Network Discovery includes support for v1 and v2 REST API to allow for futher customized integrations and functionality. Network discovery uses a Swagger API specification to simplify development, documentation, and use of RESTful API endpoints.
This workflow uses four main HTTP methods for interacting with different objects:
| HTTP Method | Description |
|---|---|
| GET | Retrieve data. |
| PUT | Upload data, modifying a single resource that is aready part of the resources collection. PUT replaces the resource in its entirety. |
| POST | Upload data, creating a new resource in the resources collection. POST specifies the resource in its entirety. |
| PATCH | Upload data, modifying a resource by replacing only specific fields of data and leaving the rest as-is. |
| DELETE | Delete data. |
Endpoint
When working with the workflow of this API, you can invoke different methods by appending the API endpoint to the BlueCat Gateway URL. For example, the following GET API call retrieves the device resource with a specific device name from a specific configuration:
For v1 REST API:
GET http://<Gateway_url>/network-discovery/api/v1/<configuration_name>/devices/<device_name>For v2 REST API:
GET http://<Gateway_url>/network-discovery/api/v2/<configuration_name>/devices/<device_name>Authentication
The Network Discovery API endpoints require an authorization token to be passed in the header to successfully execute. For more information on the API that retrieves an authorization token, refer to the REST API Swagger documentation
Swagger documentation
The Network Discovery REST API includes Swagger documentation for details and testing. To open Swagger to view and test the API endpoints, go to the following URL:
For v1 REST API:
<URL>/network-discovery/api/v1For v2 REST API:
<URL>/network-discovery/api/v2 Where <URL> is the URL or IP address for the system hosting
Network Discovery, either Network Discovery's Management service or a Discovery
Probe.
File retention
For the upload_file v1 REST API and Upload File v2
REST API, a status file is created and stored in the system. The status file
contains a record of the details and processing status of the uploaded file. When
using APIs such as those related to device discovery and IPv4/IPv6 reconciliation
policies, a discovery process is initiated, which results in the creation of
multiple files such as input, output, status, and log files. By default, these files
are stored for 7 days, after which they are automatically deleted from the system.
This ensures system efficiency by removing unnecessary files. This file retention
period is applicable for both v1 REST API and v2 REST API.