Which capability automatically provisions new branch devices with minimal manual intervention?

• A. VLAN trunk negotiation
• B. OSPF sham links
• C. Zero-touch provisioning
• D. STP alignment

Answer: (C)

Zero-touch provisioning automates the onboarding of new branch devices so they configure themselves with minimal manual intervention. When a new device boots, it starts up with a basic, internet-facing path to a central provisioning service. Through DHCP or other boot-time mechanisms, the device learns where to reach the provisioning server, securely downloads the correct operating system image, and pulls the appropriate configuration templates, certificates, and policies from the management controller. The device then authenticates itself, registers with the orchestration system, and automatically applies the policy learned from the central system. As a result, the device becomes operational in the fabric without a technician having to connect to it locally or manually configure it.

This approach is particularly valuable in SD-WAN for branch sites because it supports scalable, consistent onboarding across many locations, reduces truck rolls, and ensures each device joins with the correct security posture and tenant-specific settings.

The other options relate to aspects like how traffic is carried on links (VLAN trunk negotiation), routing edge behavior for specific network topologies (OSPF sham links), or relatively unrelated protocol alignment tasks (STP), none of which automate the initial provisioning and onboarding of new devices.