Client Interface

Creating a client

class netlab.client.Client(system='default', config=None, config_path=None)

A client for communicating with a NETLAB+ server.

Parameters

• system (str) – The name to identify a NETLAB+ system. Defaults to ‘default’.

• config (dict) – Configuration options. See below for all possible options for the config.

• config_path (str) – File path location of a JSON config file to be used instead of the default location.

Returns

A client instance with which you can use to interact with a remote NETLAB+ system.

call(method, task_wait=True, task_poll=3, **kwargs)

Calls an API method.

Warning

This is a low-level API method and should not be used by most users.

Required:

Parameters

method (str) – the method name

Optional:

Parameters

• task_wait (bool) – wait on task True/False

• task_poll (int) – number of seconds between task polling (default 3)

Keyword Arguments:

All other named arguments are passed as parameters to the API backend and are specific to the method type. See the API documentation for method parameters.

Tasks:

Methods ending in “.task” are long running tasks. Tasks may be invoked syncronously or asyncronously by setting task_wait.

• If task_wait == True, call() will continuously poll the task, wait for completion or error, and return task result on success. This is the default if task_wait is not specified.

• If task_wait == False, call() will return the task_id of the created task but will not wait. This may be helpful if you want to do other work while waiting, or run tasks in parallel. Call task_check() to get the current task state, task progress, task result, or task error. Call task_wait() at a later time to wait on a task.

Returns

A value or an object (check the API documentation).

Raises

NetlabError – if the NETLAB+ server returns an error response.

Config JSON, dictionary, and environment variables

config

The following parameters are used by config.json and the dictionary passed directly when instantiating the netlab.client.Client.

Parameters

• host (str) – IP Address or hostname of remote NETLAB+ API. Defaults to 'localhost'.

• user (str) – User account ID from NETLAB+ system.

• token (str) – Token obtained from NETLAB+ system.

• port (int) – Port of remote NETLAB+ API. Defaults to 9000.

• timeout (int) – The amount of time in seconds of no response from the socket before it will close. Defaults to 10.

Example:

config = {
    "host": "192.168.1.10",
    "user": "administrator",
    "token": "S25GWP5P2247CMRDNLTCNKATT49KSGEDDPXMTM6A",
    "port": 9000,
    "timeout": 10
}

config_env

Each of the above configuration options can be specified as environment variables:

NETLAB_CONFIG_HOST

IP Address or hostname of remote NETLAB+ API.

NETLAB_CONFIG_USER

User account ID from NETLAB+ system.

NETLAB_CONFIG_TOKEN

Token obtained from NETLAB+ system.

NETLAB_CONFIG_PORT

Port of remote NETLAB+ API.

NETLAB_CONFIG_TIMEOUT

The amount of time in seconds of no response from the socket before it will close.