What is a characteristic of Cisco DNA Northbound APIs?

Cisco DNA Center Architecture

What is a characteristic of Cisco DNA Northbound APIs?

  1. They utilize multivendor support APIs.
  2. They simplify the management of network infrastructure devices.
  3. They utilize RESTCONF.
  4. They enable automation of network infrastructure based on intent. Source Reference Answer

Community Votes

D
100%

100% of anonymous learners picked answer D. Votes are pick records left by other test-takers — they are not the verified answer.

Community Insight

The exam tests the distinction between Northbound (REST/JSON, Intent-based) and Southbound (NETCONF/RESTCONF/XML, Device Management) APIs, where the common trap is confusing the transport protocol of the Southbound interface with the functional purpose of the Northbound interface.

Cisco DNA Center Northbound APIs are RESTful interfaces designed to enable intent-based automation and orchestration of the network infrastructure. Community consensus confirms that while Southbound APIs use protocols like NETCONF/RESTCONF, Northbound APIs focus on abstracting complexity to allow business intent to drive network behavior.

Option C is the most common wrong answer because candidates confuse the protocols used for Northbound (REST/JSON) with those used for Southbound (NETCONF/RESTCONF/XML) communications.

Community Discussion (6 comments)

NazgulNr5 👍 6
It's C & D as the DNA-C northbound API is using RESTCONF.
chiacche 👍 2 Selected: D
REST API, JSON -> NB NETCONF, RESTCONF, XML -> SB
AbdullahMohammad251 👍 1 Selected: D
A. a characteristic of Southbound APIs B. a characteristic of southbound APIs C. Cisco DNA center uses RESTful APIs for northbound communication and NETCONF, or RESTCONF APIs for southbound communications.
supershysherlock 👍 2 Selected: D
Northbound APIs, especially in the context of intent-based networking (IBN) like Cisco DNA Center, are considered to be intent-based.
slacker_at_work 👍 4 Selected: D
While Cisco DNA Northbound APIs may support RESTCONF, it is just one protocol used for interacting with the APIs. The primary purpose of the Northbound APIs is to enable automation and orchestration based on intent.
Mizuchan 👍 3 Selected: D
Correct

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Expert Analysis

Why the Answer Is Correct

Option D is correct because Cisco DNA Center Northbound APIs are designed to expose the network's capabilities to external applications and orchestration systems, enabling intent-based automation. These APIs allow administrators to define business goals (intent), which the system then translates into network configurations. This abstraction is the defining characteristic of the Northbound interface in an Intent-Based Networking (IBN) architecture.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

Option A is incorrect because Northbound APIs are specific to the Cisco DNA Center platform and are not inherently "multivendor" in their definition, though they can integrate with third-party tools. Options B and C describe characteristics of Southbound APIs; Southbound APIs are responsible for simplifying device management and typically utilize protocols like NETCONF and RESTCONF (XML) to communicate with infrastructure. Option C is a specific distractor, as RESTCONF is a Southbound protocol in the Cisco DNA architecture, not a Northbound one.

Community Comment Notes

Community discussions highlight a frequent debate between Options C and D. Comment [3] and [5] clarify the protocol mapping: Northbound uses REST/JSON, while Southbound uses NETCONF/RESTCONF/XML. Comment [2] emphasizes that while RESTCONF might be seen in some contexts, the primary purpose and characteristic of the Northbound API is intent-based automation, making D the superior answer for the 350-401 exam.

Official Reference

Exam Strategy

When encountering questions about Cisco DNA Center APIs, immediately categorize the options into 'Northbound' (REST, JSON, Intent, Orchestration) and 'Southbound' (NETCONF, RESTCONF, XML, Device Management). If an option mentions a specific protocol like RESTCONF or NETCONF, it is almost always describing the Southbound interface.

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