NAME
VMware::API::LabManager - The VMware LabManager API
SYNOPSIS
This module has been developed against VMware vCenter Lab Manager 4.0 (4.0.1.1233)
Code to checkout, deploy, undeploy and delete a configuration:
use VMware::API::LabManager;
my $labman = new VMware::API::LabManager ( $username, $password, $server, $orgname, $workspace );
# Get the id of the config you are going to check out
my $config = $labman->GetSingleConfigurationByName("myConfigName");
# Checkout the config
my $checked_out_config_id = $labman->ConfigurationCheckout($lib_config_id[0],"NEW_WORKSPACE_NAME");
# Deploy the config
my $ret = $labman->ConfigurationDeploy($checked_out_config_id,4); # The 4 is for the fencemode
# Undeploy the config
my $ret = $labman->ConfigurationUndeploy($chkd_out_id);
# Delete the config
my $ret = $labman->ConfigurationDelete($chkd_out_id); # You really should be sure before doing this :)
# Check for last SOAP error
print $labman->getLastSOAPError();
DESCRIPTION
This module provides a Perl interface to VMware's Labmanager SOAP interface. It has a one-to-one mapping for most of the commands exposed in the external API as well as a many commands exposed in the internal API.
Using this module you can checkout, deploy, undeploy and delete configurations. You can also get lists of configurations and guest information as well.
Lab Manager is a product created by VMware that provides development and test teams with a virtual environment to deploy systems and networks of systems in a short period of a time.
END OF LIFE NOTICE:
VMware ended support for Lab Manager on May 31, 2014.
Correspondingly, this module will likely see no further development.
RETURNED VALUES
Many of the methods return hash references or arrays of hash references that contain information about a specific "object" or concept on the Lab Manager server. This is a rough analog to the Managed Object Reference structure of the VIPERL SDK without the generic interface for retireval.
Below are some of the commoned return value types and example values.
Config
Need to add this example.
Machine
{
'configID' => '97',
'status' => '0',
'OwnerFullName' => 'Jones, Bob',
'name' => 'VM0',
'description' => '',
'isDeployed' => 'false',
'memory' => '16',
'DatastoreNameResidesOn' => 'labmgr_01',
'id' => '116'
}
Network Interface (NIC)
{
'isConnected' => 'true',
'macAddress' => '00:50:56:0a:00:aa',
'networkId' => '63',
'nicId' => '221',
'vmxSlot' => '0',
'ipAddressingMode' => 'DHCP',
'resetMac' => 'false'
}
Organization
Need to add this example.
Workspace
The following represents a workspace called "Main" that has no configurations or resource pools.
{
'Configurations' => '',
'Id' => '8',
'ResourcePools' => '',
'BucketType' => '3',
'StoredVMQuota' => '0',
'DeployedVMQuota' => '0',
'Name' => 'Main',
'Description' => '',
'IsEnabled' => 'false'
};
When a workspace is associated with a given resource pool or contains a configuration, references to those objects are returned as well.
NB: If only a single configuration or resource pool is returned, it is a direct hash reference, as below. Otherwise, if there are multiple, an arrayref of hash references will be present in that location.
{
'Configurations' => {
'Configuration' => {
'owner' => 'bjones',
'mustBeFenced' => 'NotSpecified',
'autoDeleteDateTime' => '9999-12-31T23:59:59.9999999',
'bucketName' => 'Main',
'name' => 'migration-test02',
'autoDeleteInMilliSeconds' => '0',
'description' => '',
'isDeployed' => 'false',
'fenceMode' => '0',
'id' => '95',
'type' => '1',
'isPublic' => 'false',
'dateCreated' => '2010-08-24T14:22:25.437'
}
},
'Id' => '10',
'ResourcePools' => {
'ResourcePool' => {
'ID' => '1',
'isBlackListed' => 'false',
'name' => 'DevPool1',
'rpValRefFullID' => 'resgroup-2411',
'path' => 'DC2/LAB-MGR/PAI',
'description' => '',
'isEnabled' => 'true',
'rpValRefShortID' => 'resgroup-2411'
}
},
'BucketType' => '3',
'StoredVMQuota' => '0',
'DeployedVMQuota' => '0',
'Name' => 'Main',
'Description' => '',
'IsEnabled' => 'true'
};
Network
{
'VlanID' => '583',
'IsAddressingModeLocked' => 'false',
'NetType' => 'Template',
'IsPhysical' => 'true',
'DnsSuffix' => '',
'parentNetId' => '0',
'Netmask' => '',
'NetworkValref' => 'LM-DHCP-4LM10',
'IsDeployFencedLocked' => 'true',
'Gateway' => '',
'IsNone' => 'false',
'userId' => '0',
'Dns2' => '',
'DeployFencedMode' => 'Nonfenced',
'Dns1' => '',
'NetID' => '4',
'DeployFenced' => 'false',
'IPAddressingMode' => 'DHCP',
'Description' => 'dhcp IP Pool',
'Name' => 'LM-DHCP'
},
User
{
'is_enabled' => 'true',
'email_address' => 'bjones@company.com',
'userId' => '3',
'name' => 'bjones',
'cache_mode' => '0',
'full_name' => 'Jones, Bob',
'fence_mode' => '0',
'is_ldap' => 'true',
'is_admin' => 'true',
'stored_vm_quota' => '0',
'deployed_vm_quota' => '0'
},
EXAMPLE SCRIPTS
Included in the distribution of this module are several example scripts. Hopefully they provide an example of the usage of the Lab Manager API. All scripts have their own POD and accept command line parameters in a similar way to the VIPERL SDK utilities and vghetto scripts.
conditions.pl - An example displaying an objects conditions.
delete-all.pl - Deletes every template and configuration in a given LabMan installation
hwupgrade.pl - Performs an upgrade on the virtual hardware of the specified configuration
list-machines.pl - Lists all machines within the specified configuration
list-networks.pl - Lists all the networks available to the specified user.
list-organization.pl - Lists all the organizations available to the specified user.
list-templates.pl - Lists all the template objects available to the specified user.
list-users.pl - Lists all information on users in the Lab Manager system.
list-workspaces.pl - Lists all the workspaces available to the specified user.
move.pl - An example script of moving a config between workspaces.
PERL MODULE METHODS
These methods are not direct API calls. They represent the methods that create or module as a "wrapper" for the Labmanager API.
new
This method creates the Labmanager object.
Arguments
username
password
hostname
organization
workspace
config
$labman->config( debug => 1 );
- debug - 1 to turn on debugging. 0 for none. Defaults to 0.
- die_on_fault - 1 to cause the program to die verbosely on a soap fault. 0 for the fault object to be returned on the call and for die() to not be called. Defaults to 1. If you choose not to die_on_fault (for example, if you are writing a CGI) you will want to check all return objects to see if they are fault objects or not.
- ssl_timeout - seconds to wait for timeout. Defaults to 3600. (1hr) This is how long a transaction response will be waited for once submitted. For slow storage systems and full clones, you may want to up this higher. If you find yourself setting this to more than 6 hours, your Lab Manager setup is probably not in the best shape.
- hostname, orgname, workspace, username and password - All of these values can be changed from the original settings on new(). This is handing for performing multiple transactions across organizations.
getLastSOAPError
Returns and clears the last error reported by SOAP service.
PUBLIC API METHODS
This methods provide a direct mapping to the public API calls for Labmanager.
ConfigurationCapture
This method captures a Workspace configuration and saves into the library.
Arguments
Configuration ID - Use the GetConfigurationByName method to retrieve this if you do not know it.
New library name - The name that you want the captured config to be.
Returns
ID on success. Fault object on fault.
ConfigurationCheckout
This method checks out a configuration from the configuration library and moves it to the Workspace under a different name. It returns the ID of the checked out configuration in the WorkSpace.
WARNING: If you get the following SOAP Error:
Expecting single row, got multiple rows for: SELECT * FROM BucketWithParent WHERE name = N'Main' ---> Expecting single row, got multiple rows for: SELECT * FROM BucketWithParent WHERE name = N'Main'
This is because there are multiple workspaces named "Main", in different organizations. Apparently this API call doesn't limit the check for workspace name against the organization you authenticated with.
A workaround is to make sure you use this call on a uniquely name workspace or to use a private call (such as priv_LibraryCloneToWorkspace) instead.
Arguments
Configuration ID - Use the GetConfigurationByName method to retrieve this if you do not know it.
New workspace name - The name you want the new config in the workspace to be.
ConfigurationClone
This method clones a Workspace configuration, saves it in a storage server, and makes it visible in the Workspace under the new name. Arguements:
Arguments
Configuration ID - Use the GetConfigurationByName method to retrieve this if you do not know it.
New workspace name - The name of the clone that is being created.
ConfigurationDelete
This method deletes a configuration from the Workspace. You cannot delete a deployed configuration. Doesn't return anything. Arguments:
Arguments
Configuration ID - Use the GetConfigurationByName method to retrieve this if you do not know it.
ConfigurationDeploy
This method allows you to deploy an undeployed configuration which resides in the Workspace.
Arguments
Configuration ID - Use the GetConfigurationByName method to retrieve this if you do not know it.
Fencemode - 1 = not fenced; 2 = block traffic in and out; 3 = allow out ; 4 allow in and out
ConfigurationPerformAction
This method performs one of the following configuration actions as indicated by the action identifier:
1 : Power On. Turns on a configuration.
2 : Power Off. Turns off a configuration. Nothing is saved.
3 : Suspend. Freezes the CPU and state of a configuration.
4 : Resume. Resumes a suspended configuration.
5 : Reset. Reboots a configuration.
6 : Snapshot. Saves a configuration state at a specific point in time.
Arguments
Configuration ID - Use the GetConfigurationByName method to retrieve this if you do not know it.
Action - use a numerical value from the list above.
ConfigurationSetPublicPrivate
Use this call to set the state of a configuration to public or private. If the configuration state is public, others are able to access this configuration. If the configuration is private, only its owner can view it.
Arguments
Configuration ID - Use the GetConfigurationByName method to retrieve this if you do not know it.
True or False (boolean) - Accepts true | false | 1 | 0
ConfigurationUndeploy
Undeploys a configuration in the Workspace. Nothing is returned.
Arguments
Configuration ID - Use the GetConfigurationByName method to retrieve this if you do not know it.
GetConfiguration
This method retruns a reference to a Configuration matching the configuration ID passed.
Arguments
Config ID
Returns
A hashref to a configuration. Example keys: mustBeFenced, autoDeleteDateTime, bucketName, name, autoDeleteInMilliSeconds, description, isDeployed, fenceMode, id, type, isPublic, dateCreated
GetConfigurationByName
This method retruns a reference to a Configuration matching the configuration ID passed.
Arguments
Config Name
Returns
An array of configurations matching this name. Example keys: mustBeFenced, autoDeleteDateTime, bucketName, name, autoDeleteInMilliSeconds, description, isDeployed, fenceMode, id, type, isPublic, dateCreated
GetMachine
This call takes the numeric identifier of a machine and returns its corresponding Machine object.
Arguments
Machine ID - Use GetMachineByName to retrieve this
Returns
A hashref to a machine. Example elements: configID, macAddress, status, OwnerFullName, name, description, isDeployed, internalIP, memory, DatastoreNameResidesOn, id
GetMachineByName
This call takes a configuration identifier and a machine name and returns the matching Machine object.
Arguments
Configuration ID - Config where Guest VM lives
Name of guest
Returns
A hashref to a machine. Example elements: configID, macAddress, status, OwnerFullName, name, description, isDeployed, internalIP, memory, DatastoreNameResidesOn, id
GetSingleConfigurationByName
This call takes a configuration name, searches for it in both the configuration library and workspace and returns its corresponding Configuration object.
Arguments
Configuration name
Returns
A hashref to a configuration. Example elements: mustBeFenced, autoDeleteDateTime, bucketName (aka workspace), name, autoDeleteInMilliSeconds, description, isDeployed, fenceMode, id, type, isPublic, dateCreated
ListConfigurations($type)
This method returns an array or arrayref of configuration objects for the current workspace or library.
It depends on configuration type requested.
Arguments
configurationType (Configuration Type must be either 1 for Workspace or 2 for Library)
ListMachines
This method returns an array of type Machine. The method returns one Machine object for each virtual machine in a configuration.
Arguments
Configuration ID
LiveLink
This method allows you to create a LiveLink URL to a library configuration. Responds with a livelink URL
Arguments
config Name
MachinePerformAction
This method performs one of the following machine actions as indicated by the action identifier:
1 Power on. Turns on a machine.
2 Power off. Turns off a machine. Nothing is saved.
3 Suspend. Freezes a machine CPU and state.
4 Resume. Resumes a suspended machine.
5 Reset. Reboots a machine.
6 Snapshot. Save a machine state at a specific point in time.
7 Revert. Returns a machine to a snapshot state.
8 Shutdown Guest. Shuts down a machine before turning off.
9 for Consolidate
10 for Eject CD
11 for Eject Floppy
12 for Deploy
13 for Undeploy
14 for Force Undeploy
Arguments
Machine ID
Action (use numeral from list aboive)
INTERNAL API METHODS
This methods provide a direct mapping to internal API calls for Labmanager. These calls are not publically supported by VMware and may change between releases of the Labmanager product.
priv_ConfigurationAddMachineEx
Arguments
id - ID of the configuration.
template_id - ID of the template to be used.
name - The name for the virtual machine.
desc - Description for the virtual machine.
boot_seq - Boot sequence order (0 by default).
boot_delay - Boot delay (0 by default).
netInfo - Array of network information for the virtual machine.
priv_ConfigurationArchiveEx
This method captures a Workspace configuration and saves into the library.
Arguments
Configuration ID - Use the GetConfigurationByName method to retrieve this if you do not know it.
New library name - The name that you want the captured config to be.
libraryDescription
isGoldMaster
storageName
storageLeaseInMilliseconds
Returns
ID on success. Fault object on fault.
priv_ConfigurationCaptureEx
This method captures a Workspace configuration and saves into the library.
Arguments
Configuration ID - Use the GetConfigurationByName method to retrieve this if you do not know it.
New library name - The name that you want the captured config to be.
libraryDescription
isGoldMaster
storageName
storageLeaseInMilliseconds
Returns
ID on success. Fault object on fault.
NB: API docs are wrong on this one. It accepts ConfigurationId and not ConfigurationID
priv_ConfigurationChangeOwner
Changes the owner of the given config.
Arguments
configurationId
newOwnerId
priv_ConfigurationCopy
This method copys a configuration to a new datastore. (Full clone)
Arguments
sg_id
name
description
Machines array
storage location
priv_ConfigurationCloneToWorkspace
This method copys a configuration to a new datastore. (Full clone)
Arguments
destWorkspaceId
isNewConfiguration
newConfigName
description
Machines array
storage location
existingConfigId
isFullClone
storageLeaseInMilliseconds
priv_ConfigurationCreateEx
Creates and empty configuration.
Arguments
Name - The name of the configuration
Description - The description of the configuration
Returns
ID of the configuration on success.
A fault object on fault.
priv_ConfigurationDeployEx2
This method allows you to deploy an undeployed configuration which resides in the Workspace to a Distributed Virtual Switch. Arguments:
Arguments
Configuration ID - Use the GetConfigurationByName method to retrieve this if you do not know it.
Network ID
Fencemode(string) - Choices: Nonfenced or FenceBlockInAndOut or FenceAllowOutOnly or FenceAllowInAndOut
priv_ConfigurationExport
Arguments
configId
uncPath
username
password
priv_ConfigurationGetNetworks
Returns an array of physical or virtual network IDs for the specified configuration.
Arguments
configID
physical - true/false
This method returns an array of type Network.
priv_ConfigurationImport
Arguments
UNCPath
dirUsername
dirPassword
name
description
storageName
priv_ConfigurationMove
Arguments
configIdToMove
destinationWorkspaceId
isNewConfiguration
newConfigName
newConfigDescription
storageLeaseInMilliseconds
existingConfigId
vmIds
deleteOriginalConfig
priv_GetAllWorkspaces
Arguments
- NONE
Arguments
Returns an array of workspace objects.
priv_GetNetworkInfo
Returns the Network information for a specific VM.
Arguments
vmID - VM id number
Returns
An array of Network references.
priv_GetObjectConditions
Arguments
objectType - Integer representing the object type:
VM = 1 MANAGED_SERVER = 2 RESOURCE_POOL = 3 CONFIGURATION = 4
objectID - Object id number
priv_GetOrganization
Arguments
organizationId
Returns
Organization object
priv_GetOrganizations
Arguments
- NONE
Arguments
Returns an array of organization refs.
priv_GetOrganizationByName
Arguments
organizationName
priv_GetOrganizationWorkspaces
Arguments
organizationId
Returns
An array of Workspace objects that are in the given organizations.
priv_GetTemplate
Arguments
template id
Returns
Template object.
priv_GetUser
Arguments
userName
Returns
User object.
priv_GetWorkspaceByName
Arguments
string
priv_LibraryCloneToWorkspace
libraryId
destWorkspaceId
isNewConfiguration
newConfigName
description
copyData
existingConfigId
isFullClone
storageLeaseInMilliseconds
priv_ListNetworks
This method returns an array of type Network. The method returns one Network object for each network configured.
priv_ListTemplates
This method returns an array of type Machine. The method returns one Machine object for each virtual machine in a configuration.
priv_ListTransportNetworksInCurrentOrg
This method returns an array of type TransportNetwork. The method returns one Network object for each network configured.
priv_ListUsers
This method returns an array of type Users. The method returns one User object for each User imported into LabMan.
priv_MachineUpgradeVirtualHardware
Arguments
machineId - machine id number
priv_NetworkInterfaceCreate
Arguments
vmID - VM id number
networkID
IPAssignmentType
IPAddress
priv_NetworkInterfaceDelete
vmID - VM id number
nicID
priv_NetworkInterfaceModify
Arguments
vmID - VM id number
info -
priv_StorageServerVMFSFindByName
Storename
priv_TemplateChangeOwner
Changes the owner of the given template.
Arguments
templateId
newOwnerId
priv_TemplateExport
Exports a template out to a UNC path for later import.
Arguments
template_id
UNCPath
username
password
priv_TemplateImport
Arguments
UNCPath
dirUsername
dirPassword
name
description
storageName
parameterList
priv_TemplateImportFromSMB
Arguments
UNCpath
username
password
delete
description
destStore
destName
destDesc
priv_TemplatePerformAction
Arguments
Template ID
Action
The action is a number representing any of the following:
1 for Deploy 2 for Undeploy in Discard State 3 for Delete 4 for Reset 5 for Make Shared 6 for Make Private 7 for Publish 8 for Unpublish 9 for Undeploy in Save State
priv_WorkspaceCreate
Arguments
name
isMain
description
storedVMQuota
deployedVMQuota
BUGS AND LIMITATIONS
Authentication and latentcy
The API is designed by VMware to require an authentication header with every SOAP action. This means that you are re-autneticated on each action you perform. As stated in the VMware Lab Manager SOAP API Guide v2.4, pg 13:
Client applications must provide valid credentials - a Lab Manager user account
and password - with each Lab Manager Web service method call. The user account
must have Administrator privileges on the Lab Manager Server. The Lab Manager
Server authenticates these credentials.
If your Lab Manager is configured for remote authentication and is slow to log-in, this means you will see a performance drop in the speed of this API. Every method call on this module (a method call in this module representing an API SOAP method call) will take the same amount of time it takes you to initially log into the Lab Manager interface plus the actual processing time of the action.
This is complicated by a known issue that some complex API calls will internally perform several actions in Lab Manager, and you might pay that authentication call 4 or 5 times as the action processes. This known issue, is slated to be resolved on the next major release of Lab Manager.
The web interface to Lab Manager allows you to cache credentials after initial login. The web API does not. (See above quote.) You will pay for authentication time on all API calls.
One potential workaround is to use a local user account for API actions. Local accounts can be created and co-exist while remote (LDAP/AD) authentication is used. Local user accounts authenticate much quicker than other forms.
priv_ConfigurationAddMachineEx()
This call does not currently build the correct Ethernet driver information.
ConfigurationCheckout() API errors.
If you get the following SOAP Error:
Expecting single row, got multiple rows for: SELECT * FROM BucketWithParent WHERE name = N'Main' ---> Expecting single row, got multiple rows for: SELECT * FROM BucketWithParent WHERE name = N'Main'
This is because there are multiple workspaces named "Main", in different organizations. Apparently this API call doesn't limit the check for workspace name against the organization you authenticated with.
A workaround is to make sure you use this call on a uniquely name workspace or to use a private call (such as priv_LibraryCloneToWorkspace) instead.
This is a known issue with LabManager 4.
priv_ConfigurationCaptureEx()
The API documents for these calls have a typo. The parameter accepted by the SOAP call is ConfigurationId and not ConfigurationID. Reviewing the WSDL shows the correct parameters accepted by ther server.
CONFUSING ERROR CODES
By design, the textual error codes presented by this module are directly passed from Lab Manager. They are not generated by this library.
That being said, sometimes Lab Manager does not provide the clearest error description. Hopefully the following hints can help you save time when debugging:
"The configuration you were looking at is no longer accessible."
This means that the config ID you used references a non-existant configuration. This is commonly caused by a mistake in what ID you are using on a given call. (A machine id accidentally used in place of a config id, etc.)
"Server was unable to read the request. There is an error in XML document."
This bit of engrish most commonly crops up when the wrong data type is used as a parameter in a call. A good example is using a configuration name when a configuration ID is expected. (String vs Int causing the server to refuse the XML document.)
"Object reference not set to an instance of an object."
This lovely gem usually pops up when a required parameter is missing in a given SOAP call. This probably reflects a typo or capitalization error in the underlying wrapper call. (AKA: A mistake that I made.) Let me know if you figure out what is up. As is referenced in the BUGS AND LIMITATIONS section, the documentation for the API is incorrect in some places. The WSDL on the server is considered authorative and I'd check that first for resolution.
WISH LIST
If someone from VMware is reading this, and has control of the API, I would dearly love a few changes, that might help things:
* A way to submit multiple actions, or to cache credentials for speed. See "Authentication and latentcy" under the BUGS section.
* A way to look up a VM's vsphere name. This information is displayed in the UI but is unavailable in the API.
* Originating template for a VM. This information is displayed in the UI but is unavailable in the API.
* The template object should reference "owner" and not "ownerFullName." All ownership in the rest of the API is associated with the username, which is unique. To figure out who owns a template you have to crosswalk the full name back to username and the full name is not guarenteed to be unique.
* The template object should list the organization it is based in. Short of doing a list of all templates in each organization and diffing them, there is no quick way to determine if a template belongs only to this group, or is global and shared. (Oh, and if you do diff them for that information, a template in global shared to only one organization looks exactly the same as a template that exists only in one organization. So it's not a foolproof workaround.)
* LabManagerInternal.UserPerformAction()
It would be really nice if there was an list of what the action's this method accepts. An anonymous friend in VMware did an opengrok search for me and found these possible values in use for this call:
1 == Enable, 2 == Disable, 3 == Delete.
Official confirmation or documentation would be very helpful.
* Consistent naming and capitalization.
UNCPath vs uncPath
userName vs username
configurationId vs configurationID
templateId vs template_id
* A way to look at the underlying ID numbers for items in the Lab Manager UI.
Boy would this make my life easier to debug issues quickly.
DEPENDENCIES
Net::SSL
SOAP::Lite
BUGS AND SOURCE
Bug tracking for this module: https://rt.cpan.org/Dist/Display.html?Name=VMware-API-LabManager
Source hosting: http://www.github.com/bennie/perl-VMware-API-LabManager
VERSION
VMware::API::LabManager v2.12 (2023/09/18)
COPYRIGHT
(c) 2004-2023, Phillip Pollard <bennie@cpan.org>
LICENSE
This source code is released under the "Perl Artistic License 2.0," the text of which is included in the LICENSE file of this distribution. It may also be reviewed here: http://opensource.org/licenses/artistic-license-2.0
AUTHORSHIP
Phillip Pollard, <bennie@cpan.org>
David F. Kinder, Jr, <dkinder@davidkinder.net>
CONTRIBUTIONS
John Barker, <john@johnrbarker.com>
Cameron Berkenpas <cberkenpas@paypal.com>
SEE ALSO
VMware Labmanger
http://www.vmware.com/products/labmanager/
VMware Labmanager SOAP API Guide (External API)
http://www.vmware.com/pdf/lm40_soap_api_guide.pdf
VMware Labmanager 4.0 Internal API documentation
http://communities.vmware.com/docs/DOC-10608
VMware Lab Manager: Automated Reconfiguration of Transiently Used Infrastructure
http://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/lm_whitepaper.pdf