The Importance of APIs for Cisco DNA Center and vManage

The Importance of APIs for Cisco DNA Center and vManage

Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) candidates preparing for the 350-401 ENCOR exam should understand the importance of APIs for Cisco DNA Center and vManage. APIs, or Application Programming Interfaces, are essential for automating network operations and improving network performance. Both DNA Center and vManage are powerful network management solutions that provide complete visibility and control of network infrastructure. Using APIs can unlock the true power of DNA Center and vManage as they integrate with other systems, automate tasks and provide real-time insights.

The Benefits of APIs for Network Automation

The DevOps Institute conducted a recent survey indicating network automation as a top priority for organizations globally. 69% of respondents from the survey revealed their intention to automate network operations within the next 12-24 months. Developers can create scripts that can interact with network devices and perform tasks automatically with APIs, which are critical for achieving the goal.

Automating the configuration of network devices like routers, switches and firewalls is possible with APIs. Developers can write scripts with APIs to configure multiple devices simultaneously, rather than manually configuring each device. By using APIs to configure multiple devices simultaneously, time is saved and the risk of human error is reduced.

APIs have the capability to integrate with other systems like ITSM platforms and SIEM tools, making them more beneficial for network automation. Integrating with these systems enables network operations teams to quickly identify and resolve network performance and security issues by gaining real-time insights.

APIs for Cisco DNA Center

Cisco DNA Center is a network management solution that provides complete visibility and control of network infrastructure. It permits network operations teams to manage every aspect of the network, including devices, users, and applications. Developers can automate network operations and interact with the system because DNA Center contains a REST API.

Configuration management, device inventory, and network analytics are part of the wide range of functions that the DNA Center API provides access to. Developers can retrieve device configurations or modify them in real-time using the API. The network analytics data obtained using the API, such as traffic patterns and application usage, can optimize network performance.

Integrating with other systems is one of the DNA Center API's significant benefits. Integrating it with ITSM platforms like ServiceNow automates the creation of tickets for network issues. Integrating it with security platforms like Cisco Umbrella applies security policies to network traffic.

APIs for vManage

Cisco's vManage is another network management solution that provides complete visibility and control of network infrastructure. Designed for use with SD-WAN deployments, vManage allows network operations teams to manage all aspects of the network, including devices, users, and applications.

The vManage API enables developers to interact with the system and automate network operations. The vManage API comprises device management, configuration management, and network analytics and other functions. Using the API, developers can retrieve device configurations, modify policies and manage network traffic.

Integrating with other systems is one of the vManage API's significant benefits. Integrating it with SIEM tools like Splunk provides real-time insights into network security issues. Integrating it with network testing tools like ThousandEyes provides visibility into network performance.

Conclusion

Automating network operations and enhancing network performance necessitate the use of APIs. This is especially true for network management solutions like Cisco DNA Center and vManage. The APIs provided by these systems allow developers to automate tasks, integrate with other systems, and gain real-time insights into network performance and security issues. CCNP candidates preparing for the 350-401 ENCOR exam should understand the importance of APIs for network automation and be familiar with the APIs provided by DNA Center and vManage.