Configure POSTMAN for REST API Calls with NSX V

Products

• VMware NSX

Issue/Introduction

Empower customer to run RESTful API calls like those mentioned in:

NSX API Guide

Symptoms:

Customer may need to run RESTful API calls against NSX Manager but not have a RESTful client set up. This KB aims to assist in setting up POSTMAN in a customer environment and test proper configuration

 

Environment

VMware NSX Data Center for vSphere 6.4.x
VMware NSX for vSphere 6.2.x

Resolution

Visit getpostman.com

(Note that we want to install the full application, not the Chrome plugin, as it has some settings we'll want to adjust)

Select "Download the App"

Choose your platform and select "Download"

Once the file has downloaded, run the exe

On first startup, POSTMAN will offer a sign up page. You can either sign up, or below, you can select "Take me straight to the app. I'll create an account another time."

 

Under the Authorization tab,

Select "Basic Auth" from the Type dropdown box

Next to that, put in the Username and Password for the NSX Manager

Note: Username is almost always "admin"

 

Under the Headers tab,

We'll add a new Key with a specific Value

Under Key, begin typing "Content-Type" and select it from the dropdown

Under Value, type "application/xml" and select that value from the options

 

In the top right of the application is a Wrench symbol, click that

Select "Settings" from the drop down

A new window will open, click on the "General" tab

Find the "SSL certificate verification" and toggle this to "OFF"

Close the Setting Window with the X at the top right

 

Now we'll test API calls to the NSX environment to make sure everything is set up correctly

In the URL bar next to the "GET" type the following:

https://<NSX-Manager-IP-Address>/api/2.0/vdn/controller

Make sure to replace the <NSX-Manager-IP-Address> with the actual IP Address or FQDN of the NSX Manager

 

This command retrieves details and runtimes of all controllers in the environment. This should provide output if the environment has controllers or not, and is safe to run during production hours.

Expected output should look something like this:

 

Responses:

Status Code: 200

Body: application/xml

 

<controllers>

<controller>

<id></id>

<name></name>

<description></description>

<ipAddress></ipAddress>

<status></status>

</controller>

</controllers>

 

If this GET command returns valued, REST API is configured correctly and can be used for further REST API calls.

 

Additional Information

Impact/Risks:

API calls to the NSX Manager are commits just like GUI configuration changes.

GET commands retrieve information

POST commands create new content

PUT overwrites content

DELETE removes content