6 Accessing documentation and help

This chapter describes how to access help from the appliance, how to access the publicly available online information library, and where to find REST API help and reference documentation.

6.1 Online help—conceptual and task information as you need it

The online help documents both the UI and the REST APIs, and includes:•Overviews of the appliance and its features•Descriptions of resources and UI screens•Quick-start instructions for bringing your data center under management•Step-by-step instructions for using the UI to perform tasks•Information about using REST API scripting to perform tasks•The HP OneView REST API Reference

•Information about using the SCMB (State-Change Message Bus) to subscribe to state change messages

REST API help designThe REST API help is designed so that:•Each resource is documented in its own chapter.

•Each REST API scripting chapter identifies the REST API calls you must invoke to complete the tasks.

•Each REST API call links to the HP OneView REST API Reference for details about the API, such as attributes and parameters, the resource model schema, and JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) examples.

UI help design

The online help for the UI is designed so that each resource is documented in its own chapter. At the top of each help chapter is a navigation box that directs you to:

•Tasks that you can perform using the UI•An About section that provides conceptual information about the resource

•A screen details section for every screen, which provides definitions of screen components to assist you in data entry and decision making

•Troubleshooting information in case you encounter a problem

•Links to the help for the associated REST APIs if you prefer to use REST API scripting to perform a task

6.2This user guide supplements the online help

This user guide provides:

•Conceptual information and describes tasks you can perform using the UI or REST APIs. It does not duplicate the step-by-step instructions provided by the online help unless the information might be needed when the online help is not available.

•For procedures that use the REST APIs, the REST APIs are listed, but the complete syntax and usage information is included in the HP OneView REST API Reference in the online help.

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