Some features are not accessible by API. These features require direct shell access or specific user interfaces.

vSphere Client

The vSphere Client is a user interface for general management tasks. All administrative functions are available through the vSphere Client.

The vSphere Client is a cross-platform application that can connect only to vCenter Server. It has a full range of administrative functionality and an extensible plug-in-based architecture. Typical users are virtual infrastructure administrators, help desk, network operations center operators, and virtual machine owners.

vCenter Server Management Interface

The vCenter Server Management Interface is an interface for configuring, monitoring, and patching vCenter Server.

The vCenter Server Management Interface runs in a browser that connects to port 5480 of vCenter Server. The vCenter Server Management Interface provides access to all the service APIs of vCenter Server.

Direct Console User Interface

The Direct Console User Interface (DCUI) provides access to basic operations for vCenter Server management and set up.

The DCUI provides access to a subset of management functions. It provides direct access to vCenter Server if the vSphere Client and the vCenter Server Management Interface become unavailable.

After the vCenter Server startup is complete, the DCUI displays basic CPU, memory, and network information on the operator console. The root user can use the DCUI screen to configure network interfaces, DNS, and super administrator password.

vCenter Server Appliance Bash Shell

You can use the vCenter Server appliance Bash shell to access all vCenter Server commands and plug-ins that you use for monitoring, troubleshooting, and configuring the vCenter Server instance through the API. For more information about the appliance Bash shell, see vCenter Server Configuration.

Data Center CLI

The Data Center CLI (DCLI) is a CLI client of the vSphere Automation APIs. Almost all methods that are available in the vSphere Automation APIs are available as DCLI commands. For more information about DCLI, see DCLI User's Guide.

PowerCLI

PowerCLI contains modules of cmdlets based on Microsoft PowerShell. The main PowerCLI module provides cmdlets for automated administration of the vSphere environment.

PowerCLI, the most popular vSphere automation tool, provides alternative, and often more user-friendly, methods to consume the vSphere APIs. The vSphere Automation SDK for PowerShell that was introduced with VMware PowerCLI 12.4, enables you to prepare data structures and call the vSphere REST APIs directly from PowerShell. It uses the Initialize- and Invoke- cmdlet prefixes to prepare data structures and call API endpoints. This approach keeps the REST workflow intact but transfers it to a PowerShell interface. For more information, see the Managing the vSphere Automation API with VMware PowerCLI chapter in the PowerCLI User's Guide.

vSphere Web Services API

The vSphere API is exposed as a Web service, running on VMware vSphere server systems. The API provides access to the vSphere management components - the managed objects that you can use to manage, monitor, and control life-cycle operations of virtual machines and other virtual infrastructure components, such as data centers, datastores, networks, and so on. For more information about the vSphere Web Services API, see the vSphere Web Services API Reference.