Ridgeline 4.0 REST API Quick Start PDF - Extreme Networks

1 IntroductionOverviewAudienceWhat Is REST?Advantages of REST over SOAPLimitationsOverviewThis quick start is intended as a reference for the REST API, which allows a client application to query anetwork management server running Ridgeline 4.0 or later. Extreme Networks REST XML API enablesreliable external device-to-device management communication. The API interface provides amechanism to communicate with Extreme Networks network management servers using XMLmessages. Its standards-based REST/XML architecture makes it easy to integrate the networkinfrastructure with higher-level application and business software. In this release, the interface may beused to retrieve the network inventory (devices, slots, ports, and links).AudienceThis guide is intended for software developers using a programming interface to write applications forExtreme Networks devices. It assumes a basic working knowledge of the following:• Concepts and operation of XML API interfaces and web services• Writing web services client code in JavaWhat Is REST?REST (Representational State Transfer) is a set of constraints that when applied to the design of asystem creates a software architectural style that exploits the existing technology and protocols of theweb, including HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) and XML (Extensible Markup Language).Advantages of REST over SOAPRidgeline 4.0 uses a new API REST instead of SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol), which was theAPI of previous releases. REST has the following advantages over SOAP:• REST facilitates the transaction between web servers by allowing loose coupling between differentservices.• REST is less strongly typed than SOAP.