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Definition

EndDefinition

REST API operating principle

• A consumer makes an application via a request to a REST API with a web services provider.
• The REST web service carries out the request and returns a response to the consumer in the form of a data stream (usually JSON format, this format having become established over the years).
• The consumer uses the response as part of an application he/she has developed.

Service Manager supplier and consumer of REST web services

Service Manager as supplier of REST web services

• Service Manager offers services, named as methods, thanks to its REST API. These are well-defined business functions.  See the list of methods.

  example  Creation of a ticket, Update of an asset

• The third-party application calls a Service Manager REST API method sending the values expected by the parameters of this one. Processing is then carried out as if Service Manager was active.

  example  A Service Desk application calls the Suspend a ticket method by sending the Service Manager incident number

Service Manager as consumer of REST web services

• Service Manager can call web services provided by the REST APIs of other products in order to access external data.

  example  Call of the Trello REST API to access the list of projects and tasks

• The access to the data is performed using a REST action in a process (workflow or business rule). The external REST web service must be previously declared as a service.  See REST action types settings.

Notes

• The Service Manager REST API exchange format is JSON.

• The Service Manager REST API allows to manage the following resources.

• The methods (operations) PUT and PATCH which allow to modify a specified resource are equivalent.

• The methods which allow to obtain a specified resource or to modify a specified resource use a mandatory parameter that corresponds to a field of the Service Manager database for which we can guarantee the uniqueness.
      example  asset_id parameter for the following methods:
  • GET /assets/{asset_id}  :  View an asset method
  • PUT /assets/{asset_id}  or  PATCH /assets/{asset_id}  :  Update an asset method

• When you wish to obtain a specified resource or to modify a specified resource for which the third-party system does not know the value of the field used as parameter, you should use the method to obtain a list by applying the desired search/filter options on the fields of the database. You can then use the link URL (HREF) provided which contains the unique identifier of each resource.
      example  To obtain a specified access:
  • You should use the View a list of assets method (GET /assets) with the possible search/filter options on the fields asset_id, employee_id, location_id, department_id.
  • Then you can use the link URL: "HREF": "https://{your_server}/api/v1/{your_account}/assets/27590" to access the asset of which the identifier is 27590.

• Results (JSON format) are returned in the language of the user for which the account is used to access to the Service Manager REST API.

• A timeout is enabled when Service Manager REST calls are made. It indicates the maximum server response time for a REST Web service request sent to a third-party service. Once this time has elapsed, the call will be interrupted and a Timeout error code will be returned, informing you that the request failed.
  • The default duration is 60 seconds.
  • You can define a time between 1 to 300 seconds.  See the procedure.

Best Practice

• To run your tests, you shoud use:
  • The HTTP request library providing by EasyVista. It contains a set of examples which may help you understand and use the Service Manager REST API and run tests in your specific Service Manager environment if required.
  • Postman (extension of Chrome). It is an excellent third-party tool for mechanizing API tests; particularly REST API. 

Licensing and security system

• All operations carried out with the Service Manager REST API require a login in order to access a specific domain.
• Each time a call is made to the Service Manager REST API, user access is recorded.  See Service Manager license usage rules.
• For security reasons and to prevent unwanted use of the Service Manager REST API by standard users, the REST API field has been added to profile management. It allows you to define a dedicated profile and user to the API use.  See the Procedure 

Access to the Service Manager REST API

• Access to the Service Manager REST API is via a Basic authentication. Login and password are required.

• The Service Manager REST API can be called through steps in the processes (workflows or business rules) using the EasyVista service.  See REST Action Type Settings.

• Access to the Service Manager REST API methods is via a URL of the following format.
  Replace:
  • {your_server} with the server URL.
  • {your_account} with the Service Manager account used.
  • {resource_name} with the name of the resource called.

List of the Service Manager REST API methods

Assets

Note: The Assets term includes equipment, licenses, contracts.

• View a list of assets  :  GET   /assets
• View an asset  :  GET   /assets/{asset_id}

• Create an asset  :  POST   /assets
• Update an asset  :  PUT   /assets/{asset_id}

   Attributes

• View all the attributes of a list of assets  :  GET  /asset-characteristics
• View all the attributes of an asset  :  GET  /asset-characteristics/{asset_id}

• Create a link between an attribute and an asset  :  POST  /assets/{asset_id}/characteristics/{characteristic_id}
• Update an attribute of an asset  :  PUT  /assets/{asset_id}/characteristics/{characteristic_id}

   Catalogs

• View a list of entries of an asset catalog  :  GET  /catalog-assets
• View an asset catalog entry  :  GET  /catalog-assets/{catalog_id}

   Links of an asset

• View a list of links of an asset  :  GET  /assets/{asset_id}/asset-links
• View an asset link  :  GET  /assets/{asset_id}/asset-links/{parent_asset_id}

• Create an asset link  :  POST  /assets/{asset_id}/asset-links/{parent_asset_id}
• Update an asset link  :  PUT  /assets/{asset_id}/asset-links/{parent_asset_id}
• Delete an asset link  :  DELETE  /assets/{asset_id}/asset-links/{parent_asset_id}

Manufacturers

• View a list of manufacturers  :  GET  /manufacturers
• View a manufacturer  :  GET  /manufacturers/{manufacturer_id}

Employees

• View a list of employees  :  GET   /employees
• View an employee  :  GET   /employees/{employee_id}

• Create an employee  :  POST   /employees
• Update an employee  :  PUT   /employees/{employee_id}

SLAs

• View a list of SLAs  :  GET  /slas
• View a SLA  :  GET  /slas/{sla_id}

Tickets

Note: The Tickets term includes incidents, service requests, change requests, investment requests, problems, events.

• View a list of tickets  :  GET   /requests
• View a ticket  :  GET   /requests/{rfc_number}

• View the justification (comment) of a ticket  :  GET   /requests/{rfc_number}/comment
• View the ticket status list  :  GET   /status

• Create a ticket  :  POST   /requests
• Create a task for a ticket  :  POST   /requests/{rfc_number}/tasks
• Update a ticket  :  PUT   /requests/{rfc_number}
• Close a ticket  :  PUT   /requests/{rfc_number}
• Suspend a ticket  :  PUT   /requests/{rfc_number}
• Reopen a ticket  :  PUT   /requests/{rfc_number}

   Catalogs

• View a list of entries of a ticket catalog  :  GET  /catalog-requests
• View a ticket catalog entry  :  GET  /catalog-requests/{catalog_id}

• View all the paths of a list of entries of a ticket catalog  :  GET  /catalog-requests-paths
• View all the paths of a ticket catalog entry  :  GET /catalog-requests-paths/{catalog_id}

   Problems

• View a list of problems attached to tickets  :  GET   /problem-links
• View a list of problems attached to a ticket  :  GET   /requests/{rfc_number}/problems
• View a list of tickets attached to a problem  :  GET   /problems/{problems_id}/requests

   Documents

• View all the URLs of documents attached to a ticket  :  GET   /requests/{rfc_number}/documents
• Download document  :  GET   /documents/{document_id}
• Attach documents to a ticket  :  POST   /requests/{rfc_number}/documents
• Delete a document  : DELETE  /documents/{document_id}

Questions / Questionnaires

• View a list of questions  :  GET   /questions
• View a list of questions with a response  :  GET   /questions-result
• View a question  :  GET   /questions/{question_id}
• View all the responses to a list of questions of a ticket  :  GET   /questions-result/{request_id}
• View the response to a question of a ticket  :  GET   /questions-result/{request_id}/{question_id}
• Create the response to a question of a ticket  :  POST   /questions-result/{request_id}/{question_id}
• Update the response to a question of a ticket  :  PUT   /questions-result/{request_id}/{question_id}

• View a list of questionnaires  :  GET   /questionnaires
• View a questionnaire  :  GET   /questionnaires/{questionnaire_id}

Problems

• View a list of problems  :  GET   /problems
• View a problem  :  GET   /problems/{rfc_number}

Known errors

• View a list of known errors  :  GET   /knownerrors
• View a known error  :  GET   /knownerrors/{known_problems_id}

News

• View a list of news  :  GET   /news
• View a news  :  GET   /news/{document_id}
• Create a news  :  POST   /news
• Update a news  :  PUT   /news/{document_id}

Actions

• View a list of actions  :  GET  /actions

• Create an action for a ticket  :  POST   /requests/{rfc_number}/actions
• Update an action  :  PUT   /actions/{action_id}
• End one or more ongoing actions of a ticket  :  PUT   /actions/{rfc_number}

Departments / Locations

   Departments

• View a list of departments  :  GET   /departments
• View a department  :  GET   /departments/{department_id}

• Update a department  :  PUT   /departments/{department_id}

   Locations

• View a list of locations  :  GET   /locations
• View a location  :  GET   /locations/{location_id}

• Update a location  :  PUT   /locations/{location_id}

Configuration items (CIs)

• View a list of CIs  :  GET  /configuration-items
• View a CI  :  GET  /configuration-items/{ci_id}

• Create a CI  :  POST   /assets
• Update a CI  :  PUT   /assets/{ci_id}
• Create a CI unavailability  :  POST  /configuration-items/{ci_id}
• End a CI unavailability  :  PUT  /configuration-items/{ci_id}

   Links of a CI

• View a list of links of a CI  :  GET  /configuration-items/{ci_id}/item-links
• View a CI link  :  GET  /configuration-items/{parent_ci_id}/item-links/{child_ci_id}

• View all the links that have an impact on a CI  :  GET  /configuration-items/{ci_id}/item-links/impacting
• View all the links impacted by a CI  :  GET  /configuration-items/{ci_id}/item-links/impacted

• Create a CI link  :  POST  /configuration-items/{parent_ci_id}/item-links/{child_ci_id}
• Update a CI link  :  PUT  /configuration-items/{parent_ci_id}/item-links/{child_ci_id}
• Delete a CI link  :  DELETE  /configuration-items/{parent_ci_id}/item-links/{child_ci_id}

External tables (E_ tables)

• View a list of records of an external table  :  GET  /E_TABLE

• Create a record in an external table  :  POST  /E_TABLE
• Update a record in an external table  :  PUT  /E_TABLE/{e_table_id}
• Delete a record in an external table  :  DELETE  /E_TABLE/{e_table_id}

Others

• Execute an internal query  :  GET   /internalqueries
• View the information of the Service Manager license key  :  GET  /license

Procedures

How to define a dedicated user to the Service Manager REST API

Step 1: Create a REST API profile

1. Select Administration > Access Management > User Profiles in the menu.

2. Create a new profile.  See the procedure.

3. Check the REST API box to give him the authorization to use the Service Manager REST API.
         

4. Click  next to the REST API field to define the access rights to the Service Manager REST API methods.

• Check the route (or resources) boxes that the profile can have access.

• For each selected route, indicate if the profile can use the HTTP method (box is checked in the dedicated column) or not (box is not checked).
  • GET: Read-only acces
  • POST: Write access
  • PUT / PATCH: Access for update
  • DELETE: Access for delete
     

Step 2: Create a dedicated user, authorized to carry out REST requests

1. Proceed to the employee directory: select References > Directory > Employee in the menu.

2. Create a new user and assign the REST API profile previously created.

All multilingual data will be displayed in that user's language.

How to manage the result of a REST API action in a process

      See the procedure.

Workflows and business rule related processes can contain REST actions.

• All Service Manager REST API methods can be called.

• You can manage the result of the REST action, i.e. Success or Error, using internal update steps.

How to modify the duration of the timeout

1. Open the configuration file called rest-api.ini.

2. Search for the timeout parameter.

3. Enter the required value.

• You can specify a value from 1 to 300 seconds.
• Only whole numbers in seconds are authorized.
• Any value outside this range will be replaced by the default value.

4. Save your modifications.

HTTP status codes

StatusHeader

EndStatusHeader

Status200

EndStatus200

Status201

EndStatus201

Status204

EndStatus204

Status400

EndStatus400

Status401

EndStatus401

Status403

EndStatus403

Status404

EndStatus404

Status405

EndStatus405

Status406

EndStatus406

Status409

EndStatus409

Status413

EndStatus413

Status500

EndStatus500

Status503

EndStatus503

Status590

EndStatus590

ConventionsAPI