Instruction manual

Appendix B: NetScaler API Reference
B-2 NetScaler 9000 Series Installation and Configuration Guide - Volume 1
NSICG60_JAN05
The NetScaler API is based on the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP)
over HTTP and is used to develop custom client application that will
configure and monitor the NetScaler 9000 system. SOAP is a transport
protocol for exchanging information in a decentralized, distributed
environment and enables you to write the business logic and schema for
facilitating business-to-business transactions over the Internet.
B.2 Benefits of NetScaler API
The following are the benefits of the NetScaler API:
z The NetScaler API provides developers the advantage of controlling the
NetScaler 9000 system from a custom application. The API enables the
client application to configure and monitor the NetScaler 9000 system.
z The NetScaler interface allows the developers to easily and quickly
develop client applications using a language and platform with which the
developer is comfortable.
z The NetScaler API provides a secure, end-to-end, standards-based
framework that integrates into the existing infrastructure.
B.3 Hardware and Software Requirements
To work with the NetScaler API, your system needs to meet the following
hardware and software setup and requirements:
z A client workstation
z Access to a NetScaler 9000 system (version 5.0 or higher).
z A SOAP client tool kit (supporting SOAP version 1.1 and above) and the
development environment for the tool kit (for example, if you use a
Visual Basic tool kit, you must have Visual Basic installed on your
system).
B.4 Interface Description
The NetScaler API consists of the NSConfig interface. The NSConfig
interface includes methods for setting and querying the NetScaler
configuration. These methods allow the client application using the
NSConfig interface to perform almost all operations that an administrator
would normally perform with the NetScaler CLI or GUI.