Chapter 4. Advanced API Methods and Commands

4.1. The XML-RPC API

RHN Satellite 5.5 supports provisioning using the XML-RPC API.
The following API methods are used for kickstart profile and tree maintenance:

Table 4.1. XML-RPC Methods

XML-RPC Namespace Usage
kickstart Create, import, and delete kickstart profiles. Also used to list available kickstart trees and profiles.
kickstart.tree Create, rename, update, and delete kickstart trees.
kickstart.filepreservation List, create, and delete file preservation lists that can be associated to a kickstart profile. Once a file preservation list has been created, it can be associated to a kickstart profile by calling the kickstart.profile.system.add_file_preservations API method.
kickstart.keys List, create, and delete cryptography keys (GPG/SSL) that can be associated to different kickstart profiles.

Note

Once a cryptography key has been created, it can be associated to a kickstart profile by calling the kickstart.profile.system.add_keys API method.
kickstart.profile Manipulate IP ranges, change the kickstart tree and the child channels, download the kickstart files associated with a profile, manipulate advanced options, manipulate custom options, and add pre- and post-scripts to a kickstart profile.
kickstart.profile.keys List, add (associate), and remove (disassociate) activation keys associated to a kickstart profile.
kickstart.profile.software Manipulate the list of packages associated to a kickstart profile.
kickstart.profile.system Manage file preservations, manage cryptography keys, enable/disable configuration management and remote commands, setup partitioning schemes, and setup locale information associated to a given kickstart profile.
The following API methods calls are used to re-provision a host and schedule guest installs:
  • system.provision_system
  • system.provision_virtual_guest
For more information on API calls refer to the API documentation available at https://satellite.example.com/rpc/api.