This topic describes the SteelConnect REST API that you can use to automate repetitive tasks, such as creating and deleting nodes, and much more. It includes these sections:

SteelConnect features a powerful REST API for northbound traffic. You can use the API to access many features that are also available through the SteelConnect Manager (SCM) graphical user interface (GUI). Using the SteelConnect REST API, you can create client applications that interact with your SCM to:

The SteelConnect REST API adheres to common REST API principles and supports all request verbs (GET, PUT, POST, DELETE, and so on). All data transferred between the API and client applications is formatted in JavaScript Object Notation (JSON); no data is passed in headers or in the URI. Data encoded in a format other than JSON (binary files, for example) are contained and specified within the JSON data.

Object IDs persist through the lifetime of the object even when services, devices, or connections are reset or restarted. Functions are unchanged and always yield the same result regardless of the number of identical requests. The URI handles the versioning, where the version number precedes the resource in the URI (for example, /v1/<resource>). You can reference a specific instance of an object by its object ID by inserting the ID in the URI (for example, /<resource>/:<id>/).

HTTP status codes indicate request status and system messages are not enveloped. While most resources don’t automatically generate auxiliary resources, some resources do. For example, an organization object requires a default site. So when an organization is created, the system automatically generates a default site named HQ under it. As a rule, any automatically generated resource does not interfere with your use of the API.

The SteelConnect API is built right in the SteelConnect product and is accessed over HTTPS. Here is the base URI:

All resources available through the API are below this URI. Here are some example resource URIs:

You can also access the SteelConnect API through the Riverbed support site:

All API requests are authenticated using BASIC authentication. Admin users authenticated against the API have the same rights as if they were using the GUI. You can use a command like cURL to issue simple requests. Here are a few examples:

The SteelConnect REST API is hierarchical. You can query the first tier, and then after selecting an organization, you filter into second-tier objects for that particular organization.

 

This table lists the appliances supported by SteelConnect.