You can use HTTP requests to set up a newly deployed vCenter Server instance.

HTTP Requests

After stage 1 of the deployment process completes successfully, you can perform setup by sending HTTP requests.

Note: When you send the requests, you must authenticate with vCenter Server root credentials.

The following HTTP requests show the syntax that you can use to perform the available user operations.

  • Get deployment information

    GET https://<vcenter_ip_address_or_fqdn>:5480/rest/vcenter/deployment

  • Validate the install spec

    POST https://<vcenter_ip_address_or_fqdn>:5480/rest/vcenter/deployment/install?action=check

  • Configure the vCenter Server instance

    POST https://<vcenter_ip_address_or_fqdn>:5480/rest/vcenter/deployment/install?action=start

  • Get question

    GET https://<vcenter_ip_address_or_fqdn>:5480/rest/vcenter/deployment/question

  • Answer question

    POST https://<vcenter_ip_address_or_fqdn>:5480/rest/vcenter/deployment/question?action=answer

For information about the content and syntax of the HTTP request body, see the API reference documentation.

HTTP Status Codes and Errors

HTTP Status Codes and Errors lists the status codes that you can receive when you send HTTP requests.

Table 1. HTTP Status Codes and Errors

HTTP Status Code

Description

Operations that Return the Status Code

200

The operation is successful.

All operations. You can check the returned data in the results data structure.

400

You cannot perform the operation because the vCenter Server instance is in the current state. For information about the states of the vCenter Server instance, see Setting Up a Newly Installed vCenter Server Instance.

  • Validate the install spec

  • Start the setup

  • Get the install spec

  • Get the raised question

  • Answer the question

  • Get the state of the vCenter Server instance

401

You use an invalid user name or password, or authentication has failed.

  • Validate the install spec

  • Start the setup

  • Get the install spec

  • Get the raised question

  • Answer the question

  • Get the state of the vCenter Server instance

404

The state of the vCenter Server instance cannot be determined .

Get the vCenter Server instance state.

500

There is a vapi std error. For information about the types of vapi std errors, see vapi.std.errors in the API reference documentation.

Get the raised question.

If errors occur during the setup process, you can check the results data structure, the API log file, and download the vCenter Server instance support bundle from https://<vcenter_ip_address_or_fqdn>:443/appliance/support-bundle.