Cisco DNA Center is considered to be at the heart of Cisco’s intent-based network architecture. Cisco DNA Center would be supporting the expression of business intent for network use cases, like base automation capabilities in the enterprise network. The Assurance and Analytics features of Cisco DNA Center would be providing end-to-end visibility into the network with full context through data as well as insights.

• Intent API (Northbound)

The Intent API is considered to be a Northbound REST API that would be exposing specific capabilities of the Cisco DNA Center platform. The Intent API would be providing the policy-based abstraction of business intent, which would be allowing focus on an outcome rather than struggling with individual mechanisms steps. The RESTful Cisco DNA Center Intent API would be utilizing HTTPS verbs (GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE) with JSON structures for discovering and controlling the network.

• Multivendor Support (Southbound)

Cisco DNA Center would be allowing customers for managing their non-Cisco devices through the utilization of an SDK (Software Development Kit) that could be utilized for creating Device Packages for third-party devices. Encapsulation of third-party components would be allowed for an integrated view of the network consistent with the DNA Center abstraction. A Package Device would be enabling the Cisco DNA Center for communicating to third-party devices by mapping Cisco DNA Center features to their southbound protocols.

• Events and Notifications (Eastbound)

The Cisco DNA Center platform would be providing the ability for establishing a notification handler when specific events would be triggered, like the Cisco DNA Assurance as well as Automation (SWIM) events. This mechanism would be enabling external systems to take action in response to an event. Notifications might also be triggered by events inner DNA Center events.

• Integration API (Westbound)

Integration capabilities are considered to be part of Westbound interfaces. In order to meet the need for scaling and accelerating operations in modern data centers, IT operators require intelligent, end-to-end workflows that would be built with open APIs. The Cisco DNA Center platform would be providing mechanisms for integrating Cisco DNA Assurance workflows as well as data with third-party ITSM (IT Service Management) solutions. Before we discuss about the vManage APIs, you should opt for the training courses which are being offered at the SPOTO Club, if you wish to gain more information regarding the APIs for Cisco DNA Center.

vManage APIs

The vManage REST API library, as well as documentation, would be bundled with and installed on the vManage web application software.

• Performing REST API Operations on a vManage Web Server

For transferring data from a vManage web server utilizing a utility like the Python, you should follow this procedure:

1. Establishing a session to the vManage web server.
2. Issuing the desired API call.

• Establishing a Session to the vManage Server

When you would be utilizing a program or script for transferring data from a vManage web server or perform operations on the server, you should be first establishing an HTTPS session to the server.

You could find the documentation for this call under the Monitoring Device Details resource collection. This call is considered to be a GET request, as well as it would be also indicating the URL for utilizing to send the request. The call returns a JSON object that is considered to be large because it would be containing device information for all devices in the network. The output would be returned on a single line. For filtering the results of this call so you would be gaining the information only for a single device, you add query string parameters.

If you wish to acquire more knowledge regarding APIs, you should opt for the training courses which are being offered at the SPOTO Club.