Mental model
Cisco objective 3.7 (CCNAAUTO 200-901) says “Describe the appropriate DevNet resource for a given scenario (Sandbox, Code Exchange, support, forums, Learning Labs, and API documentation)”. Pick the right tool for the task.
DevNet (developer.cisco.com) is Cisco’s developer portal. Five parts matter for the exam.
| Resource | Purpose | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Sandbox | Pre-built live Cisco environments you can call | ”I need to test my REST script against a real Catalyst Center” |
| Code Exchange | Open-source Cisco API scripts | ”Has anyone built a script for X?” |
| Learning Labs | Guided tutorials by platform | ”I am new to the Meraki API and want a step-by-step” |
| API documentation | Reference per endpoint | ”What is the exact URL / body for this call?” |
| Support + Community | Forums, Stack Overflow, DevNet Discord | ”I am stuck and need another human” |
Sandbox
Reservable instances of real Cisco products that you can call. Two kinds:
- Always-on sandboxes — public endpoints you can hit immediately, no reservation. Credentials in the sandbox doc page. Perfect for a first API call.
- Reservation sandboxes — bigger topologies you book for a few hours. You get a VPN or SSH jump host plus credentials.
Common CCNA Automation sandboxes:
- Cisco Catalyst Center (DNA Center) — always-on + reservable
- Meraki Dashboard — always-on (sample org with a sample switch/AP)
- Webex — your personal account is already a sandbox
- Catalyst 9000 switches with IOS-XE / RESTCONF — reservable
- NX-OS Nexus 9000 — reservable
- Firepower, ISE — reservable
Pick a sandbox when you want real responses without touching production.
Code Exchange
A searchable catalogue of Cisco-related GitHub repos. Filter by product (Meraki, Catalyst Center, Webex, Firepower …), language (Python, Go, JavaScript), use case. Not everything is maintained; check last commit and issues before relying on a script.
Pick Code Exchange when you want a head start instead of writing from scratch.
Learning Labs
Guided, step-by-step tutorials. A full lab walks you from “I have an API key” to “my script creates a network, verifies it, deletes it”. Takes 30 to 90 minutes typically.
Pick Learning Labs when you are learning a new platform’s API and want structure.
API documentation
The canonical reference for each endpoint. Four sections you re-read on every doc page:
- The URL and method.
- Auth requirements.
- Request parameters (path, query, body).
- Example response.
Pick API docs when you know what you want to do and need the exact shape of the request.
Support + Community
- Community (community.cisco.com) — official forums with product experts.
- Stack Overflow (
[cisco]+ product tags) — faster for pure code questions. - DevNet Discord — real-time chat with other engineers.
- TAC (Technical Assistance Center) — paid product support. Only when the product itself is broken, not for coding help.
Decision tree
| Your question | Reach for |
|---|---|
| ”What is the right URL for X?” | API docs |
| ”Does anyone have a script that does X?” | Code Exchange |
| ”I want to try the Catalyst Center API without affecting prod” | Sandbox |
| ”I am learning the Meraki API from zero” | Learning Labs |
| ”My script throws an error I cannot find in the docs” | Community or Stack Overflow |
| ”The product itself has a bug” | TAC |
FAQ
Do I need a paid Cisco account for DevNet? No. A free Cisco account works for everything except reservations that cost compute credits (most are free).
Which sandbox do I pick for CCNA Automation prep? Start with Meraki (always-on, simplest auth). Then Catalyst Center (reservable, token-based auth). Then an IOS-XE / RESTCONF sandbox for Domain 3.6.
Is DevNet Associate the same as CCNA Automation? Yes. Cisco rebranded DevNet Associate (DEVASC) as CCNA Automation under the new “CCNA family” naming. Same 200-901 exam code, same blueprint, new label.