26. Which of the following is an example of a network automation task that can be
performed using Python?
A) Collecting logs from devices
B) Updating device firmware
C) Sending email alerts
D) Configuring network devices
Correct Answer: D) Configuring network devices
Explanation: Python can be used to automate the configuration of network devices,
reducing the need for manual intervention.

27. How do you collect device output from multiple devices in a network using Python?
A) Manually connect to each device
B) Use a Python script with a list of device IPs and iterate through them
C) Only use the CLI on a single device
D) Execute a script only on the main device
Correct Answer: B) Use a Python script with a list of device IPs and iterate through them
Explanation: Python can iterate through a list of devices and collect output from each
device, streamlining network automation tasks.

28. What is a primary reason for automating network configuration with Python in large
networks?
A) To reduce human error and improve efficiency
B) To increase manual intervention in configuration tasks
C) To replace network devices entirely
D) To reduce network security
Correct Answer: A) To reduce human error and improve efficiency
Explanation: Automating network configuration reduces human error and ensures
consistency, especially in large networks.

29. What is the key advantage of using Python for backup and restoration of
configurations?
A) It can be done without authentication
B) It allows for quick, repeatable backups across multiple devices
C) It requires more manual processes
D) It works only with Cisco devices
Correct Answer: B) It allows for quick, repeatable backups across multiple devices
Explanation: Python can automate the backup and restoration of configurations across
multiple devices, making the process faster and more reliable.

30. How can Python help in restoring device configurations from a backup?
A) By manually applying the configuration to each device
B) By using Python scripts to load the backup file onto the device
C) By replacing the device with a new one
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D) By using the device’s built-in recovery mode

Correct Answer: B) By using Python scripts to load the backup file onto the device
Explanation: Python scripts can automate the process of restoring a configuration backup to
devices, saving time and reducing errors.

31. What method in Netmiko allows you to send an entire configuration file to a network
device?
A) send_config_set()
B) load_config()
C) send_file()
D) send_commands()
Correct Answer: A) send_config_set()
Explanation: The send_config_set() method in Netmiko is used to send a list of
configuration commands to a device.

32. How do you handle large configuration outputs from network devices in Python?
A) Store the output in a dictionary
B) Use regular expressions to extract data
C) Ignore the excess data
D) Print the entire output to the console
Correct Answer: B) Use regular expressions to extract data
Explanation: Python’s regular expressions allow you to extract relevant parts from large
outputs, making it easier to process and analyze the data.

33. How can you automate configuration changes to multiple network devices using
Python?
A) By manually applying the configuration to each device
B) By writing a Python script to iterate through the devices and apply changes
C) By using the device's web interface
D) By writing a configuration template for each device
Correct Answer: B) By writing a Python script to iterate through the devices and apply
changes
Explanation: Python scripts can automate the process of applying configuration changes to
multiple devices, saving time and ensuring consistency.

34. Which command would you use to test connectivity to a network device from a
Python script?
A) ping
B) tracepath
C) is_up()
D) check_connection()
Correct Answer: A) ping
Explanation: The ping command can be used to test network connectivity from a Python
script to verify whether a device is reachable.

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35. What does the send_config_from_file() method in Netmiko do?

A) Sends a list of configuration commands to a device
B) Sends a single configuration command to a device
C) Sends an entire configuration file to a device
D) Initiates a backup of device configuration
Correct Answer: C) Sends an entire configuration file to a device
Explanation: The send_config_from_file() method in Netmiko allows you to send the
contents of a configuration file to a network device.

36. Which Python function allows you to execute a command and retrieve the output
from multiple devices in parallel?
A) multithreaded_exec()
B) execute_commands_parallel()
C) threaded_run()
D) concurrent.futures
Correct Answer: D) concurrent.futures
Explanation: The concurrent.futures module in Python allows for the parallel execution of
commands across multiple devices, improving efficiency.

37. How can you automate the collection of device logs using Python?
A) By manually logging into each device
B) By using Python to SSH into the device and retrieve the log files
C) By configuring the device to email logs
D) By scheduling regular backups
Correct Answer: B) By using Python to SSH into the device and retrieve the log files
Explanation: Python can automate the retrieval of logs from network devices by SSHing into
the devices and pulling the log files for analysis.

38. Which of the following Python libraries is primarily used for device interaction via
SSH?
A) Paramiko
B) Requests
C) Pytest
D) NumPy
Correct Answer: A) Paramiko
Explanation: Paramiko is the primary Python library used to interact with devices over SSH
for network automation tasks.

39. How would you parse a CSV file containing device configurations for automation in
Python?
A) Using open() and reading line by line
B) Using csv.reader() to read and parse the file
C) Using json.load()
D) Using xml.etree.ElementTree
Correct Answer: B) Using csv.reader() to read and parse the file

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Explanation: The csv.reader() function in Python is used to read and parse CSV files, making
it easier to work with structured data for automation.

40. Which of the following would you use to handle errors during network automation
tasks in Python?
A) try and except
B) catch and raise
C) if and else
D) finally and raise
Correct Answer: A) try and except
Explanation: Python's try and except blocks are used for error handling, allowing you to
catch exceptions and handle them gracefully during network automation tasks.

41. What is the primary purpose of using the send_config_set() method in Netmiko?
A) To send a single configuration command
B) To send a series of configuration commands
C) To run operational commands
D) To retrieve the current configuration
Correct Answer: B) To send a series of configuration commands
Explanation: The send_config_set() method allows you to send multiple configuration
commands at once, enabling bulk configuration changes.

42. How would you modify a Python script to handle device authentication failures?
A) By using the try and except block to catch authentication exceptions
B) By using a while loop to retry the connection
C) By ignoring the error and continuing with the next device
D) By manually logging in and then running the script
Correct Answer: A) By using the try and except block to catch authentication exceptions
Explanation: Using try and except blocks in Python allows you to catch authentication errors
and handle them appropriately, such as by retrying or logging the failure.

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