200-901 Understanding and Using APIs Practice Question
A developer is using NETCONF to retrieve the running configuration of a network device. Which operation should be used?
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
✓
<get-config>
The <get-config> operation retrieves configuration from a datastore (e.g., running).
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
<get>
Why it's wrong here
<get> returns state data and, with an appropriate filter, configuration, but it is not the operation that specifically retrieves running configuration. It is tempting because it is a valid retrieval operation, yet <get-config> with a running source is the precise choice for reading configuration.
- ✗
<copy-config>
Why it's wrong here
NETCONF's <copy-config> writes a complete configuration datastore to a target, replacing its contents wholesale; it cannot read the running configuration. It is tempting because it does move configuration data, and would be correct when pushing a saved configuration onto a device or restoring a datastore.
- ✓
<get-config>
Why this is correct
NETCONF's <get-config> operation retrieves configuration data from a specified datastore, such as <running/>, which is exactly the stem's requirement. It differs from <get>, which returns state and operational data, and from <edit-config>, which modifies configuration.
- ✗
<edit-config>
Why it's wrong here
<edit-config> writes configuration changes to the datastore; it retrieves nothing. It is tempting because it is the core NETCONF configuration operation, and it would be correct when pushing or merging a candidate configuration, but reading the running configuration requires a retrieval operation instead.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 200-901 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 200-901 exam.