SAFRAN VersaSync Rugged GNSS Time and Frequency System User Guide

REST API Developer
Guide
SecureSync, VersaSync, and NetClock
Technical Note
March 5, 2024
Revision 4

VersaSync Rugged GNSS Time and Frequency System

REST API Developer Guide rev. 4

REST API Developer Guide
This Safran Trusted 4D technical note applies to the following timing products:

• SecureSync® 1200 model
• SecureSync® 2400 model
• NetClock® 9400 series
• VersaSync®

Overview

The graphical Web User Interface (“Web UI”) used with Safran’s time servers has a built-in REST API which allows for status and configuration data to be sent and retrieved from the device without having to use the Web UI. This is useful for machine-to-machine communication, as well as for developing mobile apps. The REST API uses the JSON data format when performing HTTP GET and POST operations.
To perform these HTTP operations, it is necessary to know the data format required to retrieve and send data to a timing server. Safran’s Postman™1 collection is a full documentation of available endpoints within the Web UI, with examples of how to pull and send data through the API, and saved responses in order to visualize the requests.

About Postman

Postman is an HTTP client that serves as a development app to prototype and test APIs. The Postman app is available for Microsoft Windows™, Mac OS X or later, and Linux; there is also a web browser version: http://www.postman.com/downloads/.
Postman can be used to send the requests to a Time Server unit, and it will return the JSON response from the device. This allows the user to quickly test API calls without having to develop test software, and the format of the data returned can be easily analyzed for inclusion into scripts or applications that can consume the data.

1 Postman is a software app developed by Postdot Technologies, Inc. In its basic configuration, the tool is free of charge.

Downloading and Installing Postman

1. Navigate to http://www.postman.com/downloads/, and select “Download the App” or “Try the Web Version”.
2. Install and launch Postman.
3. Create an account by signing up. This will ensure your requests, collections, environments and history data are saved for future reference.

Familiarizing Yourself with Postman
The following is a brief overview of the Postman UI. More comprehensive assistance can be found under https://learning.postman.com/docs/getting- started/introduction/.

The View Selector is used to switch between different functionality.
The Sidebar lists the requests stored in the loaded Collections tab (see “REST API Developer Guide” on the previous page), the parameters stored in the Environments tab, and – under the History tab – a list of recently submitted requests.
The Request Editor is used to configure elements of a request. For example:

• URL: Type the address of the endpoint that you want to call into the URL input field. URLs used previously will be suggested via auto-complete.
  Note that parameters entered in the URL input field bar or in the key/value editor will not automatically be URL-encoded. To manually encode the parameter value, right click on a highlighted text, and select EncodeURIComponent .

• Method: Select the http operation that you want to use (GET, POST, etc.).

• Tabs: Use the tabs in the Request Editor to configure the requests. For example:

  • Headers: Click on the Headers tab to display the Headers key-value editor. The header frequently contains fields for authentication, Cookies, a time stamp, MD5 sums, and MIMEcontent type information.
  • Body: Click the Body toggle switch to open the Body editor. The body editor has different controls depending on the body type: form-data, urlencoded, raw, binary, and GraphQL.
  • To edit key values, click the Params button.

• Documentation: this section contains additional information from Safran regarding our endpoints.

Postman functionality highlights:

• Create requests by conveniently specifying Method, URL parameters, Header and Body.
• Submit API calls quickly to test scripts; generate code snippets that can be copied and pasted.
• Specify authorization to be used.
• Display responses in different formats e.g., “pretty”, “raw”, or as rendered HTML pages.
• Organize and store requests in Collections.
• Store request parameters that will be used repeatedly (e.g., keys and values used as login credentials) in development project-specific Environments.
• Access history of sent requests.
• Capture documentation for requests in a description field.

Importing the Safran Collection

Safran’s Postman™ collection for Time Servers provides examples of how to pull and send data through the API.
To import this collection:

1. Unzip the Safran REST API kit to a local directory of your choice.
   

2. Open the Postman app, using the credentials of your previously created account.

3. Import the Safran REST API Collection:
   a. For the standalone app, select Import.
   b. Drag and drop or click Upload Files and select the Safran_REST_API_vX.postman_collection.json file from your previously chosen upzip location.
   c. Under the Collections tab in the Sidebar on the left, Safran_REST_API will be displayed.
   Click on it to display the Collection’s folders which reflects the menu structure of the SecureSync and VersaSync Web UI e.g., Networking, Log Configuration, NTP, etc. Each folder contains requests. Click on any request to display it in the Request Editor.

4. It is not necessary to import an Environment into Postman, because all of the necessary variables are attached to the collection itself.
   (Note: former versions of these files, as well as some product-specific collections, will need an Environment file. If this is the case, one will be included with your REST API documentation. It should be imported into Postman in the same manner as the collection).

About the Safran REST API Collection
The Safran REST API Collection will appear as follows after importing into Postman:

Variables
The Safran REST API collection has all the necessary information included as Variables attached to the Main Collection File (these variables can be viewed when the Main Collection File is selected in the sidebar).
The Variables of the collection can be altered to fit the user’s network and communication parameters.
Web UI Page Files
The Main Collection File is divided into sections based on the pages of the Web UI. They are organized alphabetically with the addition of the RESTAPI prefix. For instance, the SNMP functions can be found on the SNMP page of the Web UI, and are labeled as REST_API_SNMP in the collection.
Product-Specific Page Files
The REST API collection also includes product-specific files which include instructions and endpoints that are only functional for specific products. This is especially important for users with a SecureSync 1200, because many of the endpoints listed in the collection do not apply to that model. If an endpoint is listed in the SecureSync 1200 file, the endpoint instruction should be used from that file, rather than from the data in the main collection.
Since the SecureSync 1200 is an older model, some of the endpoints do not follow the same format and/or syntax as described below. When that is the case, those endpoints are also documented in the product-specific collection.
About the Safran REST API for the Time Server Web UI

Safran’s Web UI has been designed following the M-V-C (Model – View – Controller) pattern.
Each View correlates to a function in the Controller. The Controller will take the data, manipulate it (as needed), and send it to the Model. The Model is the back end of the Web UI: Here the logic is applied to the data , using the CRUD functionality: Create, Read, Update, Delete.
Whenever a user accesses a page, the View component issues a GET request to the Controller, since the user ultimately wants to retrieve (or: GET) the data that is displayed on the loaded page. If, however, a user wants to add or configure a setting, the View component will issue a SET (or: POST) request to the Controller. In both cases, the Controller will receive the request, decide which operation to apply (CRUD), and then forwards the processed request to the Model, which will execute the request.
Next to SecureSync and VersaSync’s Web UI, the API offers an alternative means to communicate with the Controller: If e.g., a Login request is submitted to a time server unit by sending this request to the unit’s URL, the http POST “Login” request will, in fact, call into the “Users” Controller to execute the Login operation.

Syntax Example of an API Request
The format of the above-mentioned POST “Login” call would be as follows:
{{host}}/users/login.json
In this example the url points to the recipient, and users/login requests access to the “Login” function inside the “Users” controller. The json appendix specifies that the data format to be used is the JSON format. Other formats can be XML, CSV, DY (a proprietary Safran format for graphs).

Technical Support

To request technical support for your time servers unit, please go to the”Timing Support” page of the Safran Trusted 4D website (https://safran- navigation-timing.com/support-hub), where you can not only submit a support request, but also find additional technical documentation.
You can also email us directly at timingsupport@nav- timing.safrangroup.com.
Phone support is available during regular office hours under the telephone numbers listed below.
To speed up the diagnosis of your time servers, please send us:

• the current product configuration, and
• the events log, if applicable.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Regional Contact
Safran Trusted 4D operates globally and has offices in several locations around the world. Our main offices are listed below:

Additional regional contact information can be found on the Contact page of the Safran website (https://safran-navigation-timing.com/contact/).

– end of document –
Technical Note • March 5, 2024

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