New vSphere 6.5 REST API and API Explorer

vSphere 6.5 (released last week) introduces a **new REST API **providing a much more modern, simplified and developer-friendly API. The areas covered by the REST API are currently limited to vCenter Server Appliance (vCSA) management, Content Library and VM operations and lifecycle (check below for a more complete list). Also, to make our life easier, this new API is self-documented via an API Explorer embedded in the vCenter Server Appliance.

Browse to the root of your vCenter (https://[vCenter-IP-or-FQDN]) to reach the API Explorer, and click on the “Browse vSphere REST APIs” link on the right.

You can expand / collapse the various sections to get a clear and complete documentation on each API call: description, required fields, request body, detailed filter information, list of responses messages, and so on.

Doesn’t this interface looks familiar? Maybe because it uses the Swagger UI. :)

Have you noticed this “Try it out!” button?

You can manage the following areas from the REST API:

• VM Management (select ‘vcenter’ API in the top drop down menu):

  • VM creation and management

  • VM power operations

  • Virtual hardware management

• Virtual Datacenter Management (select ‘vcenter’ API in the top drop down menu):

  • Mostly read operations,

  • Datacenter

• Appliance configuration (select ‘appliance’ API in the top drop down menu):

  • Access (Shell, SSH, DCUI)

  • Network configuration

  • System settings (NTP and time settings, SNMP, power operations, etc.)

• Appliance health (select ‘appliance’ API in the top drop down menu):

  • Monitor system health (disk space, memory, load, databases, etc.)

  • Monitor services

• Appliance backup and recovery (select ‘appliance’ API in the top drop down menu)

• Content Library (select ‘content’ API in the top drop down menu):

  • Configuration

  • Items management

• …and much more.

Don’t hesitate to have a look at the REST API Explorer, it’s very handy! :)