Retrieving vApp Configuration
For a typical user, a vApp is the basic unit of backup specified in vCloud Director. The current generation of backup software maps vApps to their associated virtual machines in vSphere, and thus the virtual machine becomes an actual artifact. Virtual disk and virtual machine configuration files need to be stored in a backup. Along with the associated virtual machine artifacts, the user needs to back up the metadata and properties associated with every vApp to successfully restore it in vCloud Director when needed.
When a vApp is lost or deleted from vCloud Director, backup software can restore the vApp by composing a new vApp using virtual machines restored in vSphere. In such a case it becomes imperative to restore the properties and metadata associated with the vApp in vCloud Director.
The SDK includes a number of methods that you can use to get vApp configuration information. Although some of this information is included in the OVF used to upload the vApp to vCloud Director, the information might have subsequently been modified either by using the vCloud API or through the user interface.
All of these methods apply to an object of type
Vapp
.