Cisco Cisco Prime Network Services Controller 3.0 Developer's Guide
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Introducing the Cisco Prime Network Services Controller XML API
The following sections provide general information about Cisco Prime Network Services Controller (Prime Network
Services Controller) and the XML application-programming interface (API):
Services Controller) and the XML application-programming interface (API):
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Overview of Prime Network Services Controller and the XML API
The following sections provide an overview of Prime Network Services Controller and the XML API:
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Prime Network Services Controller
Prime Network Services Controller is a virtual appliance that provides centralized device and security policy
management for Cisco virtual networking and services. It is designed to support enterprise and multiple-tenant
cloud deployments. Prime Network Services Controller provides transparent, seamless, and scalable management
for securing virtualized data center and cloud environments. Prime Network Services Controller 3.0 also provides
hybrid-cloud management capabilities for Cisco InterCloud.
management for Cisco virtual networking and services. It is designed to support enterprise and multiple-tenant
cloud deployments. Prime Network Services Controller provides transparent, seamless, and scalable management
for securing virtualized data center and cloud environments. Prime Network Services Controller 3.0 also provides
hybrid-cloud management capabilities for Cisco InterCloud.
With a built-in GUI and an XML API, Prime Network Services Controller enables you to configure, deploy, and
manage virtual services throughout the data center from a central location.
manage virtual services throughout the data center from a central location.
Prime Network Services Controller is built on an information model-driven architecture in which each managed
device is represented by its subcomponents (or objects), which are parametrically defined. This approach provides
a flexible and simple mechanism for securing a virtualized infrastructure with compute and edge firewalls.
device is represented by its subcomponents (or objects), which are parametrically defined. This approach provides
a flexible and simple mechanism for securing a virtualized infrastructure with compute and edge firewalls.
Prime Network Services Controller supports multiple client organizations or tenants. Each tenant has their own
virtualized compute, network, and storage resources that are deployed across a shared physical infrastructure.
Multiple tenants can coexist on the same infrastructure, with each tenant maintaining administrative privileges for
its virtualized resources. This multiple-tenancy design enables you to meet the specified service level agreement
(SLA) for each tenant, including compute, network, storage, and security policies.
virtualized compute, network, and storage resources that are deployed across a shared physical infrastructure.
Multiple tenants can coexist on the same infrastructure, with each tenant maintaining administrative privileges for
its virtualized resources. This multiple-tenancy design enables you to meet the specified service level agreement
(SLA) for each tenant, including compute, network, storage, and security policies.
Prime Network Services Controller Management Information Model
All physical and logical components that comprise a Prime Network Services Controller service component are
represented in a hierarchical management information model. This model is referred to as the management
information tree. The hierarchical structure starts at the top and contains parent and child nodes. Each node in the
tree represe
represented in a hierarchical management information model. This model is referred to as the management
information tree. The hierarchical structure starts at the top and contains parent and child nodes. Each node in the
tree represe
nts a managed object (or group of objects) and displays the object’s administrative and operational
states. Each object has a unique distinguished name (DN) that describes the object and its location in the tree.
Managed objects (policies, rules, security profiles, compute and edge firewalls) are abstractions of entities that
Prime Network Services Controller manages. By invoking the API, objects are read from and written to the
management information tree. The information model of an individual Prime Network Services Controller service
component is centrally stored and managed by the data management engine (DME). When a user initiates an
administrative change to a Prime Network Services Controller service component (for example, by associating an
edge firewall profile to a Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance 1000V (ASA 1000V)), the DME first applies that
change to the information model, and later the change is applied to the actual ASA 1000V. This approach is called
a model-driven framework.
Prime Network Services Controller manages. By invoking the API, objects are read from and written to the
management information tree. The information model of an individual Prime Network Services Controller service
component is centrally stored and managed by the data management engine (DME). When a user initiates an
administrative change to a Prime Network Services Controller service component (for example, by associating an
edge firewall profile to a Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance 1000V (ASA 1000V)), the DME first applies that
change to the information model, and later the change is applied to the actual ASA 1000V. This approach is called
a model-driven framework.