Overview: Aspera Node API

The Aspera Node API is a feature of IBM Aspera Enterprise Server that provides a RESTful interface for full programmatic control of the Aspera transfer server environment. The Node API (asperanoded) is a daemon that provides node-specific services such as browsing, searching, creating and deleting files and directories, and setting up transfers over HTTP or HTTPS.

The Node API includes the following features and functionality:

  • An HTTPS (by default port 9092) and HTTP (by default port 9091) interface.
  • An API in JSON data format.
  • The API is authenticated and the node daemon uses its own application-level users (node users).
  • A node admin utility, asnodeadmin, for adding and managing node users and passwords. For more information, see Node Admin Tool.
  • It logs to syslog, akin to asperacentral, except for RedHat which logs to /var/log/messages.

Requirements to use the Node API:

  • Version 3.7.4 or later. Earlier versions use an SSH key type that is no longer accepted by servers as of version 3.7.4.
  • Identify a directory that you plan to use for sharing data. When you set up the Aspera transfer user (Node API Setup), you set their absolute path (docroot) to this directory.
  • The line 127.0.0.1 localhost must appear in the hosts file:

    /etc/hosts

  • For UNIX-based nodes, SELinux must be set to "permissive" or "disabled", not "enforced". To check the status of SELinux, run the following: 
    # sestatus

    If SELinux is set to "enforced", see Disabling SELinux.

  • Using this application on a cloud platform and accessing the object-based cloud storage requires an On Demand license. To obtain an On Demand license, contact your Aspera account manager.

You can use the Node API to set up the following configurations:

  • Set up a remote transfer server for Aspera Faspex. In this configuration, the Aspera Faspex Web UI is on Machine A, while the transfer server (an Enterprise Server node) is on Machine B. Machine A communicates with Machine B over HTTPS, by default.
  • Set up nodes for Aspera Shares. In this configuration, the Aspera Shares Web UI is on Machine A, while content nodes (Enterprise Server nodes) are created on Machines B, C and D. Users can then be granted permission to access specific directories (shares) on nodes B, C and D.