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Solve the following problem using Python, implementing the functions described below, one line at a time
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Description:

def _nxapi_request(commands,
                   method='cli_conf',
                   **kwargs):
    '''
    Helper function to send exec and config requests over NX-API.

    commands
        The exec or config commands to be sent.

    method: ``cli_show``
        ``cli_show_ascii``: Return raw test or unstructured output.
        ``cli_show``: Return structured output.
        ``cli_conf``: Send configuration commands to the device.
        Defaults to ``cli_conf``.
    '''
    if salt.utils.platform.is_proxy():
        return __proxy__['nxos._nxapi_request'](commands, method=method, **kwargs)
    else:
        api_kwargs = __salt__['config.get']('nxos', {})
        api_kwargs.update(**kwargs)
        return __utils__['nxos.nxapi_request'](commands, method=method, **api_kwargs)