Provisioning API to add users to service

[hmallah2007]

Hello,

I'm new to TMS or TMSPE, I'm trying to find the API (SOAP, Rest, http direct, ...ect) that Cisco can provide us as a System Integrator to provision users, terminate, update users on Telepresense Service, and I could not.

Appreciate the help here.

Thanks,

Hadi

[daleritc · Accepted solution]

The only Cisco TMS and TMS related product API that we publically and externally support is the Booking API:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/telepresence/infrastructure/tmsba/Cisco_TMSBA_API_guide_14-3.pdf

All other APIs are undocumented and unsupported I'm afraid.

rgds,

Dale

[Chris Swinney]

Hi Heidi,

I have to say that I think this is a bit pants. It would be great to be able to "officially" integrate with TMS to at least be able to add functionality that is sorely missing - such as user self editing, password reset, bulk user upload etc.

Unfortunately, the only way to do this is a interrogate the browser when interacting with TMS to see what the calls and parameters are. There were several plugins you can get for Firefox that maybe of use.

Chris

[daleritc]

Hi Chris,

Not sure what you mean by "...this is bit pants"...but anyway, I get what your saying and I'm assuming your talking mainly TMSPE here. But one of the reasons that the APIs are undocumented and unsupported is because they are subject to change at any time...meaning yes, you can interrogate the way you describe and then do some "self functional" work but keep in mind that if and when the APIs changes, then your back to the drawing board. However, and with that said, we are considering documenting the APIs used in TMSPE...but no promises at this time

cheers,

Dale

[hmallah2007]

I'm pretty sure there are other ways to do this, but as a System Integrator, we prefer to go with the official guidelines and specs from the provider, in this case; Cisco.

I actually have a different question, not sure if I should ask it here or start a new thread, which is related to HCS, OH well I'll just throw it here:

We can provision HCS users, and I know that we Telepresence, can be added as an add-on or something to HCS, can provisioning in this case be to both of them (Telepresence/CTX and HCS).

How about the CDRs, where do we get them from, CTX or HCS?

Is there any docs out there that talks about the integration between Telepresence and HCS?

Thank you,

Hadi

[daleritc]

Hi Hadi,

I think we're talking "apples and oranges" here...meaning the TMS/TMSPE provisioning solution is a VCS centric type provisioning solution while HCS, CTX, etc is something totally different when discussing provisioning. In any case, here's a link to a fairly extensive document site for HCS 9.2:

http://docwiki.cisco.com/wiki/Hosted_Collaboration_Solution_Release_9.2(1)_Documentation

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[hmallah2007]

Thanks very much Dale.

I'm trying to understand the TelePresence Service offered by Cisco, I can see it marketed by Cisco in multiple places, once as TMS / VCS, and in another place as TelePresence eXchange System CTX, where it can be integrated within HCS, and then I can see the whole new Cisco Prime coming up.

Thank you for the link.

-Hadi

[hmallah2007]

Actually, I think this is explain the whole portfolio ...

http://www.cisco.com/web/CA/products/telepresence/products.html

It is just too many products!!

Thanks,

Hadi

[Chris Swinney]

Hi dale,

Yes, sorry, my term "a bit pants" is one of my never ending colloquialisms meaning "a little bit rubbish"!

So why do I say this? Well, two reasons:

1) I understand that the AlPI may change at any time, but surly this doesn't stop you from publishing? Indeed, how many of the really basic API calls will change that much? I mean, you may change the underlying implementation, but surely the actual call could stay quite consistent. I.e. adding a user to TMSPE should be a relatively trivial task.

2) a lot of the functionality I mentioned should be a available out of the box in TMS. For example, we have users added to TMSPE NOT through AD or via LDAP as we support multiple organisations. Adding these user in the first instance is a manual task which is stupidly time consuming. Then the users cannot edit their own info, or even reset or retrieve their own password without getting an admin involved. I don't think we should have to build our own portal to enable this.

I hope this make a bit more sense?

Chris

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[thobonho]

Why would you need access to the API if it's NOT for building your own portal? 

Sorry, but I don't follow you!

[Chris Swinney]

But that's the whole point - there is NO API!!!!

Ideally, the features I have mentioned should be a standard part of TMS. Full stop.

However, as they aren't, you would have to build a portal. Oh but hang on a moment, there's no published API, so you can't even do that easily.

The API should be in place, but Cisco also need to offer basic functionality to user and admis who cannot build or do not have time to build additional features into a custom portal.

Do you understand now?

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[daleritc]

Hi Chris,

First, we're talking TMSPE here, not TMS…albeit TMSPE is an extension of TMS, so let's keep that in mind

Secondly, there is obviously an API and as discussed earlier, it is undocumented and unsupported at this time. However, and as discussed earlier, we are considering documenting it. Therefore, that should answer your first point above. And keep in mind as well, I'm an advocate of support (TAC) meaning I wouldn't want to simply "publish" an API that wasn't fully documented appropriately. For example, our TAC guys get enough questions on our Booking API and that is documented Therefore, I wouldn't want to burden them with an undocumented API. I hope you get that.

At any rate, let's get to your second point…which is about functionality and features. I'm assuming when you say "…we support multiple organizations" that your a service provider? Meaning you can't actually "touch" these organization's ADs or LDAPs so as to be able to import their user data to TMSPE. Therefore, and as you say, you need to build the users for these organizations manually in your TMSPE which is currently a mundane task, so I totally get that

But let's take a quick history lesson regarding Legacy TMS Agent/TMSPE with that being…and I'll probably get a "a bit pants" about this both internally and externally…that this product was initially intended mainly to be an "on prem" type solution, not a service provider type solution. With that said, the expectation was…and because of the flexibility using AD and AD searches per group (folders)…that most customers would use that to import their user data from AD or LDAP into Legacy TMS Agent/TMSPE, i.e. LDAP (other than AD) actually came in TMSPE.

In addition, we also wanted to stay out of the password business, therefore, this is why AD/LDAP import was strongly recommended. However, and because one had the ability to create users manually and probably to avoid having to deal with AD/LDAP imports, we discovered lots of customers…in particular service providers…taking the manual user route. Therefore, when TMSPE replaced Legacy TMS Agent and the fact you couldn't move manual users in Legacy TMS Agent, and because this was one of the larger complaints we heard from the Legacy TMS Agents days, we included the ability to do this in TMSPE. 

We also discussed the ability to be able to do a mass import of manual user…e.g. from a csv file…into TMSPE and the ability for manual users to change their password. I happy to announce that the later will come in the next release of TMSPE in calendar Q114, manually built users in TMSPE will have the ability to do this now without admin intervention, i.e. change their password. As far as mass import, that's still on the table but because of other priorities coming in this next release, it may slip to the next release but its still being considered. Therefore, and those being the two things your specifically pointed out, one is coming soon and the other may still be coming or soon after.

And after all that, and as discussed, we're also considering publishing and documenting the API.

Stay tuned...

Cheers,

Dale

[Chris Swinney]

No more "big pants" from me, more like some wacky thumbs aloft .

I totally understand the history, we rolled out TMS when it was a Tandberg product, and the improvement at have come over the years. Like all good customer, I simply want more, but the more you give the more you see holes.

I'm sure it will come good in the end.....