Creating vSphere Client Plugins

1. Session ID
vSphere Client Plug-ins
Nimish Sheth
Manas Kelshikar

2. Disclaimer
This session may contain product features that are
currently under development.
This session/overview of the new technology represents
no commitment from VMware to deliver these features in
any generally available product.
Features are subject to change, and must not be included in
contracts, purchase orders, or sales agreements of any kind.
Technical feasibility and market demand will affect final delivery.
Pricing and packaging for any new technologies or features
discussed or presented have not been determined.

3. About Us
Nimish Sheth, MTS
I have been at VMware for more than 2 years now
I work for vSphere UI team
I have been working on vSphere client plug-ins right from the 2.5 days
I worked on devolopment of vNetwork Distributed Switch, Fault
Tolerance, Storage vMotion in vSphere 4.0
Manas Kelshikar, MTS
I have been at VMware for more than 2 years now
I work for vSphere UI team
I worked on vSphere client plug-ins in vSphere 4.0

4. Overview
Two flavors of vSphere client plug-ins
What plug-ins can do and can’t do?
Extension Points
Walk-through a couple of partner plug-ins
Web plug-ins
Key features
How to create and deploy web plug-ins
C# plug-ins
API discussion
Deployment methods
Plug-ins Roadmap
Plug-ins style scorecard
Resources
Questions

5. Two flavors of Plug-ins
Web plug-ins. .Net plug-ins.
Embed an Internet Explorer All the rich functionality of a thick
browser within vSphere Client. client.
Make it easy to integrate existing Similar look and feel to vSphere
web apps. Client.

6. What plug-ins can and can’t do.
Plug-ins can
Create new home view items
Create vSphere Client context menu items.
Display browser panes within vSphere Client.
Create new toolbar items with graphics.
Plug-ins cannot
Change the behavior of vCenter.
Extend existing tables, summaries or reports in vSphere Client.
Add to the inventory tree shown in vSphere Client.

7. Plug-in extension points
To get the list of all the extension points, go to http://www.vmware.com/support/developer/vc-
sdk/vcplugin/vSphere_Plugin_40_Technote.pdf

8. Plug-in extension points

9. Let’s look at web plug-ins.

10. What is a web plug-in?
Web plug-ins are deployed as XML files.
The web plug-in contents are later interpreted by vSphere Client.
Based on the plug-in contents, new menus and tabs are created.
Each action or element points to an external web server.
Sample plug-in file:

11. Possibilities
ServerEngines
vMaestro software is a
means for customers to
create/deploy and
manage virtual network
and storage interfaces
in a unified way, by
integrating this
management in the
virtual infrastructure
client. It also allows
administrators to
manage iSCSI storage
targets from within VI
client, and allows them
to tie storage resources
to virtual machines.
Screenshot Courtesy ServerEngines LLC (http://www.serverengines.com)

12. Key features
Localization support
Display Constraints
Nested Menus
Data channel
Navigate within vSphere client inventory

13. Localization support
By defining multiple title nodes for an extension
vSphere client will pick the correct title based on the current
locale
<extension parent="InventoryView.VirtualMachine" treestyle="Virtual">
<title locale="en">vCenter MOB</title>
<title locale=“de">German title for vCenter MOB</title>
<title locale=“fr">French title for vCenter MOB</title>
<url>file://C:/mob.html</url>
</extension>

14. Display Constraints
A way to express when the extension should be shown to the user
Sort of a filtering mechanism, for e.g. a certain extension should
only be seen by the administrator
To do so, a privilege constraint can be used
Three types of constraints
Inventory view constraint
Privilege-based constraint
Custom-value based constraint
Arbitrary constraints defined by plugin themselves (only available with C#
plugins)
One or more constraints can be used in combination for a single extension
as well

15. Display constraints
Types
Inventory view constraint
By default an extension is shown in all inventory views
<extension parent="InventoryView.VirtualMachine" treestyle="Virtual">
<title locale="en">vCenter MOB</title>
<url>file://C:/mob.html</url>
</extension>
Permission based constraint
Filtering based on specific vCenter permissions
<extension parent="InventoryView.HostSystem" privilege="Host.Config.Connection,
Host.Config.Storage">
….
</extension>
Custom-value based constraint
<extension parent="InventoryView.VirtualMachine">
<customAttribute name="attrName">VMware</customAttribute>
…
</extension>

16. Nested Menus
Complex nesting supported (upto any number of levels)
<!-- Nested Menus -->
<extension parent="InventoryMenus.Datacenter">
<title locale="en">vCenter MOB Nested</title>
<!---URL will be ignored for the root level menu-->
<url display="window">file://C:/mob.html</url>
<!-- Child menus, parent attribute not required-->
<extension>
<title locale="en">vCenter MOB1</title>
<url display="window">file://C:/mob.html</url>
</extension>
<extension>
<title locale="en">vCenter MOB2</title>
<url display="window">file://C:/mob.html</url>
</extension>
</extension>

17. Data channel
Extremely loosely coupled with the vSphere client
Contextual data passed to the plug-in
Moref (e.g. VirtualMachine:vm-23)
vCenter Server guid
Locale
vCenter Session id
vCenter Service url
Url looks like
http://<Plug-in URL>/?moref=Folder:ha-folder-
root&serverGuid=&sessionId=523cc164-77d4-8c77-8e95-
28e19be1363f&locale=en_US&serviceUrl=https://10.20.104.142/sdk

18. Navigate
Uses a javascript bridge
Navigate to a specific object
window.external.NavigateTo(‘HostSystem:host-23’)
Navigate to a specific object and select a tab (like summary,
performance etc.)
window.external.Navigate(‘HostSystem:host-23’, ‘Summary’)

19. Installing web plug-ins.
Note: vCenter never calls out
to the 3rd Party Web Server.
Step 2:
Step 1:
Register the XML3 plug-in
Install the plug-in XMLWeb Server
VMware vCenter vS Party
ph file rd
configuration with vCenter
er
on a 3rd party web server.
e
AP
I
using the vSphere API.
Admin Station

20. Deploying web plug-ins to clients.
Note: vCenter has still not talked
to the 3rd Party Web Server.
Step 3:
Step 2:
vSphere Client downloads the
Step 1:
vCenter assemblesrd list of
a
vS
S
ph
TP
plug-ins from the 3 Party
vSphere Client logs in to
VMware vCenter 3 Party Web Server rd
er
HT
e
web plug-ins and returns them
AP
vS
I
A
ph
Webserver vCenter. registered
that was
e re
to vSphere Client.
AP
I
earlier.
VMware vSphere Client

21. Using web plug-ins.
Step 1:
vSphere API
When youStep 2: a plug-in
click 4:
on
vSphere API
TheThe 3rd Party3: 3 Client,Server
element in Stephostedapp the
application Web on a
VMware vCenter
vSphere Party Web S
TPrd
HT S
3rd vCenter respondslogstoken. to
processes the response and
Party request is made.in
web Webserver to the TT
User
H
P
Object selected (MoRef)
makes its responsehasvSphere
vCenter using the user’s token
Note: vCenter to Action selected.
request. no
knowledge of this!
(and vSphere Client
Client.
VMware
identity).

22. Web plug-in best practices.
Creating a new tab is the fastest way to create a new plug-in.
This approach relies on an existing web application.
You can embed an existing Java applet or ActiveX control.
If you don’t have a web app, consider tools such as Google Web
Toolkit.
Creating menu items provides deeper integration and more
value.
This approach usually requires new development.
This approach requires little web programming skill, but deep
understanding of vSphere API.

23. User experience of web plug-ins.
The look and feel are not
identical.
Rich graphical elements
such as pop-ups and
wizards are difficult to
create.

24. Let’s look at .net plug-ins.

25. vSphere 4: .net Plug-in Support
Create .net plug-ins like vCenter Update Manager and
vCenter Converter.
Plug-in has control over its lifetime.
Dynamically introduce UI elements
Custom configuration of added UI element’s visibility.
Rich client and plug-in interaction
Integrated look and feel of the vSphere Client.
Possible to access vSphere Client internal cache.
Plugin Manager allows for centralized plugin deployment.

26. Possibilities
Screenshot Courtesy NetApp (http://www.netapp.com/us/)

27. .Net Plug-in API

28. Plug-in API
VMware.VIClient.Plugins2.Plugin
Primary handle to a plug-in instantiated by the vSphere Client.
Load(VIApp app)
Entry point into plug-in code and is invoked by the vSphere Client when
a plug-in is to be enabled. This is a good time to add extensions, hooks
onto some vSphere Client events exposed through the VIApp.
Unload()
Counterpart part of the load method invoked when the plug-in is to be
disabled. Suggested to close out utilized resource like file handles,
network connections etc. Don’t worry about removing extensions as
the client will handle that for the plug-in.

29. Plug-in API
VMware.VIClient.Plugins2.VIApp
NewExtension()
Factory method that returns Extension objects. This also means that the
vSphere Client always creates Extension objects and the plug-in is not
expected to implement the interface.
AddExtension(string parentId, Extension extension)
Add an extension to the vSphere Client.
Unload(..)
Means for a plug-in to Unload i.e disable itself in case some conditions
arises that the plug-in is no longer relevant. Note once Unloaded this
way the plug-in will only be loaded if the user chooses to or the client is
restarted.

30. Plug-in API
VMware.VIClient.Plugins2.Extension
Wrapper for actual UI elements.
AddNewDisplayConstraint<ConstraintType>()
Add a vSphere define constraint on an Extension
AddCustomDisplayConstraint()
Add a plug-in defined constraint on an Extension
Context
The managed object context in which the UI element is visible. This is
set by the vSphere Client.
Content
This is the actual UI elements and is to be filled by the plug-in.
Activated
Event fired when extension comes into view. Recommended to fill up
Content the first time this event is fired.

31. Plug-in API
VMware.VIClient.Plugins2.DisplayConstraint
To control conditional display of extensions.
Evaluate
Based on the value of this property the vSphere Client determines if the
extension is to be shown or hidden.
DisplayStatusChanged
Event fired by a constraint if some condition has caused the display
status of an extension to change.
vSphere Client provide a few pre-canned DisplayConstraint’s. We recommend a
plug-in to implement its own DisplayConstraint if they would like to have some
other conditional control over display of extensions.
Note : Multiple constraints can be apply to a single extension which are logically
and’ed by the vSphere client.

32. Plug-in API
VMware.VIClient.Plugins2.Inventory
Represents vSphere Client inventory.
GetName(ManagedObjectReference)
Utility method for cheap retrieval of a managed object’s name.
NavigateTo(..)
Use these methods to navigate to various objects in the vSphere Client
inventory. Use this method in conjunction with strings defined in
NavigationKeys class.

33. Plug-in API
VMware.VIClient.Plugins2.ExtensionContext
Contains a reference to the VIM SDK object currently in focus.
VMware.VIClient.Plugins2.ManagedObjectReference
Uniquely identifies the server object and usually passed to a plug-in
embedded in the ExtensionContext.
VMware.VIClient.Plugins2.ServerInfo
Information of the vSphere server that the client is connect with.
vSphere client will only supply relevant ServerInfo’s.
VMware.VIClient.Plugins2.UserSession
Contains details of the logged-in user and a handle to the current users
session cookie with the connected server. (Use this to impersonate the
client log-in)

34. Using .net plug-ins.
Shares vSphere Client’s login
vSphere API
VMware vCenter VMware vSphere Client

35. Assembly Attributes
Assembly attributes informs the vSphere Client of necessary global details.
VCOnlyPluginAttribute
If defined the plug-in is only loaded if the client has connected to a vCenter
Server otherwise the plug-in is loaded even if it is connected to an ESX/ESXi
server.
MultiVCSupported
Indicates to the vSphere Client that a single plug-in object can handle
contexts from multiple VC server part of the linked VC group.
CompatiblePluginApiSupported
The client plug-in API this plug-in supports. Is a CSV therefore a plug-in can
support multiple client plug-in API versions.
ExtensionKeyAttribute
Indicates to the client to load the plug-in only if a server extension identified by
the specified key exists.
SupportedServerApiVersionAttribute
API of the server extension the plug-in support. If not defined client will
assume plug-in supports all versions of matching extension servers.

36. Other Goodies

37. vSphere Client Controls
VMware.CustomControls
ViewEx
ListViewEx
GridViewEx
VpxClientCommon
ViewData
ListViewData
(You will find the relevant libraries in the vSphere Client installation folder)

38. Inventory Cache
How do I get from ManagedObjectReference to name of a vSphere
Managed Object?
vSphere Client maintains a cache of server data which can also be used by plug-
ins.
Step 1: Get the matching VcService from AllServices.
VmomiSupport.VcService service =
VmomiSupport.VimServiceManager.AllServices[0];
Step 2 : Convert ManagedObjectReference to ManagedObject
VirtualInfrastructure.ManagedObject mo =
service.ManagedObjects[…];
Step 3 : Get access to an InventoryNode and its name property.
mo.Service.Inventory.GetNode(mo).Name;
(Look for these interfaces in VimVmomi.dll and VI.dll)

39. How do I deliver my plug-in to the
vSphere Client?

40. Deploying .net plug-ins: method 1.
Internet Deployment Server
Pull from the Push from a
Internet OR deployment server
Note: vCenter does not
help this install in any
way!
VMware vSphere Client

41. Deploying .net plug-ins: method 2.
VMware vSphere Client VMware vCenter
Hooks in to vCenter’s
“Available” tab.

42. Deployment
Deployed as DLLs
.Net plug-ins should be deployed in a folder alongside vSphere
Client installation. Typically this folder is found at a path similar to
C:Program FilesVMwareInfrastructureVirtual Infrastructure
ClientPlugins.
Possible plug-in delivery mechanisms
Drop plug-in libraires in appropriate directory
Register server extension with its client info pointing to a host
installer on a web-server.

43. vSphere Client Action
The vSphere Client introspects the plug-in dll to identify the plug-in
types
Based on the plug-in contents, new menus and tabs are created.
Plug-in has complete control of how to handle the action and does
not necessarily have to access a network resource
Typical Plug-in code -
using VMware.VIClient.Plugins2;
namespace vSphereClientPlugin {
public class MyPlugin : Plugin {
public void Load(VIApp app) {
AddSomeUIExtensions(app);
RegisterVIAppEvents(app);
}
}
}

44. Caveats
Caveats while developing .net plug-ins
Support for developing is forum-based only.
We will not consider feature requests.
Only critical bug fixes will be considered.

45. Roadmap
1H 2008: Web plug-ins. Future: Flex-based portal.
2008 2009 Future
The Flex model is not yet
1H 2009: .net plug-ins. committed to a release.

46. Plug-in style scorecard.
If… Web .net
You have an existing web app. Easy Hard
You have a .net 2.0 based thick client. Hard Medium
You have a Java applet. Easy Very Hard
You have a Java-based thick client. Very Hard Very Hard
You plan to develop something from scratch. Med-Hard Easy-Med
You need thick-client like functionality. Hard Easy
You need look-and-feel like vSphere Client Hard Easy
Your investment horizon is 3 years or less. Yes Yes
Your investment horizon is longer than 3 Yes No
years.

47. Resources available for plug-ins.
Plug-in documentation.
http://www.vmware.com/support/developer/vc-sdk/vcplugin-exp/
Plug-in community.
http://communities.vmware.com/community/developer/viclientplugins
Plug-in FAQs.
http://communities.vmware.com/docs/DOC-4510
http://communities.vmware.com/docs/DOC-4551
Plug-in quick start guide.
http://communities.vmware.com/docs/DOC-4861

48. Next Steps…
Get access to a vSphere environment consisting of vCenter Server,
ESX/ESXi hosts and a few Vmware Virtual Machines
Download the plug-in documentation and sample code
Deploy your sample plug-in in the ‘plugins’ folder.
Launch the vSphere Client and see you plug-in appear
Modify code and redeploy to see how your changes manifest
Convert your ideas into vSphere Plug-ins
Ship it!

49. Questions?