Interfacing with OpenStack Networking

The OpenStack Networking APIs can be accessed in a variety of ways, including via the Horizon dashboard, the openstack and neutron clients, the Python SDK, HTTP, and other methods. The following few sections will highlight the most common ways of interfacing with OpenStack Networking.

Using the OpenStack command-line interface

Prior to the openstack command-line client coming on the scene, each project was responsible for maintaining its own client. Each client often used its own syntax for managing objects and the lack of consistency between clients made life for users and operators difficult. The openstack client provides a consistent naming structure for commands and arguments, along with a consistent output format with optional parsable formats such as csv, json, and others. Not all APIs and services are supported by the openstack client, however, which may mean that a project-specific client is required for certain actions.

To invoke the openstack...