What is the difference between deploying a template and associating a template?

Mismatch handling

Both associating and deploying a template create a deployment of the template to the NSP network.

The difference between the two processes is in how they handle a mismatch between the template configuration and configuration already present on the target:

Attention: For NSP to discover the target configuration when you associate the template, the target NE must be configured using MD-CLI.

If an attribute on the target NE was not configured using MD-CLI, it will be marked misaligned when the template is associated. In the Audit Result form, the Actual Value field will show the value as undefined.