Many users are unaware that Nutanix Files itself maintains an application programming interface (API) similar to but separate from that of Prism. Nutanix Files uses the same backend service as Prism (Aplos) to respond to requests, and can be connected to using the same port (9440). However, instead of connecting to the Nutanix cluster virtual IP (VIP) address or the IP addresses of any of the controller virtual machines (CVMs), the requests for the Files API would be directed to the Nutanix Files VIP and/or the addresses of the file server virtual machines (FSVMs).
The Nutanix Files API can be used to collect information regarding a Nutanix Files instance, and the individual requests can result in the following standard HTTP response codes:
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200 (successful connection)
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400 (bad request)
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404 (the URL is not found)
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500 (internal server error)
The Nutanix Files API even has an explorer page (similar to that of Prism) which can be used to demonstrate the type of output expected to be received, and can be accessed using the following URL format:
https://<Nutanix Files VIP or FSVM IP address>:9440/api/nutanix/v3/api_explorer/index.html
More information regarding the Nutanix Files API can be found via the APIs section of the Nutanix Files Monitoring and Auditing Guide.