350-501 Automation and Assurance Practice Question
A network engineer needs to automate configuration of multiple Cisco routers and wants to use a protocol that supports both datastore operations and selective retrieval of configuration. Which protocol should be used?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between NETCONF and RESTCONF, where candidates may pick RESTCONF because it is simpler or more modern, but the question's emphasis on 'selective retrieval' and 'datastore operations' points to NETCONF's richer filtering and transactional capabilities.
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
✓
NETCONF
NETCONF (RFC 6241) is the correct choice because it is designed specifically for network configuration management, supporting full datastore operations (e.g., <get-config>, <edit-config>, <copy-config>) and selective retrieval of configuration data using subtree or XPath filtering. This aligns directly with the engineer's requirement for both datastore operations and selective retrieval.
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 used for monitoring and management, not for configuration automation.
- ✗
gRPC
Why it's wrong here
gRPC is typically used for streaming telemetry, not for configuration management.
- ✓
NETCONF
Why this is correct
NETCONF supports full datastore operations and selective retrieval using XPath filters.
- ✗
OpenFlow
Why it's wrong here
OpenFlow is a protocol for SDN forwarding, not for device configuration.
- ✗
RESTCONF
Why it's wrong here
RESTCONF, while providing HTTP-based access to YANG data models for configuration management and supporting datastore operations, does not natively provide the same granular, standardised filtering capabilities for selective retrieval as protocols like NETCONF. It primarily relies on URI paths and query parameters, which can be less precise than NETCONF's XML-based `<filter>` operation. However, RESTCONF is an excellent choice for integrating network automation with web-based applications and tools, leveraging familiar RESTful principles and JSON/XML payloads for device configuration and monitoring.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 350-501 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 350-501 exam.