Drag and Drop Question Drag and drop characteristics from the left onto the infrastructure management methodologies on the right. Answer:

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Explanation

This question tests the understanding of characteristics that differentiate device-level network management from controller-level network management in modern network automation paradigms.

Approach. The correct interaction involves dragging and dropping the characteristics from the left side into the appropriate 'Device Level' or 'Controller Level' categories on the right side, based on their technical definitions and common usage in network automation. The correct mapping, as shown in the solution image, is:

Device Level:

• 'exposes RESTCONF as Northbound API': RESTCONF is a protocol specifically designed for configuring and monitoring network devices programmatically, often implemented directly on the device itself. Therefore, a device exposes RESTCONF for direct management.
• 'supported by standards such as YANG models': YANG (Yet Another Next Generation) is a data modeling language used to define configuration and state data for network devices. Protocols like NETCONF and RESTCONF, which operate at the device level, heavily rely on YANG models.

Controller Level:

• 'uses REST as Northbound API': An SDN (Software-Defined Networking) controller or network orchestrator typically exposes a generic RESTful API as its Northbound interface. This API allows higher-level applications, orchestration systems, or business applications to interact with and control the network centrally, abstracting away individual device complexities.
• 'integrates to ITSM tools using Westbound APIs': A controller's primary role includes centralized management, automation, and integration with broader IT ecosystems. While often thought of as Northbound, 'Westbound APIs' can refer to APIs used for inter-controller communication or communication between a controller and other management systems like ITSM (IT Service Management) tools, facilitating workflow automation and service fulfillment. This characteristic highlights the controller's role as an integration point within a larger enterprise IT environment, which is not a function of individual network devices directly.

Common mistakes.

• common_mistake. A common mistake would be to misattribute the characteristics between Device Level and Controller Level. For example:
• Dragging 'exposes RESTCONF as Northbound API' to 'Controller Level' would be incorrect because RESTCONF is primarily for direct device configuration, not a general-purpose Northbound API for an SDN controller.
• Dragging 'uses REST as Northbound API' to 'Device Level' would be incorrect because while some devices might offer basic REST APIs, a generic, abstracting REST Northbound API is a hallmark of a centralized controller.
• Placing 'supported by standards such as YANG models' under 'Controller Level' would be wrong because YANG models are fundamental to defining the capabilities and data structures of network devices, not the controller's general-purpose interface.
• Attributing 'integrates to ITSM tools using Westbound APIs' to 'Device Level' is incorrect as individual devices do not typically integrate directly with ITSM tools; this integration is handled by a centralized controller or orchestration layer.

Concept tested. Network automation architectures, Software-Defined Networking (SDN) principles, distinctions between device-level and controller-level management, types of APIs (Northbound, Westbound) in network automation, and the role of data models like YANG.

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