300-420 Question 295
Single answerA network engineer is designing an automation solution for a multi-vendor environment. The solution requires the use of a protocol to configure and manage the devices' data models, with a preference for a RESTful API approach. Which protocol should the engineer choose, and what are the key differences between the two available options, NETCONF and RESTCONF?
- A
NETCONF, as it uses XML exclusively and supports robust configuration management with transaction capabilities.
- B
RESTCONF, as it uses RESTful APIs, supports both JSON and XML, and aligns well with modern web-based interfaces.
- C
NETCONF, as it is designed for lightweight RESTful interactions and is optimized for web-based applications.
- D
RESTCONF, as it uses a binary encoding format to reduce payload size and is better suited for high-performance environments.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
The key difference between NETCONF and RESTCONF lies in their approach to interaction and data models. NETCONF is designed for robust configuration management using RPCs and XML, while RESTCONF provides a lightweight, RESTful API interface that works well with modern applications and supports both JSON and XML. In this scenario, RESTCONF is the better choice to meet the requirements of a RESTful API approach in a multi-vendor environment.
- A. Incorrect.
NETCONF uses XML exclusively and supports configuration management with features like transactions and rollbacks, but it does not use RESTful APIs. This makes it less suited for environments requiring RESTful web-based interactions.
- B. Correct.
RESTCONF leverages RESTful APIs, supports both JSON and XML data formats, and is designed to align with modern web-based interfaces, making it a better choice for environments requiring RESTful interaction.
- C. Incorrect.
NETCONF is not designed for RESTful interactions; it is built on XML and uses RPCs over SSH, which makes it a strong option for configuration management but not for lightweight, RESTful interactions.
- D. Incorrect.
RESTCONF does not use a binary encoding format; it uses standard HTTP methods and supports JSON and XML. Binary encoding is associated with protocols like gRPC, not RESTCONF.