Rest API

Rest API

About REST API

 

Application Programming Interface (API) is used to integrate various applications and facilitate sharing of data between them. The integration can be achieved with any third-party (external) applications or web services that are capable of sending the data via HTTP protocol.

With API, SupportCenter Plus operations can be accessed from other applications or web services. In case of request operations, it provides a convenient method to raise requests (other than the default e-mail or web form) directly into SupportCenter Plus without logging into the application. If required, you can also have an option to create your own web form for using API.

The purpose of REST API can be explained with the help of a scenario.

 

Scenario:

Let's take the case of a network monitoring tool (external application) that is installed on your network. In general, when an alarm is raised by the network monitoring tool, an e-mail notification is sent as a ticket to SupportCenter Plus application. The field values (priority, level, impact, category, and so on) should be filled by the support rep manually in SupportCenter Plus. This mechanism is time-consuming and eventually results in a dip in your helpdesk productivity chart.

With REST API, you can automate this ticketing process. When an alarm is triggered, the network monitoring tool provides the field details and raises a ticket automatically in SupportCenter Plus via HTTP protocol. The ticket ID is sent back to the network monitoring tool in order to perform any further operations over the request.

When the cause for the alarm is resolved, SupportCenter Plus will invoke an URL (callback URL) that was provided by the monitoring tool. The URL functions as a notification to the external application indicating that the ticket is resolved. If this URL (callback URL) is not provided, SupportCenter Plus will not perform any additional operation on the ticket. When SupportCenter Plus invokes the callback URL, the network monitoring tool can perform "any" internal operations based on the URL invocation. However, the expectation is that the application will clear the alarm (which was raised as a ticket) at their end.

 

Note: Please note that the callback URL is applicable only while creating and editing requests.

 

The operations performed with REST API are based on the 'operation' parameter and is sent to the url via HTTP POST method. The url format is as shown below,

http://<servername>:<port number>/api/v3/<module>

 

Authentication to the SupportCenter Plus application is key based i.e., an API key is sent along with the url for every operation. This key is support rep based and can be generate for support rep with login privilege. The role given to the support rep is also taken into consideration, so the key is valid only for the role given to the support rep. Once the key is generated, the key is manually transferred to the integrated application so that the application can use the key for further API operations. If the key is invalid (key is expired or the technician login is disabled), the operation fails and an error is propagated to the integrated application.

 

Note

1. Please note that the administrator alone has the privilege to generate the authentication key for technicians with login permission.

2. If a login for the support rep is disabled, then the API key is deleted.

3. The operations can be performed based on the Role provided to the support rep.

 

 

Generating API Key

The authentication between SupportCenter Plus and integrated application is through an API key. A unique key is generated for a technician with login permission in SupportCenter Plus application.

  1. Click Admin -> Support Rep icon under User block.

  1. If you want to generate the API key to the existing technician, click the edit icon beside the support rep. If you want to generate the API key to a new support rep, click Add New Support Rep link, enter the technician details and provide login permission.  

  1. Click Generate link under the API key details block. You can select a time frame for the key to expire using the calendar icon  or simply retain the same key perpetually. If a key is already generated for the support rep, a Re-generate link appears.

                     


The key in the above image is generated for an existing support rep. A time frame for the key is selected which shows the date, month, year and the time (in hours and minutes) when the key will expire.

 

REST API supported operations

The REST API supports the following operations which can be separated into:

  • Operations on request: adding a new request, picking up requests, assigning requests, get requests, obtain conversations, add attachments, get request notifications, and add/edit/get resolutions.

  • Operations on a specific request:  

    • editing, closing, deleting and viewing existing requests.

    • adding new notes to a request, editing, deleting and viewing existing notes.

    • adding worklog to a request, editing, deleting and viewing existing worklogs.  

    • obtain conversations related to request

    • add attachments to request

    • add, edit, and get a resolution of a request.

    • pick up / assign request.

    • reply to request

    • get notifications related to a request

  • Support Rep related operations: import Support Rep profiles (of all Support Rep) and assign operations to them.

  • Requester related operations: import requester profiles (of all requesters) and work on their requests.

  • Admin related operations: import specific Category/ all Categories, specific Subcategory/ all Subcategories, specific Item/ all Items, specific Status/ all Status, specific Level/ all Level(s), specific Mode/ all Modes, specific Urgency (all Urgencies), specific Priority/ all Priorities, specific Request Template/ all Request Templates, and all Support Group(s)

Servlet API is no longer supported.

 

 

    • Related Articles

    • Custom Module API

      Custom Module API allows customers to add, edit, and delete records through REST API from scripts or external clients. The list of supported operations with the expected URL and input_data is given below. For more details about the custom module ...

    • Generate API key

      To generate API Key, 1. Click the profile icon on the top-right corner and then click Generate API Key. 2. Select an expiry date or select Never expires and then click Generate. If the API key is already generated, click Regenerate.  

    • Encryption at Rest

      SupportCenter Plus allows you to secure user data by encrypting columns in the database. For PGSQL database, pgcrypto, a cryptographic module of Postgres is used for encryption.  For MSSQL, master key, symmetric key, and certificate are used for ...

    • FAQs on Encryption at Rest

      What are symmetric keys? A symmetric key or a secret key is an input to the encryption algorithm that helps produce a different output for different values provided at any given time. It is used for both encryption and decryption of data. What is a ...

    • Integration Key

      SupportCenter Plus enables administrators configure multiple API keys to allow delegated access for different integration requirements. Apart from creating and managing integration keys, administrators can also reassign them to different support reps ...