When you create your data view Flex classes using the MVC architecture pattern and Frinje framework, you can use the Data Access Manager (DAM) library included in the vSphere Web Client SDK. The DAM library is a Flex library that communicates with the vSphere Web Client Data Service. Using DAM and the Data Service is the principal way to retrieve information about objects in the vSphere environment.

In general, the mediator class in a data view extension uses the DAM library to request data from the vSphere environment. The mediator class then updates the extension's view class to reflect the new information. The DAM also includes a data refresh mechanism that you can use to handle data changes implicitly. You can include a data update specification with your data request, so that DAM can assign updated data to GUI elements in your view class without the need for extra code to do so.

Data view extensions implemented in HTML communicate with the Data Service indirectly. To use the Data Service library from an HTML extension, you must install an adapter process on the Virgo application server. For more information about HTML bridge adapters, see Creating Action Extensions.