200-901 Infrastructure and Automation Practice Question
A network automation engineer needs to retrieve the current interface configuration from a Cisco IOS XE device using RESTCONF. The device has RESTCONF enabled and the engineer wants to read the configuration data for interfaces in the 'ietf-interfaces' model. Which HTTP method and URL format should the engineer use?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse RESTCONF's data path with NETCONF datastores or older draft URLs that used /restconf/config/ or /restconf/operational/.
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 https://device/restconf/data/ietf-interfaces:interfaces
RESTCONF maps YANG models to HTTP resources. To read configuration or state data, use GET with a URL rooted at /restconf/data/, followed by the module name and a colon, then the data node path. The ietf-interfaces module defines the interfaces container, so the correct URL is GET https://device/restconf/data/ietf-interfaces:interfaces.
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 https://device/restconf/data/ietf-interfaces:interfaces
Why this is correct
RESTCONF uses HTTP GET to read data, and the data resource is addressed under /restconf/data/ followed by the module name and a colon, then the container path. This URL matches the standard RESTCONF structure for retrieving the interfaces container from the ietf-interfaces YANG module, so it returns the requested configuration data.
- ✗
GET https://device/restconf/operational/ietf-interfaces:interfaces
Why it's wrong here
The /restconf/operational/ path is used in older RESTCONF drafts or in some NETCONF-derived models, but the current RESTCONF specification uses /restconf/data/ for both configuration and state data. The operational path is not the correct base for retrieving configuration data in a standards-compliant RESTCONF implementation.
- ✗
POST https://device/restconf/data/ietf-interfaces:interfaces
Why it's wrong here
POST is used to create a resource or invoke an operation, not to read existing configuration. Sending POST to the interfaces container without a body or with an incomplete body would likely fail or create unintended data. Reading configuration requires the safe, idempotent GET method, not POST.
- ✗
GET https://device/restconf/config/ietf-interfaces/interfaces
Why it's wrong here
The path structure is incorrect for RESTCONF. The standard base path is /restconf/data/, not /restconf/config/, and the module name must be separated from the node by a colon, as in ietf-interfaces:interfaces. This URL would not resolve to the intended YANG data node.
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JA
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
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.