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CODE2219U

Python 101 for the vAdmin

Kyle Ruddy, VMware, Inc.Cody De Arkland, VMware, Inc.

#CODE2219U

VMworld 2019 Content: Not for publication or distribution

©2019 VMware, Inc.

Disclaimer

This presentation may contain product features or functionality that are currently under development.

This overview of new technology represents no commitment from VMware to deliver these features in any generally available product.

Features are subject to change, and must not be included in contracts, purchase orders, or sales agreements of any kind.

Technical feasibility and market demand will affect final delivery.

Pricing and packaging for any new features/functionality/technology discussed or presented, have not been determined.

2

The information in this presentation is for informational purposes only and may not be incorporated into any contract. There is no commitment or obligation to deliver any items presented herein. VMworld 2019 Content: Not for publication or distribution

©2019 VMware, Inc. 3

Speaker Overview

Writer

GitHub

Podcast

Twitter

@ thehumblelab.com

@ github.com/codyde

@ vBrownBag.com

@ codydearkland

Cody De ArklandSenior Technical Marketing Architect



Speaker Overview

Writer

GitHub

Podcast

Twitter

MS MVP

@ kmruddy.com

@ github.com/kmruddy

@ vBrownBag.com

@kmruddy

Cloud/Datacenter Management

Kyle RuddySenior Architect, Technical Marketing


©2019 VMware, Inc.

Agenda

5

Why Python?

Basic Usage

Software Development Kits

VM Lifecyle Tasks


6©2019 VMware, Inc.

Why Python?



Why Python? Aside from it making us all think of Monty Python

Object Oriented Language – Very Readable, easy to understand

Swiss army knife of languages; from infrastructure management to web development. Simple scripting to machine learning

Vast resources for learning at all skill levels (communities, training sites, blog content, simulator training)

Widely accepted as a key Developer Operations (DevOps) skill/language to know

It’s just Awesome (Fact, not preference) https://stackoverflow.blog/2017/09/06/incredible-growth-python/The Incredible Growth of PythonVMworld 2019 Content: Not for publication or distribution

https://stackoverflow.blog/2017/09/06/incredible-growth-python/


Staging Our EnvironmentTools of the Trade

Python 3.6

Visual Studio: Code – Free Integrated Developer Environment (IDE; reads –Place to write your code with lots of tools to help you out along the way)

GitHub.com – Popular git repository, you might have heard of it



Exploring the APIVMware Code API Explorer

https://code.vmware.com/apis

Central API reference for many products

Constantly updated

Includes links to associated SDKs and tooling


https://code.vmware.com/apis


Scenario 1 Using built-in tools to access vCenter objects



Concepts you’ll learn

• Interacting with the REQUESTS Module

• Did you know Python has over 125,000 modules that can be used to simplify interactions?

• Setting variables

• Get into the habit of creating parameterized code. It’ll save you in the long run!

• POST’s and GET’s against the vCenter API

• Parsing/Returning/Printing responses

• Building Functions and “If” statements

Interacting with the vCenter REST APIs

Scenario 1 – Overview



Modules are a collection of classes, methods, and or variables that extend and enhance the functionality of Python

Our focus is on the “Requests” module, a common module for interacting with HTTP endpoints via REST

In our initial examples we import a package that disables certificate verification, not best practice, but Homelab

We leverage basic variables for the initial example; but our code could be modified to use environment variables, static file values, or prompt the user for input

Scenario 1 – Variables



vCenter API requires a POST method to “send” our authentication data

Using f’{variable}’ is called an “F String”; allows you to directly call a variable in a set of data

Leverage “auth” in our requests.post call to initiate basic authentication with username and password

Simple post will just return the response object; create a new object to interact with the returned data

Once you have your object, use tab to “autocomplete” and see what values are available

When we access the “.json()” method we are able to interact directly with the JSON objects

We store our authentication token to a variable to call in future actions

Scenario 1 – Posting Stuff’s and Getting Objects!



GET method is used to “get” calls via a REST API

Header needs to include the authentication token.

The /vcenter/vms REST endpoint returns a JSON object of all VMs in a vCenter environment

If we assign the dataset to an object, we can perform operations against it

We can parse the object individually by calling the index in the array (obj.json()[0], obj.json()[1], etc…) or parse the whole object leveraging a “for” loop.

Scenario 1 – Getting Data and Returning JSON



Using a “for” loop we can perform actions against each object in a JSON array

We loop through and create a “print” statement, concatenating the name and power state to the object

Using a for loop we can also “search” for a specific item inside the object

Working with JSON objects should become second nature when working with various APIs

Scenario 1 – Parsing Our Data



Scenario 1 – Demo



Scenario 2Introducing an SDK



Simplifies the development process

Extends the capabilities of the existing language set

Platform specific

Usually includes built-in debugging capabilities

May include sample code

What is a Software Development Kit?



Interacts with vSphere Web Services API

Open Source and available on GitHubhttps://github.com/vmware/pyvmomi

Supports Python 2.7 and 3.3+

Interacts with:

• vSphere Automation API

• VMware Cloud on AWS

• VMware NSX-T

Open Source and available on GitHubhttps://github.com/vmware/vsphere-automation-sdk-python

Supports Python 2.7 and 3.3+

pyVmomi vSphere Automation SDK for Python

VMware SDKs for Python


https://github.com/vmware/pyvmomi

https://github.com/vmware/vsphere-automation-sdk-python


Scenario 2 – DemovSphere Automation SDK for Python – Install





Scenario 3Controlling the VM Lifecycle



Create

Power Status

Modification

Removal

Common VM Lifecycle Tasks



Scenario 3 – DemoControlling the VM Lifecycle



So What’s Next?Continuing Your Training

Great Resources To Continue Learning

• Stack Overflow Forums

• Learn Python The Hard way (Book)

• CodeAcademy

• Pluralsight




Documents

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