Eliot Lear writes:
sshv2 could certainly be added to the list, but it doesn't provide
sufficiently rigorous syntax for transactions. it's like doing mail
through telnet, and then invoking sendmail.
Good analogy. We support this is our XML API for two reasons. First,
it helped us get the core of the API implemented and tested while
waiting to see what would become of the XML-RPC/SOAP/XMLP efforts.
We use a trivially lightweight RPC mechanism that can be ported
onto almost any of these, once the dust settles and we can decide
which are worth doing.
Secondly, we wanted something we could support with no additional
configuration in environments where the only connection to the box
is the console, either directly thru a laptop or via a terminal
server. We figured what good would the world's best application be
if it desserts you in your time of greatest need, the 2am junior
employee in the noisy pop scenario. If your motivation in buying
NM tools is to reduce the depth of knowledge and training junior
employees get before pulling a graveyard shift, supporting a direct
console connection is a big win.