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200-901 Practice Question: An automation tool uses RESTCONF to configure a…
An automation tool uses RESTCONF to configure a Cisco device. The device returns a 404 error for a PUT request. What does this indicate?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between HTTP status codes in RESTCONF/NETCONF contexts, and the trap here is that candidates confuse 404 (resource not found) with 400 (bad request) or 401 (authentication failure), especially when the PUT request seems syntactically correct but targets a non-existent resource.
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
✓
The resource does not exist
A 404 (Not Found) response to a RESTCONF PUT request indicates that the target resource (e.g., a specific YANG data node or URI) does not exist on the device. RESTCONF uses HTTP methods to manipulate resources identified by URIs; a PUT request is intended to create or replace a resource at that URI, but if the resource path is invalid or the data model node is not present, the server returns 404. This is consistent with RFC 8040, which defines the RESTCONF protocol.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The server is overloaded
Why it's wrong here
Server overload returns 503 Service Unavailable, not 404; RESTCONF uses 404 specifically for an unknown resource path. It is tempting because a failing device can seem busy, but overload is signalled by 5xx status codes, while 404 is a client-side resource-addressing error.
- ✗
The request body is malformed
Why it's wrong here
A 404 means the target resource URI does not exist on the device, so the PUT path is wrong; malformed bodies produce 400 Bad Request instead. It is tempting because PUT carries configuration data, but body validation failures map to 400, not 404.
- ✗
Authentication failed
Why it's wrong here
Authentication failure returns 401 Unauthorized (or 403 Forbidden), not 404; RESTCONF reserves 404 for a URI that does not resolve to a resource. It is tempting because credential problems block configuration, but the status code distinguishes authorisation from resource existence.
- ✓
The resource does not exist
Why this is correct
HTTP 404 means the server cannot locate the target URI, so the RESTCONF datastore path referenced in the PUT does not exist on the device. The request is syntactically valid but addresses an absent resource, matching the stem's scenario precisely.
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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.