API 101: The Building Blocks of Automation

Transcript

1. © JAMF Software, LLC
   API 101: The Building Blocks of
   Automation
   9:00–9:45 am
   UP NEXT
   

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3. © JAMF Software, LLC
   Christopher Ball
   Implementation Engineer
   
   Jamf
   Jonathan Yuresko
   Implementation Engineer
   
   Jamf
   

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4. © JAMF Software, LLC
   API 101: The Building Blocks of Automation
   Presentation agenda:
   
   What is an API?
   
   But how do I use it?
   
   Does Jamf have APIs?
   
   That’s cool…so?
   
   You mean I can automate all the things?
   
   

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5. © JAMF Software, LLC
   What is an API? (Boring explanation)
   “Application programming (or program) interface: a set of
   protocols used by programmers to create applications for
   a specific operating system or to interface between the
   different modules of an application.”
   ~Dictionary.com
   

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6. © JAMF Software, LLC
   What is an API?
   Why point and click, when you can automate?
   
   A point-and-click GUI (graphical user interface) relies on
   real-time human-interaction every time you want to do
   something. An API allows you to tell a computer to
   accomplish the same thing in an automated fashion.
   

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7. © JAMF Software, LLC
   What is an API? (Building blocks)
   Terminology
   
   Authentication - Credentials needed to securely execute a task
   
   Endpoint - Where on the application the data/record is held
   
   Call/Request - Initiate communication with the application
   
   Response - Data/confirmation of request/action
   

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8. © JAMF Software, LLC
   What is an API? (Building blocks)
   Actions/Verbs
   
   GET - Retrieve desired information
   
   POST - Create a brand new record
   
   PUT - Update an existing set of info or record
   
   DELETE - Permanently remove info or record
   

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9. © JAMF Software, LLC
   But how do I use it?
   Endpoint
   Authentication
   Request Server URL
   Action/
   Verb
   

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10. © JAMF Software, LLC
    But how do I use it? (Request)
    cURL/curl - Tells the computer to perform the request
    
    Flags “-skH”:
    
    s - Silent/suppress output
    
    k - Proceed without verifying server certs
    
    H - Headers, dictates style/type of text to
    
    communicate with server (json vs xml)
    

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11. © JAMF Software, LLC
    Authentication is required to perform tasks via API
    
    Flag “-u” tells the curl the next string/data is specifying the
    credentials needed to perform task
    
    Basic authentication or token-based auth
    But how do I use it? (Auth)
    

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12. © JAMF Software, LLC
    Target server URL needed to point request to
    
    Endpoint (i.e. JSSResource/computers) -
    
    Must specify a folder/segment/category of data in order to
    execute a task or gather data
    
    Account used in authentication must have
    
    permission to perform tasks within endpoint
    But how do I use it? (Endpoint)
    

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13. © JAMF Software, LLC
    Flag “-X" Tells curl task/verb/action to perform
    
    GET/POST/PUT/DELETE are the available options
    
    If a verb is not specified, it will default to GET
    But how do I use it? (Action/Verb)
    

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14. © JAMF Software, LLC
    780 px
    650 px
    Max image dimensions
    Does Jamf have an API?
    Classic API
    Current API
    Most endpoints
    Basic authentication
    GET JSON/XML
    Send XML only
    

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15. © JAMF Software, LLC
    780 px
    650 px
    Max image dimensions
    Does Jamf have an API?
    Jamf Pro API (UAPI)
    Token-based auth
    Will eventually mirror
    Classic API
    Allows sending of
    JSON
    

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16. © JAMF Software, LLC
    Does Jamf have an API?
    

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17. © JAMF Software, LLC
    Parsing XML in Bash
    
    XML - use ‘xmllint --xpath' to isolate specific data.
    
    Add ‘text()’ to the end of the path to strip XML elements
    
    That’s cool…so?
    Command Location of data in XML
    

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18. © JAMF Software, LLC
    That’s cool…so?
    

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19. © JAMF Software, LLC
    Parsing XML in Bash
    
    That’s cool…so?
    Result: admin’s Mac mini
    

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20. © JAMF Software, LLC
    That’s cool…so?
    

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21. © JAMF Software, LLC
    Parsing XML in Bash
    
    That’s cool…so?
    Result: C07HH52NDJD2
    

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22. © JAMF Software, LLC
    That’s cool…so?
    Parsing JSON in Python
    
    Module ‘json’ is required to parse json data
    
    Module ‘requests’ is one of many ways to interact with an API
    
    

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23. © JAMF Software, LLC
    That’s cool…so?
    Goal: Rename computer to serial number
    
    1. Get computer’s current name
    
    2. Determine computer’s serial number
    
    3. If needed, adjust computer’s name to serial
    number
    
    

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24. © JAMF Software, LLC
    Step 1: Get computer’s current name by ID
    Parsing: Get value(s) from response body from an API call
    
    xmllint: Tool used to extract XML from response
    
    Parsed result: Admin’s Mac Mini
    That’s cool…so?
    

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25. © JAMF Software, LLC
    Step 2: Get computer’s serial number
    Parsed result: C07HH52NDJD2
    
    “Admin’s Mac mini” is not “C07HH52NDJD2”
    
    Device name adjustment required
    That’s cool…so?
    

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26. © JAMF Software, LLC
    Step 3: Adjust computer name
    Flag “-d” sends data with PUT/POST request
    
    Specify type of data sending “content-type”
    
    Jamf Pro accepts XML for PUT/POST/DELETE
    
    Device name adjusted to: “C07HH52NDJD2”
    That’s cool…so?
    

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27. © JAMF Software, LLC
    You mean I can automate all the things?
    Automated task examples
    
    • Push/Remove restrictions based on time
    
    • Automate the generation of complex reports
    
    • Enforce branding/naming
    
    • Automate onboarding by creating 3rd party SaaS accounts
    
    • Automate management commands
    
    • Remediate security/compliance issues
    

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28. © JAMF Software, LLC
    You mean I can automate all the things?
    

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29. © JAMF Software, LLC
    Tools that use Jamf’s APIs
    • https://github.com/jamf/JamfMigrator - Move records from a Jamf Pro
    instance to another Jamf Pro instance (i.e. Test to Prod)
    
    • https://github.com/mike-levenick/mut - Automate the population of
    records in your Jamf Pro
    
    • https://github.com/jamf/JAWA - Utilize this webhook server to
    automate your processes based on triggers/actions
    
    • https://github.com/kc9wwh/JamfProGroupsScoped - Find out what
    policies, profiles and apps are scoped to specific groups in your Jamf
    Pro
    
    • https://github.com/rustymyers/jamfMDMTools - Send automated MDM
    commands to devices
    

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30. © JAMF Software, LLC
    Resources - jamf.it/jnucapi101
    developer.jamf.com
    
    marketplace.jamf.com
    
    

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31. © JAMF Software, LLC
    Questions?
    

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32. THANK YOU!
    

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33. © JAMF Software, LLC
    Thank you for listening!
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    completing the 2-question
    session survey in the JNUC
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    Common Pitfalls of Jamf Administration and How
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    10:15-11:00 am
    

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