Specify the Output Format for Operational Information Requests in a NETCONF Session
In a NETCONF session, to request information about a Junos device, a client
application emits an <rpc> element that encloses a Junos XML
request tag element. To request that the NETCONF server return the output in a
specific format, the client application includes the optional
format attribute in the opening operational request tag. The
application can request output in Extensible Markup Language (XML)-tagged format,
JavaScript Object Notation (JSON), or formatted ASCII text. The syntax is as
follows:
<rpc>
<operational-request format="(ascii | json | json-minified | text | xml | xml-minified)">
<!-- tag elements for options -->
</operational-request>
</rpc>
Table 1 describes the available formats. Minified formats remove characters that are not required for computer processing, for example, spaces, tabs, and newlines. Minified formats decrease the size of the data, and as a result, can reduce transport costs and data delivery and processing times.
format Attribute Value |
Description |
|---|---|
ascii |
Formatted ASCII text |
json |
JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) |
json-minified |
JSON format with unnecessary spaces, tabs, and newlines removed |
text |
Formatted ASCII text |
xml |
Junos XML-tagged format |
xml-minified |
Junos XML-tagged format with unnecessary spaces, tabs, and newlines removed |
XML Format
By default, the NETCONF server returns operational information in XML format. If the
format attribute is set to xml or if the
format attribute is omitted, the server returns the response in
XML. The following example requests information for the ge-0/3/0 interface and omits
the format attribute.
<rpc>
<get-interface-information>
<brief/>
<interface-name>ge-0/3/0</interface-name>
</get-interface-information>
</rpc>
]]>]]>The NETCONF server returns the information in XML format, which is identical to the
output displayed in the CLI when you append the | display xml
filter to the operational mode command.
<rpc-reply xmlns="urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:netconf:base:1.0"
xmlns:junos="http://xml.juniper.net/junos/11.4R1/junos">
<interface-information
xmlns="http://xml.juniper.net/junos/11.4R1/junos-interface" junos:style="brief">
<physical-interface>
<name>ge-0/3/0</name>
<admin-status junos:format="Enabled">up</admin-status>
<oper-status>down</oper-status>
<link-level-type>Ethernet</link-level-type>
<mtu>1514</mtu>
<source-filtering>disabled</source-filtering>
<speed>1000mbps</speed>
<bpdu-error>none</bpdu-error>
<l2pt-error>none</l2pt-error>
<loopback>disabled</loopback>
<if-flow-control>enabled</if-flow-control>
<if-auto-negotiation>enabled</if-auto-negotiation>
<if-remote-fault>online</if-remote-fault>
<if-device-flags>
<ifdf-present/>
<ifdf-running/>
<ifdf-down/>
</if-device-flags>
<if-config-flags>
<iff-hardware-down/>
<iff-snmp-traps/>
<internal-flags>0x4000</internal-flags>
</if-config-flags>
<if-media-flags>
<ifmf-none/>
</if-media-flags>
</physical-interface>
</interface-information>
</rpc-reply>
]]>]]>Operational command RPCs also support returning XML output in minified format, which
omits unnecessary spaces, tabs, and newlines. To request minified XML output in
supported releases, include the format="xml-minified" attribute in
the opening request tag. For example:
<rpc>
<get-interface-information format="xml-minified">
<brief/>
<interface-name>ge-0/3/0</interface-name>
</get-interface-information>
</rpc>
]]>]]>The NETCONF server returns the information in minified XML format.
<rpc-reply xmlns="urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:netconf:base:1.0" xmlns:junos="http://xml.juniper.net/junos/21.1R1/junos"> <interface-information xmlns="http://xml.juniper.net/junos/21.1R1/junos-interface" junos:style="brief"><physical-interface><name>ge-0/3/0</name><admin-status junos:format="Enabled">up</admin-status><oper-status>down</oper-status><link-level-type>Ethernet</link-level-type><mtu>1514</mtu><source-filtering>disabled</source-filtering><speed>1000mbps</speed><bpdu-error>none</bpdu-error><l2pt-error>none</l2pt-error><loopback>disabled</loopback><if-flow-control>enabled</if-flow-control><if-auto-negotiation>enabled</if-auto-negotiation><if-remote-fault>online</if-remote-fault><if-device-flags><ifdf-present/><ifdf-running/><ifdf-down/></if-device-flags><if-config-flags><iff-hardware-down/><iff-snmp-traps/><internal-flags>0x4000</internal-flags></if-config-flags><if-media-flags><ifmf-none/></if-media-flags></physical-interface></interface-information></rpc-reply>]]>]]>
JSON Format
Starting in Junos OS Release 14.2, you can display operational and configuration data
in JSON format. To request that the NETCONF server return operational information in
JSON format, the client application includes the format="json"
attribute in the opening operational request tag.
<rpc>
<get-interface-information format="json">
<brief/>
<interface-name>cbp0</interface-name>
</get-interface-information>
</rpc>
]]>]]>
When the client application includes the format="json" attribute in
the request tag, the NETCONF server formats the reply using JSON.
<rpc-reply xmlns="urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:netconf:base:1.0"
xmlns:junos="http://xml.juniper.net/junos/16.1R1/junos">
{
"interface-information" : [
{
"attributes" : {"xmlns" : "http://xml.juniper.net/junos/16.1R1/junos-interface",
"junos:style" : "brief"
},
"physical-interface" : [
{
"name" : [
{
"data" : "cbp0"
}
],
"admin-status" : [
{
"data" : "up",
"attributes" : {"junos:format" : "Enabled"}
}
],
"oper-status" : [
{
"data" : "up"
}
],
"if-type" : [
{
"data" : "Ethernet"
}
],
"link-level-type" : [
{
"data" : "Ethernet"
}
],
"mtu" : [
{
"data" : "1514"
}
],
"speed" : [
{
"data" : "Unspecified"
}
],
"clocking" : [
{
"data" : "Unspecified"
}
],
"if-device-flags" : [
{
"ifdf-present" : [
{
"data" : [null]
}
],
"ifdf-running" : [
{
"data" : [null]
}
]
}
],
"ifd-specific-config-flags" : [
{
"internal-flags" : [
{
"data" : "0x0"
}
]
}
],
"if-config-flags" : [
{
"iff-snmp-traps" : [
{
"data" : [null]
}
]
}
]
}
]
}
]
}
</rpc-reply>
]]>]]>
Starting in Junos OS Release 17.3R1, devices running Junos OS support emitting the
device’s operational state in compact JSON format, in which only objects that have
multiple values are emitted as JSON arrays. To configure the device to emit compact
JSON format, configure the compact statement at the [edit
system export-format state-data json] hierarchy level.
Operational command RPCs also support returning JSON output in minified format, which
omits unnecessary spaces, tabs, and newlines. To request minified JSON output in
supported releases, include the format="json-minified" attribute in
the opening request tag. For example:
<rpc>
<get-interface-information format="json-minified">
<brief/>
<interface-name>cbp0</interface-name>
</get-interface-information>
</rpc>
]]>]]>
The NETCONF server returns the information in minified JSON format.
<rpc-reply xmlns="urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:netconf:base:1.0" xmlns:junos="http://xml.juniper.net/junos/21.1R1/junos">
{"interface-information":[{"physical-interface":[{"name":[{"data":"cbp0"}],"admin-status":[{"data":"up","attributes":{"junos:format":"Enabled"}}],"oper-status":[{"data":"up"}],"if-type":[{"data":"Ethernet"}],"link-level-type":[{"data":"Ethernet"}],"mtu":[{"data":"9192"}],"speed":[{"data":"Unspecified"}],"clocking":[{"data":"Unspecified"}],"if-device-flags":[{"ifdf-present":[{"data":[null]}],"ifdf-running":[{"data":[null]}]}],"ifd-specific-config-flags":[{}],"if-config-flags":[{"iff-snmp-traps":[{"data":[null]}]}]}]}]}</rpc-reply>
]]>]]>
ASCII Format
To request that the NETCONF server return operational information as formatted ASCII
text instead of tagging it with Junos XML tag elements, the client application
includes the format="text" or format="ascii"
attribute in the opening request tag.
<rpc>
<get-interface-information format="(text | ascii)">
<brief/>
<interface-name>ge-0/3/0</interface-name>
</get-interface-information>
</rpc>
]]>]]>
When the client application includes the format="text" or
format="ascii" attribute in the request tag, the NETCONF server
formats the reply as ASCII text and encloses it in an
<output> tag element. The format="text"
and format="ascii" attributes produce identical output.
<rpc-reply xmlns="urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:netconf:base:1.0"
xmlns:junos="http://xml.juniper.net/junos/11.4R1/junos">
<output>
Physical interface: ge-0/3/0, Enabled, Physical link is Down
Link-level type: Ethernet, MTU: 1514, Speed: 1000mbps, Loopback: Disabled,
Source filtering: Disabled, Flow control: Enabled, Auto-negotiation: Enabled,
Remote fault: Online
Device flags : Present Running Down
Interface flags: Hardware-Down SNMP-Traps Internal: 0x4000
Link flags : None
</output>
</rpc-reply>
]]>]]>The following example shows the equivalent operational mode command executed in the CLI:
user@host> show interfaces ge-0/3/0 brief Physical interface: ge-0/3/0, Enabled, Physical link is Down Link-level type: Ethernet, MTU: 1514, Speed: 1000mbps, Loopback: Disabled, Source filtering: Disabled, Flow control: Enabled, Auto-negotiation: Enabled, Remote fault: Online Device flags : Present Running Down Interface flags: Hardware-Down SNMP-Traps Internal: 0x4000 Link flags : None
The formatted ASCII text returned by the NETCONF server is identical to the CLI output except in cases where the output includes disallowed characters such as '<' (less-than sign), '>' (greater-than sign), and '&' (ampersand). The NETCONF server substitutes these characters with the equivalent predefined entity reference of '<', '>', and '&' respectively.
If the Junos XML API does not define a response tag element for the type of output
requested by a client application, the NETCONF server returns the reply as formatted
ASCII text enclosed in an <output> tag element, even if
XML-tagged output is requested.
The content and formatting of data within an <output> tag
element are subject to change, so client applications must not depend on
them.