CCNA AI and Network Operations Practice Question
A network engineer at a small branch office needs to quickly verify the current operational state of a Cisco Catalyst 9200 switch using a REST-based API. The switch runs Cisco IOS XE 17.x. Which protocol should the engineer use to send HTTP requests directly to the switch's RESTCONF interface?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often confuse NETCONF with RESTCONF because both are YANG-based; NETCONF uses SSH and XML RPCs, not HTTP methods.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
HTTPS
RESTCONF is an HTTP-based protocol that uses HTTPS to carry RESTful operations against YANG-modeled data. On Cisco IOS XE 17.x, enabling the RESTCONF feature allows a client to send GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, and DELETE requests to manipulate configuration and retrieve operational state. The other protocols listed do not use HTTP verbs, so they cannot directly interact with RESTCONF endpoints.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
SNMPv3
Why it's wrong here
SNMPv3 is a management protocol that uses a different data model (MIB objects) and transport (UDP ports 161/162). It does not accept HTTP verbs and cannot directly invoke RESTCONF resources. While SNMPv3 can retrieve interface statistics, it does not provide the RESTful, YANG-driven configuration and state access that RESTCONF offers, so it fails the requirement here.
- ✓
HTTPS
Why this is correct
RESTCONF uses HTTPS as its transport protocol, sending standard HTTP methods such as GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, and DELETE to manipulate YANG-modeled data. IOS XE 17.x exposes RESTCONF on port 443 by default. Using HTTPS ensures the request and response payloads are encrypted and authenticated, which is required for secure programmatic management of the switch.
- ✗
SSH
Why it's wrong here
SSH provides a secure CLI session for interactive or scripted command execution, but it is not an HTTP-based API. Sending HTTP requests over SSH is not how RESTCONF operates. While SSH is used for NETCONF transport, it does not expose RESTCONF resources. The engineer needs an HTTP-capable protocol, which SSH is not.
- ✗
NETCONF
Why it's wrong here
NETCONF is a complementary programmatic interface that uses SSH as transport and XML-based RPCs, not HTTP. Although NETCONF can also manipulate YANG data, it does not use HTTP methods like GET or POST. The scenario explicitly asks for HTTP requests to the RESTCONF interface, so NETCONF is the wrong protocol despite being a valid Cisco IOS XE management API.
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Key term
Switch
A switch is a networking device that connects devices on a local area network and uses MAC addresses to forward data only to the intended recipient.
Key term
YANG
YANG is a data modeling language used to define the structure and constraints of data exchanged between network devices and management applications.
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Cisco exam blueprint
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