BePUG - PowerShell and REST - Expanding your Horizon
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This document discusses using PowerShell to interact with REST APIs. It provides an overview of REST and the Invoke-RestMethod cmdlet. Key points covered include common REST methods and parameters for Invoke-RestMethod. Issues like datetime conversion and depth limits are addressed. Tools for testing REST APIs like Fiddler and Postman are presented. Finally, reasons for using REST like its relative simplicity and widespread vendor API support are highlighted.
BePUG - PowerShell and REST - Expanding your Horizon
- 1. PowerShell and REST Expanding your Horizon Luc Dekens, PowerShell MVP, vExpert
- 2. Bio • Luc Dekens - Belgium • PowerShell MVP (2013-2015) • vExpert (2009-2015) • Co-author PowerCLI Reference • LucD on VMware VMTN • http://lucd.info • @LucD22
- 3. Agenda • REST • Cmdlet • Simple Run • Issues • Tools • Star Wars
- 4. REST • Representational State Transfer • (Alternative to SOAP) • Not a protocol, but an architecture ! • Constraints: Client-Server, Stateless, Cacheable, Layered, Uniform Interface… • HTTP/HTTPS • HTTP Verbs (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE…) • URI (Uniform Resource Identifiers) • RESTful APIs
- 5. REST Method + Base-Uri + Endpoint GET https://cloud.ravellosystems.com/api/v1/applications GET http://whois.arin.net/rest/nets;q=207.46.13.63
- 6. Cmdlet Invoke-RestMethod • Since PowerShell v3 • Improved in subsequent versions, but still some annoying “issues” present • Tries to detect the returned datatype + converts (ATOM, XML, JSON, Text) • Parameters = 23 (PS v5 build 10.0.10586.0) + Common parameters
- 8. Running the cmdlet 1 • Minimal run • Default REST Method is Get • Format of return data • Filetype-like extension on URI • Header - ContentType
- 9. Running the cmdlet 2
- 10. Running the cmdlet 3 • Authentication - Basic
- 11. Issues – DateTime 1 • JSON uses Unix epoch (POSIX time) • Type is long (int64) • Converting DateTime issue • DateTime: ScriptProperty (added by ETS) • DisplayHint: NoteProperty (added by Get-Date)
- 12. Issues – DateTime 2 • Solution 1
- 13. Issues – DateTime 3 • Solution 2 • Formula: convert to UTC, subtract “01/01/70 00:00” • … and back
- 14. Issues – Depth 1 • ConvertTo-Json : default Depth is 2 !
- 15. Issues – Status • Invoke-RestMethod only returns data • Status/Error code is not included
- 16. Tools 1 • The REST API Reference for the application • Come in all sizes and formats
- 17. Tools 2 • A simulator • Advanced REST Client for Chrome
- 18. Tools 3 • A Capturing Tool • Fiddler4 • PostMan
- 19. Tools 4 • Send script REST API traffic through Fiddler4
- 20. Tools 5 • Keep track of what you are implementing (think module)
- 21. Star Wars 1
- 22. Star Wars 2
- 23. Why REST • It’s (relatively) easy ! • Many vendors/products offer a Restful API • MSFT: Azure, Exchange, SharePoint… • VMW: vRealize Suite • EMC: Avamar • … and many more • Common (most of the time) methodology • To watch (?): Odata + OAuth2
- 24. References • Invoke-Restmethod • RESTful API Tutorial • RESTful Web services: The basics • API Directory • GitHub
- 25. Q&A