Using Postman to Explore and Manage NSX APIs

If you’re just getting started with Postman and want a quick introduction to the basics, you can walk through this simple setup guide that uses the built‑in Postman examples:
https://vmanalyst.com/a-quick-guide-on-postman/

NSX appliances typically use self‑signed certificates, which causes Postman to complain during TLS negotiation so Disable SSL verification (NSX uses self‑signed certs)

In Postman:

  • Settings → General → Turn OFF “SSL certificate verification” This avoids the classic TLS handshake failures.

Add Environment Variables

Postman environments let you store values like:

  • baseUrl = https://nsx01.lab.local
  • username = admin
  • password =

Pulling the NSX API Specification

VMware publishes the full NSX API specification directly from the appliance. You can download it straight into Postman using a simple GET request.

Click on the API documentation from NSX manager.

The documentation lists all possible commands / methods so you can download it straight into Postman using a simple GET request.

Open a new postman request and set: as GET {{baseUrl}}/spec/openapi/nsx_api.yaml, Click Send to execute this request. When the response returns, copy the entire YAML output by hitting the copy button highlighted

Go to File → Import

Press Control+v to copy the file

In this dialog select to import it as a Postman Collection.

When the import is complete there will be a new collection available named NSX Manager API. You can now browse through every available endpoint — grouped, documented, and ready to use.

Example: — Add Your First Request: GET All Segments

Inside your collection:

  1. Click Add Request {{nsx01}}/policy/api/v1/infra/segments
  2. Name it GET – segments
  3. Set the method to GET
  4. Save and send the request

Begin by typing your {{baseUrl}} variable into the request field.

Send the request, and you’ll receive detailed information about the cluster state, node roles, and overall health.

eg: /policy/api/v1/cluster/status

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By Ash Thomas

Ash Thomas is a seasoned IT professional with extensive experience as a technical expert, complemented by a keen interest in blockchain technology.