Automating vCloud Usage Meter Configuration via API

I recently had a requirement to automate the registration of vCloud Usage Meter (UM) to the VMware Commerce Portal (VCP). Manish Jha has a great blog post that really helped in my investigation. The process is now changed, for example UM is registered via the Cloud Partner Navigator (CPN) as opposed to VCP. VMware have a blog post here goes explains the CPN process.

This is the order of API commands that allowed me register UM and register the VMware Product VMware Cloud Director Availability (VCDA).

Create a UM Login Session

Method: POST

URL: https://<usage-meter-fqdn>:8443/api/v1/login

Headers:
Content-Type: application/json

Payload:
{
"user":"usagemeter",
"password":"usage meter_password"
}

We need to get the string of sessionid from output response. Further API calls will be authenticated using this string. Below is an example of the response output.

{
"data_usage_acceptance": true,
"http_proxy": false,
"alert_email": false,
"sessionid": "UmSIDa2EtEbyoot2zwYCcLmmgVscVGw2C4tk1UZSU6yzPyV0"
}

Get the UM UUID for Registration

Method: GET

URL: https://<usage-meter-fqdn>:8443/api/v1/agent_info?um_uuid=true

Headers:
Content-Type: application/json
sessionId: session_id

From the response output the UUID is displayed.

Generate a access token from CPN

In order to generate an access token a refresh token needs to be created on the CPN portal. This is an exact from the VMware blog post mentioned earlier.

Method: POST

URL: https://console.cloud.vmware.com/csp/gateway/am/api/auth/api-tokens/authorize

Headers:
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded
Content-Type: application/json

data-urlencode:
'refresh_token=refresh_token'

We need to get the string of access_token from output response. Further API calls will be authenticated using this string.

Register UM UUID with VCP via CPN

Below are the required parameter to register UM with VCP.

agentId	This is the UM UUID
connectivityMode	The mode in which UM will report data – ONLINE
contractNumber	The number of the VCPP contract with which you will register your UM
label	The name of the Usage Meter
meteringMode	The mode in which the data will be reported to VCP – TEST mode reports are not to be billed, PRODUCTION mode reports are to be billed.
version	The UM version for example. Note: do not use 4.x

Method: POST

URL: https://ums.cloud.vmware.com/usage/api/v1/agent-registrations

Headers:
Content-Type: application/json
Authorization: Bearer access_token

Payload:
{
"agentId": "27ecc293-1baf-44a9-be8d-ccac86584212",
"connectivityMode": "ONLINE",
"contractNumber": "12345678",
"label": "um.scamall.blog",
"meteringMode": "TEST",
"version": "4.6"
}

Accept Data Usage on UM Appliance

Method: POST

URL: https://<usage-meter-fqdn>:8443/api/v1/data_usage_acceptance

Headers:
Content-Type: application/json
sessionId: session_id

Payload:
{
"accepted":true
}

Set Network Connection Configuration on UM Appliance

In this step we are configuring direct internet access from usage meter to VMware. If in your internet connectivity is via proxy, your payload will change accordingly.

Method: PUT

URL: https://<usage-meter-fqdn>:8443/api/v1/test_proxy

Headers:
Content-Type: application/json
sessionId: session_id

Payload:
{
"type":"none",
"host":"direct"
}

Register VCDA with UM

The VCDA root user account is the only account that can successfully register VCDA to UM.

Method: POST

URL: https://<usage-meter-fqdn>:8443/api/v1/product

Headers:
Content-Type: application/json
sessionId: session_id

Payload:
{
"host": "vcda.scamall.blog",
"password": "root_password",
"port": 443,
"productType": "VCAV",
"user": "root"
}

Response Output

{
"port": 443,
"lastChanged": 1687467688814,
"host": "vcda.scamall.blog",
"active": true,
"metered": false,
"id": 1,
"user": "root",
"productType": "VCAV",
"status": 
 {
 "code": "Warn",
 "lastChanged": 1687467688814,
 "text": "Please accept certificate"
 }
}

Accept VCDA Certificate

Method: PUT

URL: https://<usage-meter-fqdn>:8443/api/v1/accept_certificate

Headers:
Content-Type: application/json
sessionId: session_id

Payload:
{
"certificateId": "vcda.scamall.blog:443",
"accepted": true,
"productType": "VCAV",
"productId": 1
}