350-401 Automation Practice Question
A network engineer is using Cisco SD-WAN vManage APIs to automate the deployment of a new branch site. The engineer needs to retrieve a list of all devices in the overlay network. Which REST API endpoint should the engineer use?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse the device inventory endpoint with the device template endpoint, which manages configuration templates rather than listing devices.
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 /dataservice/device
The vManage REST API provides the /dataservice/device endpoint to retrieve a list of all devices in the SD-WAN overlay. This endpoint returns details such as device IP, hostname, model, and status. It is the standard way to obtain device inventory for automation scripts. Other endpoints serve different purposes, such as templates or connections.
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 /dataservice/network/connections
Why it's wrong here
The /dataservice/network/connections endpoint provides information about network connections or tunnels between devices, not a list of devices. It is used for monitoring overlay topology and connectivity. While useful for troubleshooting, it does not return a device inventory. The engineer needs a list of devices, not connections.
- ✗
GET /dataservice/template/device
Why it's wrong here
The /dataservice/template/device endpoint is used to manage device templates, not to list devices. It returns information about templates that can be applied to devices. While templates are used for configuration, they do not provide a list of deployed devices. This endpoint would not give the engineer the desired inventory.
- ✗
GET /dataservice/system/device
Why it's wrong here
The /dataservice/system/device endpoint does not exist in the vManage API. The correct endpoint for device inventory is /dataservice/device. Using an incorrect endpoint would result in a 404 error. The engineer must use the documented API paths to avoid errors and ensure successful automation.
- ✓
GET /dataservice/device
Why this is correct
The /dataservice/device endpoint in vManage REST API returns a list of all devices managed by vManage, including their system IP, hostname, and status. This is the correct endpoint for retrieving device inventory. It supports filtering and pagination. The engineer can use this to identify devices for further automation tasks.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
SDN Controllers and Cisco ACI
Key term
Cisco SD-WAN
Cisco SD-WAN is a software-defined wide area network architecture that separates the control and data planes to centrally manage and optimize traffic across multiple WAN connections.
Key term
REST API for Network Devices
A REST API for network devices is a set of rules that allows software applications to communicate with routers, switches, and firewalls using standard web methods like GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE over HTTP or HTTPS.
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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 350-401 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 350-401 exam.