350-401 Automation Practice Question
A network engineer needs to programmatically retrieve the operational status of all GigabitEthernet interfaces on a Cisco IOS XE device. The engineer wants to use a REST-based protocol that returns data in JSON and uses HTTP methods. The device is configured with 'restconf' and 'ip http secure-server'. Which protocol should the engineer use?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that NETCONF is the only model-driven programmatic interface for Cisco IOS XE, overlooking that RESTCONF provides a RESTful alternative with JSON support.
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 over HTTPS
RESTCONF is the correct choice because it is a REST-based protocol that uses HTTP methods and supports JSON encoding. It is enabled on Cisco IOS XE with the 'restconf' command and leverages the HTTPS server. The other options either use different transports (NETCONF over SSH), different data formats (SNMP), or are not REST-based (SSH CLI).
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
SSH with CLI commands
Why it's wrong here
SSH with CLI commands is a legacy method that returns text output, not structured JSON. It does not use HTTP methods and is not REST-based. Although it can retrieve interface status, it fails the requirement for a REST-based protocol with JSON encoding.
- ✓
RESTCONF over HTTPS
Why this is correct
RESTCONF is a REST-based protocol that uses HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE) and supports JSON encoding. It is enabled on IOS XE with the 'restconf' command and uses the HTTPS server. This matches the requirement to retrieve interface status programmatically with JSON and HTTP.
- ✗
SNMPv3 with JSON output
Why it's wrong here
SNMPv3 is a management protocol that uses OIDs and does not natively return JSON. It is not REST-based and does not use HTTP methods. While SNMP can retrieve interface status, the requirement for JSON and HTTP methods makes SNMP incorrect here.
- ✗
NETCONF over SSH
Why it's wrong here
NETCONF uses SSH as its transport and XML for encoding, not HTTP or JSON. While NETCONF can retrieve operational state, it does not use HTTP methods and does not natively return JSON. This scenario explicitly requires a REST-based protocol with JSON, so NETCONF is incorrect.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
SDN Controllers and Cisco ACI
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.
Key term
NETCONF Protocol
NETCONF is a network management protocol that uses a structured data format to configure, retrieve, and modify network devices in a standard, programmatic way.
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every 350-401 question from scratch — 1,923 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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.