Switching from consul client to consul dataplane, what's the recommended method to connect to the consul server HTTP API?

Consul
1

I am using the Consul Client (daemonset) in my current setup, and I have enabled the ACL and using the consul SDK to register the microservices to the Consul Server via provided HTTP API.

I am planning to migrate to the Consul Dataplane, understand that the service mesh feature auto register and can do discovery via annotation in the pod. However, there’s a use case i would like to call the Consul Server HTTP API, i.e. using the kv / manual discovery / etc.

Is that possible for me to connect to the HTTP API at port 8500 with Consul Dataplane?

  1. what’s the recommended way of configuration?
  2. If i connect directly via kubernetes service like consul-server.consul.svc:8500, is this recommended and what’s the downside?

Thank you