Notes from this YouTube video (posted 4th March 2019,
but probably from 2018):
Introduction to OCI Application Programming
Interface and Database Access / Points of Integration with OCI
NetApp ecosystem of
various API
Overview about how to get data in or out:
- OCI offers various interfaces for integration
- Use case determines the most appropriate interface(s)
- Numerous tools already make use of these interfaces ‘out-of-the-box’
- Custom connector development is also an option
- Tremendous value in having a normalised model available
through consistent API
Image: Points of Integration with OCI
The REST API
REST Introduction (Representational State Transfer):
- An API “style”, not a formal standard’
- Typically exposed using HTTP (using URLs, HTTP verbs.)
- Design features: Simple to use, loose binding between systems,
language agnostic, stateless, extensible, pattern consistency.
REST Introduction: The “Request”
All Storage:
https://oci.domain.com/rest/v1/assets/storages
Secure
protocol : OCI Server
host name : REST version
1 API endpoint : Resource
Type (storage assets)
Single storage:
https://oci.domain.com/rest/v1/assets/storages/1692924 <- Resource object ID
All pools on single storage:
https://oci.domain.com/rest/v1/assets/storages/1692924/storagePools <- Nested resource type
REST Introduction: The “Response”
- JSON: JavaScript Object Notation
- JSON is human readable and easy to parse.
Explore OCI’s REST API from the WebUI:
? > REST API Documentation
https://oci.domain.com/rest/v1/documentation
Image: NetApp OCI REST API Documentation link
Some examples of REST API in various languages:
- https://github.com/NetApp/OCI_collectD
(Python routine to parse collectd data and ingest to OCI)
- ServiceNOW connector for OCI (Python routine to allow
basic integration)
- https://github.com/ffeldhaus/OnCommand-Insight
(REST API wrappers for PowerShell)
Some possible uses of REST API:
- Populating tools such as Nagios or Cacti with
host data derived for OCI
--- Or go the other way and leverage discovery
mechanisms to discover new host(s)
--- Populate host in OCI and discover storage
dependencies
- Increase visibility in a CMDB (i.e. Snow
Connector)
--- Show storage relationships discovered by OCI in
SNOW BMC
- Automatically create Annotations from provisioning
system
Database access as
an integration point
JDBC/ODBC Introduction (Direct Database access):
- Java
Database Connectivity (JDBC): API for the programming language Java
- Open
Database Connectivity (ODBC): ODBC API for C
- Design features:
--- Language is based on Java
--- Small number of language constructs
--- Extracts for all rows or subsets of rows
- Tools: HeidiSQL / SQLyog / Toad / MySQL Workbench
Image: Simple Setup of JDBC connector to OCI in
ServiceNow
Note: NetApp OCI’s ‘dwh’ default password = sanscreen
Some examples of ODBC/JDBC access:
- Cognos with DWH
- Samples
in Reporting Guide on SQL only queries to DWH
- Tableau reporting of DWH
- AVNET Datapump (commercial)
Image: Connecting HeidiSQL to NetApp DWH
Image: NetApp OCI DWH Schema Help at https://DWHSERVER/dwh
(this is where you find the very useful Schema Diagrams)
SNMP
SNMP Data Collection and Notification:
- SNMP is a well-defined protocol that has been used as a
notification mechanism:
--- Traps can be defined under ADMIN ->
Notifications
--- When thresholds or policy violations occur,
notifications can be sent by an SNMP compliant tool
- SNMP is a means to collect data in OCI:
--- MIBS are ‘loaded’ into OCI as a zip file. This is
an “Integration Pack”. File structure is well defined.
--- JSON file defines how these objects surface
in OCI
--- Almost any SNMP enabled device can be incorporated
--- Polling SNMP can be resource consuming. Limit to what
you need.
SYSLOG
OnCommand Insight syslog contents:
- You can enable syslog on a server to collect OCI violation
and performance alert messages that include utilization and traffic data.
Message types: The OCI syslog lists 3 types of
messages:
- SAN path violations
- General violations
- Performance alerts
Data provided:
- Violation descriptions include the elements involved,
time of event, and relative severity or priority of the violation.
- Performance alerts include these data: Utilization
Percentages, Traffic Types, Traffic Rate measured in MB
SMTP integration (mail)
- Simplest way to connect to ticketing systems like
ServiceNow, SalesForce, etc.
- “Signature” are can be used to identify messages and
help parsers route them
- Careful on threshold (nobody likes a message storm)
Example of creative use of SMTP OCI and SharePoint:
- OCI reporting can schedule via Cognos the e-mailing
of reports
- SharePoint has a mail connector that can receive
E-mail and attachment and file them
- Granular permission in SharePoint
- By combining these features you could create a role
based viewing of reports that OCI itself can’t easily do.
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