Why Is a Fabric-Enabled WLC Not Discovered by DNA Center?
Short answer
D NETCONF must be enabled on the fabric-enabled WLC for Cisco DNA Center to discover and manage it.
Question
Key Takeaways
Tests DNA Center discovery prerequisites for SD-Access fabric WLCs, with the trap of choosing SNMP management when general discovery credentials are already working for other controllers.
Cisco DNA Center discovery of fabric-enabled WLAN controllers requires NETCONF; this page explains why a single undiscovered controller points to missing NETCONF rather than SNMP or firewall issues.
Common mistake: Many choose SNMP management (B) because SNMP is a standard discovery credential, but the question's fabric context and the four working controllers indicate NETCONF is the missing fabric-specific element.
Expert Analysis
Why the Answer Is Correct
Cisco DNA Center uses NETCONF (TCP port 830) to discover and manage fabric-enabled devices in an SD-Access fabric, including fabric WLAN controllers. If NETCONF is not enabled on the WLC, DNA Center cannot properly discover it as a fabric node, even when SNMP and CLI credentials are correct and firewall rules are consistent. Since four out of five controllers are discovered successfully, the shared credentials and firewall rules are not the issue; the single controller is missing the fabric-specific NETCONF configuration. Enabling NETCONF on that WLC resolves the discovery problem.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
A. YANG is a data modeling language used by NETCONF, but its presence or absence does not affect device discovery; it is not a transport protocol. B. SNMP management is mandatory for basic device discovery, but the question states that four controllers are discovered with the same firewall rules, implying SNMP is configured correctly across the board; the fabric requirement points to NETCONF. C. SNMP trap is used for event notifications and assurance data, not for initial device discovery, so a missing trap destination would not prevent discovery.
Community Comment Notes
As rrahim noted, "If NETCONF is not enabled or properly configured on the WLC, it will not be discovered" by Cisco DNA Center, highlighting the fabric-specific requirement. However, 1bc4e4b argued that "For discovery, one set of CLI credentials and one set of SNMP credentials" is mandatory, which is true generally but does not explain why only one fabric-enabled WLC fails. Le91 also mentioned that "Netconf (Network Configuration Protocol) could also play a role in the discovery process" for fabric controllers, aligning with the correct answer.
Exam Strategy
When troubleshooting DNA Center discovery, isolate shared versus device-specific settings: if multiple devices fail, suspect credentials, firewall, or routing; if a single fabric device fails, check fabric-specific protocols like NETCONF. Remember that NETCONF (TCP 830) is required for SD-Access fabric devices, including WLCs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is SNMP management (B) not the missing element here?
What port does NETCONF use for DNA Center discovery?
Community Votes
67% of anonymous learners picked answer D. Votes are pick records left by other test-takers — they are not the verified answer.
Discussion 3 contributions
Compiled from public community threads and reader submissions, lightly edited for clarity. Handles and vote tallies are shown as recorded, and comments reflect the views of individual contributors.
From public community threads 3
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rrahim 👍 1 Answered DNETCONF: This protocol is used for device discovery and configuration in Cisco DNA Center and SD-Access environments. If NETCONF is not enabled or properly configured on the WLC, it will not be discovered by Cisco DNA Center, even if firewall rules are the same for all controllers. Why not the other options? A. YANG: YANG is a data modeling language used with NETCONF but is not directly responsible for device discovery. B. SNMP Management: SNMP is used for monitoring and managing devices but is not the primary protocol for discovery in SD-Access environments. C. SNMP Trap: SNMP traps are used for event notifications and are not related to device discovery.
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Le91 👍 1If the discovery issue is related to the fabric-enabled WLAN controllers, Netconf (Network Configuration Protocol) could also play a role in the discovery process, especially if the controllers are managed through Netconf.
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1bc4e4b 👍 1 Answered BFor discovery, one set of CLI credentials and one set of SNMP credentials (SNMPv2c Read, SNMPv2cWrite, or SNMPv3) is mandatory.
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