The VMware Cloud Director API makes extensive use of Link elements to provide references to objects and the actions that they support. These elements are the primary mechanism by which a server tells a client how to access and operate on an object.
The server creates Link elements in a response body. They are read-only at the client. If a request body includes a Link element, the server ignores it.
Attributes of a Link Element
In the XML representation of a VMware Cloud Director object, each Link element has the following form:
<Link rel="relationship" type="application/vnd.vmware.vcloud.object_type+xml" href="URL" name="string"/>
Attribute values in a Link element supply the following information:
- rel
- Defines the relationship of the link to the object that contains it. A relationship can be the name of an operation on the object, a reference to a contained or containing object, or a reference to an alternate representation of the object. The relationship value implies the HTTP verb to use when you use the link's href value as a request URL.
- type
- The object type, specified as a MIME content type, of the object that the link references. This attribute is present only for links to objects. It is not present for links to actions.
- href
-
An object reference, expressed in URL format. This reference includes the object identifier portion of the id attribute value, and supplies additional information, including the current location of the object when accessed in a specific view. Although URLs have a well-known syntax and a well-understood interpretation, a client should treat each href as an opaque string. The rules that govern how the server constructs href strings might change in future releases.
- name
- The name of the referenced object, taken from the value of that object's name attribute. Action links do not include a name attribute.
| rel Attribute Value | Action or Relationship Description | Implied HTTP Verb |
|---|---|---|
| abort | Abort this blocking task. | POST |
| add | Add an item to this container. | POST |
| add:dfwEnable | Enable distributed firewall | POST |
| alternate | References an alternate representation of this object. | GET |
| answer | Provide user input requested by a virtual machine. | POST |
| authorization:check | Check whether an extension service operation is authorized for an entity. | POST |
| blockingTask | A list of pending blocking task requests in this cloud. | GET |
| bundle:upload | Upload an extension service localization bundle. | PUT |
| bundles:cleanup | Remove unused extension service localization bundles. | POST |
| catalogItem | References the CatalogItem object that refers to this object. | GET |
| certificate:reset | Removes the SSL certificate used by this service. | POST |
| certificate:update | Updates the SSL certificate used by this service. | POST |
| checkCompliance | Check that this virtual machine is using a storage profile of the intended type. | POST |
| consolidate | Consolidate this virtual machine. | POST |
| controlAccess | Apply access controls to this object. | POST |
| copy | Reserved | N/A |
| customizeAtNextPowerOn | Force guest customization to be applied the next time this virtual machine is powered on. | POST |
| deploy | Deploy this vApp. | POST |
| disable | Disable this object. | POST |
| discardState | Discard the suspended state of this virtual machine. | POST |
| disk:attach | Attach an independent disk to this virtual machine. | POST |
| disk:detach | Detach an independent disk from this virtual machine. | POST |
| down | References an object contained by this object. | GET |
| down:aclRules | Retrieve the ACL rules for this resource class action. | GET |
| down:apiDefinitions | Retrieve the API definitions for this extension service. | GET |
| down:apiFilters | Retrieve the API filters for this extension service. | GET |
| down:dfwSection | Retrieve the distributed firewall section of an Edge Gateway | GET |
| down:edge | Retrieve an Edge Gateway | GET |
| down:edgeOperations | Retrieve a list of Edge Gateway operations | GET |
| down:edges | Retrieve a list of Edge Gateways | GET |
| down:extensibility | Add an extension service to the system. | POST |
| down:fileDescriptors | Retrieve file descriptors for extension services APIs | GET |
| down:files | Retrieve files for extension services APIs | GET |
| down:resourceClassActions | Retrieve the actions defined for this extension service resource class. | GET |
| down:resourceClasses | Retrieve the resource classes defined by this extension service. | GET |
| down:serviceLinks | Retrieve the service links defined by this extension service. | GET |
| down:serviceResources | Retrieve the list of extension service resources of this class. | |
| down:services | Retrieve the list of registered extension services. | GET |
| download:alternate | Reserved | N/A |
| download:default | References the default location from which this file can be downloaded. | GET |
| download:identity | References the extended OVF descriptor of this vApp template. The extended OVF descriptor contains additional information such as MAC address, BIOS UUID, and NetworkConfigSection | GET |
| download:ovaDefault | References the default location from which this OVA file can be downloaded. | GET |
| download:ovaIdentity | References the OVA that contains the extended OVF descriptor of this vApp template. The extended OVF descriptor contains additional information such as MAC address, BIOS UUID, and NetworkConfigSection | GET |
| edgeGateway:configureServices | Update the network services offered by this Edge Gateway. | POST |
| edgeGateway:disableDistributedRouting | Disable the distributed logical routing feature on this Edge Gateway | POST |
| edgeGateway:enableDistributedRouting | Enable the distributed logical routing feature on this Edge Gateway | POST |
| edgeGateway:reapplyServices | Reapply (after an update) the network services offered by this Edge Gateway. | POST |
| edgeGateway:redeploy | Redeploy the vShield Edge supporting this Edge Gateway. | POST |
| edgeGateway:syncSyslogSettings | Synchronize syslog server addresses used by this Edge Gateway with system defaults. | POST |
| edgeGateway:upgrade | Upgrade the backing configuration of this Edge Gateway from compact to full. | POST |
| edgeGateways | List the Edge Gateway objects in this organization VDC. | GET |
| edit | Modify this object, typically by replacing its current representation with the one in the request body. | PUT |
| enable | Enable this object. | POST |
| enterMaintenanceMode | Put this virtual machine into maintenance mode. | POST |
| entity | Retrieve a representation of the object on which an operation triggered this notification. | GET |
| entityResolver | Retrieve an object id as a context-free Entity element. | GET |
| event:create | Create an event in an this organization's event stream. | POST |
| exitMaintenanceMode | Take this virtual machine out of maintenance mode. | POST |
| fail | Fail this blocking task. | POST |
| firstPage | Reference to the first page of a paginated response. | GET |
| fanout:failed | Multisite authentication skipped for this request because the association status was ASYMMETRIC or UNREACHABLE. See Configuring and Managing Multisite Deployments. | GET |
| fanout:skipped | Multisite member status for this request was ACTIVE but authentication at the member failed for some other reason. See Configuring and Managing Multisite Deployments. | GET |
| installVmwareTools | Install VMware Tools on this virtual machine. | POST |
| instantiate | Instantiate a VDC template to create a VDC in this organization. | POST |
| keystore:reset | Removes the keystore used by this service. | POST |
| keystore:update | Updates the keystore used by this service. | POST |
| lastPage | Reference to the last page of a paginated response. | GET |
| makeMandatory | Make a VM-host affinity rule mandatory | POST |
| makeOptional | Make a VM-host affinity rule optional | POST |
| media:ejectMedia | Eject virtual media from a virtual device. | POST |
| media:insertMedia | Insert virtual media into a virtual device. | POST |
| metrics | Retrieve a subset of current or historic metrics from a virtual machine | POST |
| merge | Merge one or more Provider VDCs with this Provider VDC. | POST |
| migrateVms | Migrate virtual machines from this resource pool to a different one. | POST |
| move | Reserved | N/A |
| nextPage | Reference to the next page of a paginated response. | GET |
| nsx | Entrypoint for VMware Cloud Director API for NSX | GET |
| orgVdcNetworks | List the organization VDC networks supported by this Edge Gateway. | GET |
| orgVdcNetwork:convertToInternalInterface | Convert this organization VDC network to an internal interface from a subinterface. | POST |
| orgVdcNetwork:convertToSubInterface | Convert this organization VDC network to an subinterface from an internal interface. | POST |
| ova | Reserved | N/A |
| ovf | References the OVF descriptor of this vApp template. | GET |
| power:powerOff | Power off this vApp or virtual machine. | POST |
| power:powerOn | Power on this vApp or virtual machine. | POST |
| power:reboot | Reboot this vApp or virtual machine. | POST |
| power:reset | Reset this vApp or virtual machine. | POST |
| power:shutdown | Shut down this vApp or virtual machine. | POST |
| power:suspend | Suspend this vApp or virtual machine. | POST |
| previousPage | Reference to the previous page of a paginated response. | GET |
| publish | Publish this extension to a specific tenant (Portal Extensibility) | POST |
| publish:all | Publish this extension to all tenants (Portal Extensibility) | POST |
| publishToExternalOrganizations | Publish this catalog externally | POST |
| recompose | Recompose this vApp to add, remove, or reconfigure virtual machines. | POST |
| reconfigureVm | Update multiple sections of a virtual machine. | POST |
| reconnect | Reconnect this vCenter Server to the system. | POST |
| refreshStorageProfiles | Refresh the list of storage profiles that exist on the vCenter service backing this Provider VDC. | POST |
| refreshVirtualCenter | Refresh the representation of this vCenter server | POST |
| register | Register a VCenter Server with the system. | POST |
| relinkToTemplate | Link a role to a role template | POST |
| reloadFromVc | Reload certain properties of this virtual machine from the vCenter database. | POST |
| relocate | Relocate this virtual machine. | POST |
| remove | Remove this object. | DELETE |
| remove:dfwDisable | Disable distributed firewall | POST |
| remove:force | Force removal of this object. | DELETE |
| repair | Repair this host or network. | POST |
| resourcePoolVmList | List the virtual machines using this resource pool. | GET |
| resume | Resume this blocking task. | POST |
| rights | List the service-specific rights created by this extension service. | GET |
| rights:cleanup | Remove service-specific rights no longer used by any extension service. | POST |
| screen:acquireTicket | Retrieve a screen ticket for this virtual machine. | GET |
| screen:thumbnail | Retrieve a thumbnail view of the screen of this virtual machine. | GET |
| self | References this object. | GET |
| shadowVms | List shadow virtual machines associated with the virtual machines in this vApp template. | GET |
| snapshot:create | Create a snapshot of the virtual machines in this vApp. | POST |
| snapshot:removeAll | Remove all snapshots created for the virtual machines in this vApp. | POST |
| snapshot:revertToCurrent | Revert all virtual machines in this vApp to their current snapshot. | POST |
| storageProfile | References the storage profile for this object. | GET |
| subscribeToExternalCatalog | Add an external subscription to this catalog. | POST |
| sync | Synchronize this catalog or catalog item with its external source. | POST |
| syncSyslogSettings | Synchronize syslog server addresses used by this vApp network with system defaults. | POST |
| takeOwnership | Take ownership of this user's vApps, media, and catalogs. | POST |
| task | Retrieve the blocking task that triggered this notification. | GET |
| task:cancel | Cancel this task. | POST |
| task:create | Create a task object. | POST |
| task:owner | Reference to the owner of a task. | GET |
| tenants | Tenant list for VRO workflows. | GET |
| truststore:reset | Remove the truststore used by this service. | POST |
| truststore:update | Update the truststore used by this service. | PUT |
| undeploy | Undeploy this vApp. | POST |
| unlinkFromTemplate | Unlink a role from a role template | POST |
| unlock | Unlock this user account. | POST |
| unpublish | Remove this extension from a specific tenant (Portal Extensibility) | POST |
| unpublish:all | Remove this extension from all tenants (Portal Extensibility) | POST |
| unregister | Unregister this vCenter Server. | POST |
| up | References an object that contains this object. | GET |
| update:resourcePools | Update the resource pools of this Provider VDC | POST |
| updateProgress | Request an update of this task's progress. | POST |
| upgrade | Upgrade this host. | POST |
| upload:alternate | Reserved | N/A |
| upload:default | References the default location to which this object can be uploaded. | PUT |
| vSphereWebClientUrl | A URL that you can use to view this object with the vSphere Web Client | GET |
