200-901 Cisco Platforms and Development Practice Question
A network engineer is using Cisco IOS XE RESTCONF to retrieve the hostname of a device. The device has already enabled netconf-yang and restconf. Which URL path should be used?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse RESTCONF resource types (data vs. config vs. operations) and forgetting the mandatory YANG module prefix and container hierarchy, which leads candidates to choose simplified but invalid paths like /restconf/data/hostname.
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
✓
/restconf/data/Cisco-IOS-XE-native:native/hostname
The correct URL path for retrieving configuration data via RESTCONF is /restconf/data/{module-name}:{container-path}. In Cisco IOS XE, the hostname is modeled under the Cisco-IOS-XE-native module within the 'native' container, so the full path is /restconf/data/Cisco-IOS-XE-native:native/hostname. This follows RFC 8040, which defines the 'data' resource for accessing configuration and state data, and requires the module name prefix when the node is not in the default namespace.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
/restconf/data/hostname
Why it's wrong here
The path omits the Cisco-IOS-XE-native module and the native container, so it does not resolve to the hostname leaf in the IOS XE YANG model. A bare /restconf/data/hostname returns an error; module-qualified paths are required.
- ✓
/restconf/data/Cisco-IOS-XE-native:native/hostname
Why this is correct
The YANG module Cisco-IOS-XE-native models native IOS XE configuration, and its hostname leaf sits under the native container. RESTCONF addresses data nodes as /restconf/data/{module}:{container}/{leaf}, so this path retrieves the hostname directly, satisfying the requirement to read that value over RESTCONF.
- ✗
/restconf/operations/hostname
Why it's wrong here
The /restconf/operations path invokes RPC-style YANG operations such as custom actions, not data retrieval. Reading the hostname is a GET against a data resource, so this path returns no hostname value; operations are used for executing defined RPCs.
- ✗
/restconf/config/Cisco-IOS-XE-native:native/hostname
Why it's wrong here
The config datastore returns only explicitly configured values, and hostname is typically absent there, yielding no result. The operational datastore reflects running state and is where the hostname actually resides. Config is tempting because it mirrors startup configuration, which is the correct choice when retrieving persisted, non-default settings.
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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.