NOTE: This article has moved to the new VMware {code} blog. Please visit https://blogs.vmware.com/code/2017/11/18/vmware-cloud-certification-services-journey-saas-transformation/ to read the article.
The Developer Blog Has Moved!
Developer Center is now VMware {code} and we have a new blog at blogs.vmware.com/code. Here you will find the latest and greatest tips, tutorials, and news for developers on a wide range of topics from vSphere and PowerCLI to DevOp and cloud-native apps.
This blog will remain alive as an archive so you can refer back to old posts you may have bookmarked. Thanks for reading!
Visit the new website: https://code.vmware.com/
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/vmwarecode
Questions or feedback? Email us at code@vmware.com
Getting Started with vSphere’s API Explorer
Every time I talk to users, there’s always one consistent theme: learning to use vSphere’s APIs is difficult. With the new release of vSphere 6.5, we’ve taken aim at improving that experience with the API Explorer. The API Explorer allows users to connect to the API endpoint and then browse and interact with available REST based APIs and their calls. This includes available parameters, expected responses, what response status codes may mean, and much more. If you’ve happened to use the Managed Object Browser, or MOB, think of that… but on steroids!
Accessing the API Explorer
Accessing the API Explorer is incredibly easy. It’s available on any API endpoint whether that be a vCenter server (appliance or Windows based) or external PSC appliance. Browse to: https://vcenter.fqdn/apiexplorer
First Look
After having loaded the API Explorer’s interface, it’s time to start looking around and seeing what’s available. There are two items that should jump out immediately, the login option and the “Select API” dropdown.
If you want to really interact with the API itself, you should log in. The login prompt accepts SSO based credentials, similar to what would be used to log into the vSphere client itself.
The “Select API” dropdown box allows the selection of available API. The APIs available on the endpoint are dependent upon the role the endpoint has.
Example: an External PSC appliance won’t have the same APIs and calls available to it as does the vCenter Server appliance.
Common APIs:
- Appliance – handles calls to the underlying VMware appliance
- CIS – Common Infrastructure Services, handles calls involving tagging
- Content – handles calls involves the Content Library
- vAPI – vSphere API, handles calls regarding the API endpoint
- vCenter – handles calls to involving the vCenter
Browsing the API Explorer
Let’s take a look around the API Explorer now that we have our bearings.
With the vcenter API selected, expand the “GET /vcenter/cluster” operation.
On the above screen, we can see the path to make the call and the method. However, the API Explorer also gives some other information such as the expected response class, parameters and potential response messages. Clicking on those items expands and collapses additional information. Here’s some examples:
API Explorer Example – Response Class
API Explorer Example – Cluster Filter Parameters
API Explorer Example – Response Messages
My favorite part is right below those areas, the “Try It Out!” button. Clicking on that button performs the operation directly within the browser. It then provides a bunch of information such as an example cURL statement, the request’s URL, as well as the request’s body, status code, and headers.
Conclusion
The API Explorer is a great way to orient to and discover vSphere’s REST based APIs. Not only does it provide lots of information and additional context around the API calls, it even helps users start making those calls.
What’s New with Developer and Automation Interfaces for vSphere 6.5?
VMworld Europe 2016 wrapped up last week and there’s been a lot of new and exciting products and features announced. One of the more exciting things that have been announced have been around the automation and development space.
As seen from the keynote in Barcelona (see about 35 minutes in), VMware is taking the developer and automation specialists seriously. In the new vSphere 6.5 release we are providing simplified and modern API interfaces and giving customers their choice of access with language bindings and automation tools to a fresh new modern set of APIs.
What’s New
VMware vCenter has received some new extensions to its REST based API. In vSphere 6.0, this API set provides the ability to manage the Content Library and Tagging but now also includes the ability to manage and configure the vCenter Server Appliance (VCSA) based functionality and basic VM management.
VCSA API
The VCSA’s new and simplified REST based API will consistently be able to manage things like how to access the appliance, managing user accounts, checking on the health of the appliance or even the services of the appliance itself, networking configurations like firewall rules or proxy settings, being able to provide a file based backup or restore of appliance and even managing system settings like NTP or just checking the uptime or version.
Virtual Machine API
Additional functionality has been added for handling the management of VMs, using the range of interfaces (including REST) you will be able to read information, create, update and even delete VMs, as well as setting their power state and working with the hardware. Some example hardware tasks would be connecting the CD-ROM, updating the RAM allotment, adding a network adapter, removing a hard disk, and so forth.
All of this not just available via the developer and automation tooling but also simplified to make sure they are easily discoverable and the use of strong defaults means you only specify the information that is needed, a simple example of this means that to create a VM is now as easy as 12 lines of JSON and a single API call.
Discover the APIs with the new API Explorer
What’s the best way to learn about these awesome new APIs? How about checking out the API Explorer that lives on the vCenter. It’s available on the vCenter server at the following URL: http://*vCenter URL*/apiexplorer Once connected, the API Explorer will display information about the numerous endpoints available in order to easily understand the API models. The API Explorer also allows users to expand each API call and check out the required fields, understand the request body, see the available filter information, as well as a list of response messages. One of my favorite capabilities, the ability to click a button and trying out the calls live!
Process Improvements
Due to how the above APIs are defined, we also have the ability to greatly improve our turnaround time on providing resources! This process allows us to provide a number of developer and automation based tool integrations out of the box.
The SDK with new improved, simplified samples will include Java, .NET, Python, Ruby, and Perl.
This also allows our automation tools to be provided on day 0 as well. The associated PowerCLI cmdlets, Datacenter CLI commands (new in 6.5), vRealize Orchestrator workflows, and so forth are all part of the process. Lastly, and probably the best part, the documentation is created as well. The documentation will be fully featured and much easier to understand!
Summary
vSphere 6.5 brings all the features and improvements from above and many more. One thing is certain though, the future is bright when it comes to VMware’s developer and automation interfaces. This blog post shows a summary of a lot of new features that each deserve their own blog posts, watch this blog over the next couple of months as there will be several more blog posts diving further into each of these areas!
Introducing Sample Exchange and API Explorer
VMware is very pleased to announce a two new features for developers that make it easier than ever to get started with VMware APIs. First, we have the new Sample Exchange, an integrated service that enables developers to find, contribute, and request code samples for any VMware API. We’re also releasing a Beta of the new VMware API Explorer, an interactive tool that provides holistic access to API reference documentation across the VMware technology stack.
Join Us at VMworld 2016
Join the team behind Developer Center and all of VMware Central Engineering at VMworld 2016 on August 28 – September 1 at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Convention Center in Las Vegas as we amp up the focus on our ecosystem with several exciting new features, programs, and services for partners and developers alike.
All-Flash Virtual SAN for VDI with Brocade vTM
We are pleased to announce we’ve published an update to the All-Flash Virtual SAN for VDI reference architecture to highlight optimization of this solution with Brocade Virtual Traffic Manager (vTM), an application delivery controller designed for any virtual or cloud environment.
Image courtesy of Brocade
vRealize Automation 7.0 SDK and CloudClient 4.0
With the release of vRealize Automation 7.0 comes an updated API and Java SDK, along with a new version of the vRealize CloudClient command-line tool. These new resources provide a number of enhancements focused on simplifying self-service with vRealize Automation, and make it easier than ever to automate your private, public, or hybrid cloud environment.
Workbench 3.0.3 Now Available
We are pleased to announce the release of VMware Workbench 3.0.3 in the Tools section of Developer Center. This release includes both Workbench VM and Workbench Toolsuite. The new release is immediately available to members of a qualifying developer program.
https://developercenter.vmware.com/tools
Note that you must sign in to your Developer Center account for access.
New Reference Architecture: All-Flash Virtual SAN for VDI
Last week, we hinted at the release of a new reference architecture detailing an all-flash virtual SAN for VDI environments. Today we’re pleased to announce the reference architecture has been published and is ready for you to download here: