VirtualG API for System Versions

The purpose of the API is to provide programmatic access to accurate versioning data for various platforms.

If you write a lot of scripts or custom code which needs to find the latest version of something, then hopefully this API can help.

For example, if you know your current ESXi build but want to programmatically check if this is the latest version or not, then you can send a simple HTTP GET request to this API to get the latest build number into your code for comparison.

Please be aware that the API is in BETA.

Authentication for the API

Since the API is under relatively low load, I have decided not to require any access tokens, headers, signup or authentication. If I need to limit request frequencies in the future then this may change of course.

Supported Platforms

The following systems are included and I will commit to keeping the data up to date within 1 working day. I gather much of the data automatically but I expect that I may need to intervene manually at times while I’m building the API features up.

The “systems” which you can query are in the list of supported platforms below. Please use these values in your API queries:

Documentation

Not much required here, use the sample request below for an idea on how to use the API.

Sample request

Simply send a HTTP GET request to http://api.virtualg.uk/system/vcenter

Change vcenter to the desired system type which you want to return the latest version information for (See supported API values in the table above)

Example in PowerShell:

$url = "http://api.virtualg.uk/system/vcenter"
$result = Invoke-WebRequest $url -Method GET | ConvertFrom-Json
Write-Host $result.latest_release_name
Write-Host $result.latest_release_build
Write-Host $result.latest_release_date

This will return a JSON formatted response. There are currently 3 things returned:

• latest_release_name = This is the official friendly name of the release for the system queried
• latest_release_build = This is the latest build number
• latest_release_date = This is the release date

vCenter Server 7.0 Update 1
16860138
2020-10-06

Feedback and Requests

I am 100% committed to improving this system over time. Please send me any feedback you have which will make the system better or more useful for you.

I am looking to add functionality for non-VMware systems soon, let me know what you would like to see!

I will do my best to add new systems within 1 working day.

Updates

I’ll tweet about updates via @VirtualG_UK or you can subscribe to the mailing list to keep up to date with this and other activities on the blog.

Coming soon

• Add release Notes URL for all systems
• Add documentation URL for all systems
• Add download URL for all systems

Warranty

This is a project built for use by the IT community. Please don’t rely on this for any commercial purposes etc

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED “AS IS”, WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.