In ncclient, which module is responsible for establishing the NETCONF connection?

The Manager module in ncclient is responsible for establishing the NETCONF connection. This module acts as an interface for users to interact with NETCONF servers. It encapsulates the creation and management of the session while handling the low-level details of the connection process. When you create an instance of the Manager class, it initializes the transport layer, sets up the session, and connects to the NETCONF server using the specified parameters like IP address and credentials.

The Manager class not only establishes the connection but also provides methods for sending NETCONF RPC calls to the server, handling responses, and managing the ongoing session. This makes it the key component for user interaction with the NETCONF protocol through nlclient.

Other modules mentioned provide auxiliary functionality or lower-level operations but do not directly facilitate the establishment of the connection itself. The Connection module, for example, typically handles the underlying transport mechanism, and the Transport module is focused on the protocols involved. The Session module manages state but is ultimately encapsulated within the functionality of the Manager module, which is designed expressly for managing the overall NETCONF interaction process.