Software Suggestion API V2 Rejecting Valid PIDs

[V-EZHILNILAVAN]

Hello Cisco DevNet Team,

I am encountering an issue with the Cisco Software Suggestion API V2 when retrieving recommended software versions for certain devices.

I obtain the Product ID (PID) by entering a device’s serial number into the Cisco SNCheck Tool, which correctly returns a valid PID. However, when I pass these PIDs into the Software Suggestion API V2, I receive the following error response:

{
"errorDetailsResponse": {
"errorCode": "S3_INV_BASEPID",
"errorDescription": "Please enter valid basePID",
"suggestedAction": "Supply Valid basePID",
"inputIdentifier": ""
}
}

This issue occurs inconsistently—some PIDs are accepted, while others fail, even though they are valid and recognized by other Cisco tools.

Affected API Endpoint:
POST /software/suggestion/v2/suggestions/pid

Request Body Example:
{
"pidList": ["WS-C4510R+E"]
}

Response Received:
{
"errorDetailsResponse": {
"errorCode": "S3_INV_BASEPID",
"errorDescription": "Please enter valid basePID"
}
}

Examples of Failing PIDs:

1. VG310 (VG350-144FXS/K9) – Voice Gateway

2. WS-C4510R+E – Catalyst Switch

Attachments:

• Screenshot of a valid API response for a different PID

• Screenshot of an invalid response for one of the failing PIDs

Request for Assistance:

• Can you confirm why some valid PIDs are rejected by Software Suggestion API V2 while others work fine?

• Are there known limitations for certain device types like voice gateways or catalyst switches?

• Is there an updated list of supported PIDs for this API version?

This issue is affecting automation workflows that rely on retrieving software recommendations. Please advise on how to resolve this.

[AshSe]

Hello @V-EZHILNILAVAN 

Here are the Possible Causes:

1. API Data Lag/Inconsistency: The Software Suggestion API might not have the most up-to-date PID information. The SNCheck tool and the API could be drawing from different databases with varying refresh rates. This is a common problem with large, complex systems.

2. PID Format Sensitivity: The API might be extremely sensitive to the exact PID format. Even slight variations (e.g., spaces, capitalization, special characters) could cause it to reject the PID.

3. API Scope Limitations: The Software Suggestion API V2 might not support all Cisco products. It's possible that certain device types (like voice gateways or older Catalyst switches) are excluded from the API's scope, even if they are valid Cisco products.

4. API Bugs: It's always possible there's a bug in the API itself.

5. Entitlement/Access Issues: Although less likely given that some PIDs work, there could be an entitlement issue associated with your API key or account that prevents access to information for certain product families.

Kindly acknowledge and let me know if you need troubleshooting steps to fix this issue.

Hope This Helps!!!

AshSe

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[Torbjørn]

Hello @V-EZHILNILAVAN,

The + symbol is used to represent a space symbol in querystrings. The server is hence decoding this as "WS-C4510R E". Replace it with %2B which represents the + symbol and it should work fine. You can use modules like urlencode in python to handle this automatically.