vCloud API

[Zach]

Hey,

I found this after I was sent a link (http://twitter.com/thesethings/
status/3694433841) suggesting that someone implement vCloud API
support for libcloud. I am reasonably familiar with the vCloud API and
would be willing to work on implementing support. I thought I'd
introduce myself here to make sure that I'm not stepping on anyone's
toes or repeating any work. Additionally, I wanted to double check to
make sure it was something people actually wanted (not just something
one person mentioned on twitter).

I found the wiki post about creating node drivers (http://
wiki.github.com/cloudkick/libcloud/nodedriverwritersguide), which
seems to be what the project would involve. Is there any additional
documentation I should read over?

Regards,
Zach

[andy]

Hi there,

Heh. That was my Twitter/blog post. :D

I work for neither VMware, nor Cloudkick, so won't pretend to represent either interest, but a couple of things...

1) Whoa. You are awesome and speedy. The API was released on Monday, no? (So many VMware announcements this week, I may be mixing stuff up.)

2) Slight heads up: The providers that implement vCloud Express (that's the name VMware gives it when it's an "external cloud") are allowed to deprecate the API as they see fit. While there are potentially hundreds of IAAS providers that will be using this, and all seemingly competing to work better than the other, this week there are only 5, and of those, only one has a really fleshed out provisioning site, and their API page is "Coming Soon." :( (https://community.vcloudexpress.terremark.com/en-us/product_docs/w/wiki/6-using-the-vcloud-express-api.aspx)

I guess my main point is, I'd hate for you or anybody to do a bunch of work for pieces that might not work, though I see that as extremely unlikely.

2a) The API is pre-beta, so VMware is reserving the right for stuff to change.

http://communities.vmware.com/docs/DOC-10659
-
Anyway, that's about all I have to say right now. It sure was nice of you to write. I hope one day VMware will care, too.

I'm a Linux system administrator who works mosly with enterprise stuff (like VMware) at her day job, and Internet stuff (like Cloudkick) for after-hours projects.

My dream is for these two worlds to be managed by the same sets of tools. If libcloud worked w/vCloud Express providers, my dream would be that much closer :D

Andy

[Zach Shepherd]

Responses inline.

Zach

On Thu, Sep 3, 2009 at 23:44, andy <andi...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi there,

Heh. That was my Twitter/blog post. :D

I work for neither VMware, nor Cloudkick, so won't pretend to represent either interest, but a couple of things...

1) Whoa. You are awesome and speedy. The API was released on Monday, no? (So many VMware announcements this week, I may be mixing stuff up.)

I've interned with the vCloud team for the past two summers, so I've had a bit of a head start. As a general disclaimer, I no longer work for VMware and in no way represent them. (And I can only develop and comment based on publically available information.)
 

2) Slight heads up: The providers that implement vCloud Express (that's the name VMware gives it when it's an "external cloud") are allowed to deprecate the API as they see fit. While there are potentially hundreds of IAAS providers that will be using this, and all seemingly competing to work better than the other, this week there are only 5, and of those, only one has a really fleshed out provisioning site, and their API page is "Coming Soon." :( (https://community.vcloudexpress.terremark.com/en-us/product_docs/w/wiki/6-using-the-vcloud-express-api.aspx)

I guess my main point is, I'd hate for you or anybody to do a bunch of work for pieces that might not work, though I see that as extremely unlikely.

"vCloud Express" is a specific category of services that utilize the vCloud API. If I or anyone else implements vCloud API bindings, they may not work with all vCloud Express offerings (due to the deprecation you mentioned), but they should work with other offerings that utilize the vCloud API (they have a full API, so I think it's safe to assume that at some point there will be software that implements some version of the full API).
 

[Dan Di Spaltro]

Zach,

Most of the folks on this list would definitely appreciate your time
commitment in starting the driver off. VMWare seemingly has a very
neat product int that the potential cloud vendors to be in support of
their api will potentially represent a great portion of IaaS vendors
out there.

I would start with the driver guide and if you need help, please ask
the list. Generally people fork it on github then press the pull
request when they want us to review the patches. Either way your
contributions will definitely help the project!

Thanks!

-Dan

--
Dan Di Spaltro

[Sam Johnston]

If I understand well the VMware vCloud API isn't finished, let alone implemented yet? That's not to say you shouldn't get a head start on it now but there was apparently a fair amount of development in the days/weeks leading up to VMworld so don't be surprised if the earth moves under you while you're working.

Maybe you'd be best to plan out your code now & write the basic handlers with a view to locking it down as the spec solidifies?

Sam

[Paul Querna]

On Fri, Sep 4, 2009 at 12:15 AM, Sam Johnston<sa...@samj.net> wrote:
> If I understand well the VMware vCloud API isn't finished, let alone
> implemented yet? That's not to say you shouldn't get a head start on it now
> but there was apparently a fair amount of development in the days/weeks
> leading up to VMworld so don't be surprised if the earth moves under you
> while you're working.
>
> Maybe you'd be best to plan out your code now & write the basic handlers
> with a view to locking it down as the spec solidifies?

vmworld ended yesterday, and the "tech preview" specs for the API are
on the vmware website:
<http://communities.vmware.com/community/developer/forums/vcloudapi>

[Sam Johnston]

Yes I know - I've been poring over them since the second they were
released. I assure you they will change, possibly a lot, and the dmtf
"rubber stamped" version likely will too.

Do as you please but bear in mind you're aiming for a moving target.

Sam

> >
>