DiscountASP.NET Control Panel API (beta): General Information

[Eric]

DiscountASP.NET Control Panel API (beta)
The DiscountASP.NET Control Panel ASP.NET Web Service API consists of an API library and associated documentation that allows you to display results, obtain specific information and news, and to manipulate/modify settings and certain aspects of your DiscountASP.NET web hosting account.

The main Control Panel functional areas that we have exposedare:
- Email Manager
- IIS Manager
- Usage Summary
- Database Usage Meter
- News

API Access
To access the Web Service API, you will first need to log into your control panel at https://my.discountasp.net and navigate to the new Control Panel API section, where you can register to gain access to the Control Panel Web Service API. When you register, we will assign you with unique Authentication keys.

API access requires use of alphanumeric case sensitive Authentication Keys and requires you to white list the IP addresses that will access the Web Service API. You can view your Authentication Keys and white list your IP addresses in the Control Panel API section of the Control Panel.

What are the keys and how to use them
- Sandbox Key: This key is intended to be used for development purpose only. It is a read-only key. When this key is used to call a method that requires write access, no action will be performed.
- API Key: This key is intended for production use.

Restrictions
We have placed a few restrictions on the API to increase reliability. These include:
1. Certain methods cannot be called too frequently to avoid system abuse (you will receive an error message, if the frequency is higher than the configured threshold).
2. You are limited to 1000 API calls per day.
3. Our system will block an IP address after 25 failed login attempts have been detected within a certain timeframe.
NOTE: DiscountASP.NET may modify these restrictions at any time.

Control Panel API Documentation
Attached is a helpfile (.chm) which contains the documentation for all the objects and methods.

Sample Applications
We will be posting a few sample applications to demonstrate how you may use the Control Panel API. Please stay tuned.

User Support
User support for issues related to the Control Panel API is only provided through peer support in this forum.

DiscountASP.NET API Terms and Conditions
Posted at: http://www.discountasp.net/userpolicy_api.aspx

To make the Control Panel API program a success, we need your feedback. Please participate in the forum.

The DiscountASP.NET Team
http://www.DiscountASP.NET

[mjp]

We have added some new API features based on your feedback and requests, and the new SmarterMail services.

SmarterMail
- Create and delete SmarterMail users and aliases
- Update passwords and quotas
- List users and aliases

SQL Backups
- Create backups of SQL2000 and SQL2005 databases

The SQL backup tool is limited to one backup every 6 hours. An error is returned if you attempt a backup less than 6 hours after the previous backup.

[bruce]

Update:

The SQL backup methods now create the backup in the /_database directory rather than the website root.

[Aristotle]

The first post in this thread has been updated with the new API documentation chm.

SQL 2008
- Create backup
- Get disk usage

DNS
- Get A, CNAME, MX, and TXT records
- Add A, CNAME, MX, and TXT records
- Delete A, CNAME, MX, and TXT records

To update a DNS record, you must delete and add.

We also removed all methods relating to our old email system. All email accounts should be in SmarterMail now.

Aristotle

DiscountASP.NET
www.DiscountASP.NET