The Web Client SDK provides several ways to extend the service layer. Each kind of extension is best suited for certain functions.

To manage back-end operations in the Virgo service layer, you create custom Java plug-ins, which can be of two kinds:

Plug-ins that implement REST services that act on behalf of user interface plug-ins written in HTML.

Plug-ins that implement custom RPC interfaces on behalf of Flex proxy components.

To retrieve data from vCenter Server or from external sources, you create custom data adapters in Java. Your data adapters can be of two kinds:

Property Provider Adapters can retrieve data from vSphere managed objects.

Data Provider Adapters can retrieve data from external sources as well as vSphere managed objects.