If the certified and working directories are not the same, what does the CMM do with the running configuration?

• A. Moves running configuration to RAM
• B. Keeps running configuration as the certified directory
• C. Discards running config
• D. Changes the running config to match working

Answer: (B)

When there are two sources for the device’s configuration—the trusted certified copy and the working copy—the system prioritizes stability by keeping the active running configuration aligned with the certified baseline. If the certified and working copies aren’t the same, the CMM preserves the running configuration as defined by the certified directory, rather than pulling in changes from the unapproved working copy. This protects the device from deploying unverified or unapproved changes, ensuring that only certified configurations influence the running state.

In practice, if you want the running config to reflect changes from the working directory, you’d first need to certify those changes or reconcile the differences so the certified copy matches your intended state. The other options would either attempt to move or discard configurations or apply unverified changes, which would undermine the trusted baseline.