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Table of Contents

Abiquo virtual machine metadata

...

Writing metadata will overwrite ALL existing metadata, so the first step is to to obtain a base object to modify, retrieve the existing metadata in the appropriate format. Abiquo recommends JSON format. Then add new metadata keys and values as required. 

Note: Do not use a conversion tool to convert between JSON and XML format because this may produce an incompatible data transfer object.

Excerpt

For the metadata attribute

...

or object, Abiquo has the reserved keys that are described in the following table.

Metadata type

Reserved

...

keys

Description

Chef

  • chef

  • Users enter Chef recipe attributes as JSON in the UI, in the VM dialog on the Chef / Attributes tab 

  • Abiquo stores the recipe attributes that you enter in JSON format as an escaped string under the chef key

Bootstrap script

  • startup-script

  • Cloud-config for use by cloud-init

  • Users enter Startup script in the UI, on the VM dialog on the Bootstrap script tab

Metrics

  • monitoring-metrics

  • Names of the metrics available for the VM – useful for accessing metrics via API

Custom

...


  • Append custom metadata to the existing metadata

  • Do not use the Abiquo reserved metadata keys

VM metadata tutorial

This tutorial will show you have how to retrieve and update metadata to add a startup script to your VM via API.

To work through this tutorial, you will need:

  • A VM that is not deployed (or a VM that is powered off)

    • This tutorial

      shows a

      uses an example VM that is not deployed

  • User with privileges to work with VMs and Manage virtual machine backup configuration (

    because

    VAPP_MANAGE_BACKUP) because backups previously used metadata

    )

  • Optional: a monitoring server and a user with the privileges to Manage virtual machine metrics (USERS_ENABLE_DISABLE_VM_METRICS)

To get started, use the a query to retrieve all of your VMs from the cloud and select the desired VM. Here we are filtering the VMs using the "hasvmlabel" parameter to select the one that has "ABQ_2fade" a text string (in this case "metadata") as part of the name, which is an easy way to find a VM that you have located in the UI.

...

GET all virtual machines in the cloud, filtering by name
Code Block
curl -X GET https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/cloud/virtualmachines?hasvmlabel=ABQ_2fade metadata \
	-H "Accept: application/vnd.abiquo.virtualmachines+json; version=4.27" \ 
	-u user:password --verbose | pjson

Expand
titleClick here to show or hide the API response example

Success status code: 200

Response:

Code Block
{
    "totalSize": 1,
    "links": [
        {
            "rel": "first",
            "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/cloud/virtualmachines?vmlabel=metadata&limit=25&

...

by=name&asc=true"
        },
        {
            "rel": "last",
            "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/cloud/virtualmachines?vmlabel=metadata&startwith=0&limit=25

...

&by=name&asc=true"
        }
    ],
    "collection": [
        {
            "id": 

...

3,
            "uuid": "

...

d0876a63-

...

4238-

...

4182-

...

9d10-

...

5f4f363101b9",
            "

...

description": "

...

root : abiquo",
            "

...

coresPerSocket": 

...

1,
            "

...

idState": 

...

1,
            "

...

idType": 

...

0,
            "

...

type": 

...

"MANAGED",
            "

...

highDisponibility": 

...

0,
            "

...

monitored": 

...

false,
            "

...

protected": 

...

false,
            "

...

variables": 

...

{},
            "

...

backuppolicies": 

...

[],
            "

...

generateGuestInitialPassword": 

...

false,
            "

...

natrules": 

...

[],
            "

...

vdrpEnabled": 

...

true,
            "

...

vdrpPort": 

...

0,
            "

...

password": 

...

"MLiRXdmv",
            "

...

deallocated": false,
            "

...

name": 

...

"ABQ_d0876a63-4238-4182-9d10-5f4f363101b9",
            "

...

label": 

...

"metadatavm",
            "

...

ram": 

...

64,
            "

...

cpu": 

...

1,
            "

...

state": 

...

"NOT_ALLOCATED",
            "

...

creationTimestamp": 

...

1583494480000,
            "iconUrl": "http://rs.bcn.abiquo.com:9000/public/icons/tinycore.png",
  

...

          "links": [
            

...

    {
                    "title": "Abiquo",
                    "rel": "

...

enterprise",
                    "type": "application/vnd.abiquo.

...

enterprise+json",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/

...

admin/

...

enterprises/1"
                },
                {
                    "title": "

...

ABQ_d0876a63-4238-4182-9d10-5f4f363101b9",
                    "rel": "

...

edit",
                    "type": "application/vnd.abiquo.

...

virtualmachine+json",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/cloud/virtualdatacenters/

...

1/

...

virtualappliances/1/virtualmachines/3"
                },
                {
                    "title": "

...

send 

...

mail",
                    "rel": "

...

sendmail",
                    "type": "application/vnd.abiquo.

...

mail+json",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/admin/publiccloudregions/1/enterprises/1/virtualmachines/

...

3/action/

...

sendmail"
                },
                {
                    "title": "

...

Cloud Administrator",
                    "rel": "

...

user",
                    "type": "application/vnd.abiquo.

...

user+json",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/admin/enterprises/

...

1/

...

users/

...

1"
                },
                {
                    "title": "

...

bcdc_vdc_01_01_01",
                    "rel": "

...

virtualdatacenter",
                    "type": "application/vnd.abiquo.

...

virtualdatacenter+json",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/cloud/virtualdatacenters/

...

1"
                },
                {
                    "title": "

...

bcdc_vapp_aa_aa_aa",
                    "rel": "

...

virtualappliance",
                    "type": "application/vnd.abiquo.

...

virtualappliance+json",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/cloud/virtualdatacenters/

...

1/virtualappliances/

...

1"
                },
                {
                    "title": "

...

metadata",
                    "rel": "

...

metadata",
                    "type": "application/vnd.abiquo.

...

metadata+json",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/cloud/virtualdatacenters/

...

1/virtualappliances/

...

1/virtualmachines/

...

3/

...

metadata"
                },
                {
                    "title": "

...

vlan network configurations",
                    "rel": "

...

configurations",
                    "type": "application/vnd.abiquo.

...

virtualmachinenetworkconfigurations+json",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/cloud/virtualdatacenters/

...

1/virtualappliances/

...

1/virtualmachines/

...

3/network/

...

configurations"
                },
                {
                    "title": "

...

nics",
                    "rel": "

...

nics",
                    "type": "application/vnd.abiquo.

...

nics+json",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/cloud/virtualdatacenters/

...

1/virtualappliances/

...

1/virtualmachines/

...

3/

...

network/

...

nics"
                },
                {
                    "title": "

...

disks",
                    "rel": "

...

harddisks",
                    "type": "application/vnd.abiquo.

...

harddisks+json",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/cloud/virtualdatacenters/

...

1/virtualappliances/

...

1/virtualmachines/

...

3/storage/

...

disks"
                },
                {
                    "title": "

...

NOT_ALLOCATED",
                    "rel": "

...

state",
                    "type": "application/vnd.abiquo.

...

virtualmachinestate+json",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/cloud/virtualdatacenters/

...

1/virtualappliances/

...

1/virtualmachines/

...

3/

...

state"
                },
                {
                    "title": "virtual machine 

...

undeploy",
                    "rel": "

...

undeploy",
                    "type": "application/vnd.abiquo.acceptedrequest+json",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/cloud/virtualdatacenters/

...

1/virtualappliances/

...

1/virtualmachines/

...

3/action/

...

undeploy"
                },
                {
                    "title": "virtual machine 

...

deploy",
                    "rel": "

...

deploy",
                    "type": "application/vnd.abiquo.acceptedrequest+json",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/cloud/virtualdatacenters/

...

1/virtualappliances/

...

1/virtualmachines/

...

3/action/

...

deploy"
                },
                {
                    "title": "virtual machine 

...

reset",
                    "rel": "

...

reset",
                    "type": "application/vnd.abiquo.acceptedrequest+json",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/cloud/virtualdatacenters/

...

1/virtualappliances/

...

1/virtualmachines/

...

3/action/

...

reset"
                },
                {
                    "title": "

...

virtual machine 

...

snapshot",
                    "rel": "

...

instance",
                    "type": "application/vnd.abiquo.

...

acceptedrequest+json",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/cloud/virtualdatacenters/

...

1/virtualappliances/

...

1/virtualmachines/

...

3/

...

action/

...

instance"
                },
                {
                    "title": "

...

remote access",
                    "rel": "

...

rdpaccess",
                    "type": "application/vnd.abiquo.

...

virtualmachineconsole+json",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/cloud/virtualdatacenters/

...

1/virtualappliances/

...

1/virtualmachines/

...

3/config/

...

rdpaccess"
                },
                {
                    "title": "

...

tasks",
                    "rel": "

...

tasks",
                    "type": "application/vnd.abiquo.

...

tasks+json",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/cloud/virtualdatacenters/

...

1/virtualappliances/

...

1/virtualmachines/

...

3/

...

tasks"
                },
                {
                    "title": "

...

firewalls",
                    "rel": "

...

firewalls",
                    "type": "application/vnd.abiquo.

...

links+json",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/cloud/virtualdatacenters/

...

1/virtualappliances/

...

1/virtualmachines/

...

3/

...

firewalls"
                },
                {
                    "title": "

...

load balancers",
                    "rel": "

...

loadbalancers",
                    "type": "application/vnd.abiquo.

...

loadbalancers+json",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/cloud/virtualdatacenters/

...

1/virtualappliances/

...

1/virtualmachines/

...

3/loadbalancers"
                },
                {
                    "title": "request 

...

on demand backup",
                    "rel": "

...

requestbackup",
                    "type": "application/vnd.abiquo.

...

ondemandbackup+json",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/cloud/virtualdatacenters/

...

1/virtualappliances/

...

1/virtualmachines/

...

3/backup/action/

...

request"
                },
                {
                    "title": "

...

request a restore of a backup",
                    "rel": "

...

requestrestore",
                    "type": "application/vnd.abiquo.

...

restore+json",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/cloud/virtualdatacenters/

...

1/virtualappliances/

...

1/virtualmachines/

...

3/backup/

...

action/

...

restore"
                },
                {
                    "

...

title": "

...

move VM to a virtual appliance",
                    "

...

rel": "

...

vappmove",
                    "

...

type": "

...

application/vnd.abiquo.links+json",
                    "

...

href": "

...

https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/cloud/virtualdatacenters/1/virtualappliances/1/virtualmachines/3/action/vappmove"
                

...

},
                {
   

...

 

...

                

...

"

...

title": "

...

move VM to another virtual datacenter",
                    "rel": "

...

move",
                    "type": "application/vnd.abiquo.

...

movevm+json",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/cloud/

...

virtualdatacenters/1/

...

virtualappliances/1/virtualmachines/3/action/move"
                },
                {
                    "title": "

...

volumes",
                    "rel": "

...

volumes",
                    "type": "

...

application/vnd.abiquo.volumes+json",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/cloud/virtualdatacenters/

...

1/virtualappliances/

...

1/virtualmachines/

...

3/

...

storage/

...

volumes"
                },
                {
                    "

...

diskController": "

...

lsilogic",
                    "

...

diskControllerType": "

...

SCSI",
                    "

...

diskLabel": "

...

Hd",
                    "

...

length": "

...

100",
                

...

    "title": "f9693188-5e49-430c-bb38-fc70916dcfb4",
            

...

        "rel": "disk0",
           

...

         

...

"

...

type": "application/vnd.abiquo.

...

harddisk+json",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/cloud/virtualdatacenters/

...

1/

...

disks/5"
                },
                {
                    "title": "

...

Default Tier",
                    "rel": "

...

datastoretier0",
                    "type": "application/vnd.abiquo.datastoretier+json",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/cloud/

...

locations/

...

1/

...

datastoretiers/1"
                },
                {
                    "

...

diskController": "

...

lsilogic",
                    "

...

diskControllerType": "

...

SCSI",
                    "

...

diskLabel": "

...

Hd",
                    "

...

length": "

...

100",
                    "title": "

...

d5acae19-9202-4bec-a600-4ee66ef4d26b",
                    "rel": "

...

disk1",
                    "type": "application/vnd.abiquo.

...

harddisk+json",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/cloud/virtualdatacenters/

...

1/

...

disks/6"
                },
                {
                    "title": "

...

Default Tier",
                    "rel": "

...

datastoretier1",
                    "type": "application/vnd.abiquo.

...

datastoretier+json",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/cloud/

...

locations/

...

1/

...

datastoretiers/1"
                },
                {
                    "title": "

...

protect",
                    "rel": "

...

protect",
                    "type": "

...

text/plain",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/cloud/virtualdatacenters/

...

1/virtualappliances/

...

1/virtualmachines/

...

3/action/

...

protect"
                },
                {
                    "title": "

...

unprotect",
                    "rel": "

...

unprotect",
                    "type": "

...

text/plain",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/cloud/virtualdatacenters/

...

1/virtualappliances/

...

1/virtualmachines/

...

3/action/

...

unprotect"
                },
                {
                    "title": "

...

metricsmetadata",
                    "rel": "

...

metricsmetadata",
                    "type": "application/vnd.abiquo.

...

metricsmetadata+json",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api

...

/cloud/virtualdatacenters/1/virtualappliances/1/virtualmachines/3/metrics"
                },
                {
                    "title": "

...

enablemonitoring",
                    "rel": "

...

enablemonitoring",
                    "type": "

...

",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/

...

cloud/

...

virtualdatacenters/1/

...

virtualappliances/1/

...

virtualmachines/3/enablemonitoring"
                },
                {
                    "title": "

...

collectd",
                    "rel": "

...

collectd",
                    "type": "application/

...

json",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/

...

cloud/virtualdatacenters/1/virtualappliances/1/virtualmachines/3/metrics/collectd"
                }

...

,
    

...

 

...

 

...

 

...

From the VM data object, the link to the VM metadata is the one with the "rel" value of metadata.

...

         

...

{
                    "title": "

...

alarmssearch",
                    "rel": "

...

alarmssearch",
                    "type": "application/vnd.abiquo.

...

alarms+json",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/cloud/virtualdatacenters/

...

1/virtualappliances/

...

1/virtualmachines/3/alarms"
                },
                {
                    "title": "clone",
                    "rel": "clone",
                    "type": "application/vnd.abiquo.virtualmachinecloneoptions+json",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/cloud/virtualdatacenters/1/virtualappliances/1/virtualmachines/3/action/clone"
                },
                {
                    "title": "KVM",
                    "rel": "hypervisortype",
                    "type": "application/vnd.abiquo.hypervisortype+json",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/config/hypervisortypes/KVM"
                },
                {
                    "title": "core_duplicate",
                    "rel": "virtualmachinetemplate",
                    "type": "application/vnd.abiquo.virtualmachinetemplate+json",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/admin/enterprises/1/datacenterrepositories/1/virtualmachinetemplates/22"
                },
                {
                    "title": "Others",
                    "rel": "category",
                    "type": "application/vnd.abiquo.category+json",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/config/categories/1"
                }
            ],
            "usageStatistics": []
        }
    ],
    "duplicatedvms": []
} 


From the VM data object, the link to the VM metadata is the one with the "rel" value of metadata.

Code Block
                {
                    "title": "metadata",
                    "rel": "metadata",
                    "type": "application/vnd.abiquo.metadata+json",
                    "href": "https://mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/cloud/virtualdatacenters/1/virtualappliances/1/virtualmachines/3/metadata"
                },

There is also a metadata attribute in the VM with a null value, but the correct way to access metadata is using the metadata link.

...

Use the VM metadata link from the step above to retrieve any existing metadata.

Code Block
curl -X GET httphttps://localhost:9000mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/cloud/virtualdatacenters/21/virtualappliances/21/virtualmachines/243/metadata \
     -H 'Accept:application/vnd.abiquo.metadata+json; version=4.27' \
     -u user:password --verbose

When there is no metadata, the query returns a 200 status code, and a data object with an empty links list and a null metadata attribute.

{ "links": [],
Code Block
{
    "metadatalinks": null[]
}

Optionally enable monitoring, select metrics, and retrieve metadata again

To move ahead quickly, in the UI , enable "Fetch metrics" and don't select any metrics to retrieve. Then retrieve metadata again using the same GET request as in the previous step.

The metadata object will now have an empty monitoring-metrics list.

Code Block
{
    "links": [],
    "metadata": {
        "monitoring-metrics": []
    },
    "links": []
} 

Now select one or more metrics to retrieve. Here In the UI we selected two of the built-in metrics from a KVM hypervisor and performed the GET request again. 

Code Block
{
    "links": [],
    "metadata": {
        "monitoring-metrics": [
            {
                "name": "cpuused_timemem"
            },
            {
                "name": "usedcpu_memtime"
            }
        ]
    },
    "links": []
} 

Prepare a metadata object with a VM startup script

...

So for example, we have the following script for use with a cloud-init template on a Linux system.

(minus)(minus) Disclaimer: this is a sample script for illustrative purposes only. Please see cloud-init documentation to find out how this script works.

Code Block
#cloud-config
hostname: "userdatahostname"
users:
  - name: "myuser"
  	# mkpasswd --method=SHA-512 --rounds=4096 mypass
    passwd: "$6$rounds=4096$aD0didNw/$Pau0z3YK2Ss5MWYoxScEedfMa.1N5qRqK0xYrgs79qdjHdoFUIRmVXpeEewDduSbImu7sqIjSRm40xO6PpJhk/" 
    groups:
      - "sudo"
ssh_authorized_keys:
  - "ssh-rsa USER_ID_RSA.PUB"

And after you escape the special characters it will look like this:

Code Block
#cloud-config\r\nhostname: \"userdatahostname\"\r\nusers:\r\n  - name: \"myuser\"\r\n  \t# mkpasswd --method=SHA-512 --rounds=4096 mypass\r\n    passwd: \"$6$rounds=4096$aD0didNw\/$Pau0z3YK2Ss5MWYoxScEedfMa.1N5qRqK0xYrgs79qdjHdoFUIRmVXpeEewDduSbImu7sqIjSRm40xO6PpJhk\/\" \r\n    groups:\r\n      - \"sudo\"\r\nssh_authorized_keys:\r\n  - \"ssh-rsa USER_ID_RSA.PUB\"

...

Add the startup script to the metadata object with the "startup-script" key. Don't forget to add a comma after the previous object.  For our example, after adding the startup script, the metadata object looked like this:

{ "links": [],
Code Block
Code Block
{
    "metadata": {
        "monitoring-metrics": [
            {
                "name": "cpu_time"
            },
            {
                "name": "used_mem"
            }
        ],
        "startup-script": 
"#cloud-config\r\nhostname: \"userdatahostname\"\r\nusers:\r\n  - name: \"myuser\"\r\n  \t# mkpasswd --method=SHA-512 --rounds=4096 mypass\r\n    passwd: \"$6$rounds=4096$aD0didNw\/$Pau0z3YK2Ss5MWYoxScEedfMa.1N5qRqK0xYrgs79qdjHdoFUIRmVXpeEewDduSbImu7sqIjSRm40xO6PpJhk\/\" \r\n    groups:\r\n      - \"sudo\"\r\nssh_authorized_keys:\r\n  - \"ssh-rsa USER_ID_RSA.PUB\"" 
    },
    "links": []
} 

Update VM metadata

To update the VM metadata, perform a PUT request to the metadata link.

Code Block
curl -X PUT httphttps://localhost:9000mjsabiquo.bcn.abiquo.com:443/api/cloud/virtualdatacenters/21/virtualappliances/21/virtualmachines/243/metadata \
     -H 'Accept:application/vnd.abiquo.metadata+json; version=4.27' \
     -H 'Content-Type:application/vnd.abiquo.metadata+json; version=4.27' \
     -d @requestpayload.json \
     -u user:password --verbose

In this case, the requestpayload.json file should contain the JSON object from the previous step.

...

Metadata requestpayload.json object
Code Block
{
    "links": [],
    "metadata": {
        "monitoring-metrics": [
            {
                "name": "cpu_time"
            },
            {
                "name": "used_mem"
            }
        ],
        "startup-script": 
"#cloud-config\r\nhostname: \"userdatahostname\"\r\nusers:\r\n  - name: \"myuser\"\r\n  \t# mkpasswd --method=SHA-512 --rounds=4096 mypass\r\n    passwd: \"$6$rounds=4096$aD0didNw\/$Pau0z3YK2Ss5MWYoxScEedfMa.1N5qRqK0xYrgs79qdjHdoFUIRmVXpeEewDduSbImu7sqIjSRm40xO6PpJhk\/\" \r\n    groups:\r\n      - \"sudo\"\r\nssh_authorized_keys:\r\n  - \"ssh-rsa USER_ID_RSA.PUB\"" 
    }
} 

If the request is successful, it will return a status code of 200 and the updated metadata object.

Code Block
{
    "links":
[],     "metadata": {
        "monitoring-metrics": [
            {
                "name": "cpuused_timemem"
            },
            {
                "name": "usedcpu_memtime"
            }
        ],
        "startup-script": "#cloud-config\r\nhostname: \"userdatahostname\"\r\nusers:\r\n  - name: \"myuser\"\r\n  \t# mkpasswd --method=SHA-512 --rounds=4096 mypass\r\n    passwd: \"$6$rounds=4096$aD0didNw/$Pau0z3YK2Ss5MWYoxScEedfMa.1N5qRqK0xYrgs79qdjHdoFUIRmVXpeEewDduSbImu7sqIjSRm40xO6PpJhk/\" \r\n    groups:\r\n      - \"sudo\"\r\nssh_authorized_keys:\r\n  - \"ssh-rsa USER_ID_RSA.PUB\""""
    },
     }"links": []
}

And that's all! (big grin)(big grin)

Access metadata as part of the VM

Here we made a GET request to obtain the VM object and we removed the links to make it easier to read. Here, the metadata object is part of the VM but the links list is not shown.

Code Block

        {
            "id": 24,
            "uuid": "2fade39a-fe59-44b4-be3f-b96b63b48153",
            "name": "ABQ_2fade39a-fe59-44b4-be3f-b96b63b48153",
            "label": "VM_metadata", {
            "descriptionid": "A virtual machine"3,
            "cpuuuid": 1,
            "ram": 48"d0876a63-4238-4182-9d10-5f4f363101b9",
            "vdrpEnableddescription": true,"root             "vdrpPort": 0: abiquo",
            "idStatecoresPerSocket": 1,
            "stateidState": "NOT_ALLOCATED"1,
            "idType": 0,
            "type": "MANAGED",
            "highDisponibility": 0,
            "password": "uMvMpfyD"": 0,
            "metadata": {
                "monitoring-metrics": [
                    {
                        "name": "cpuused_timemem"
                    },
                    {
                        "name": "usedcpu_memtime"
                    }
                ],
                "startup-script": "#cloud-config\r\nhostname: \"userdatahostname\"\r\nusers:\r\n  - name: \"myuser\"\r\n  \t# mkpasswd --method=SHA-512 --rounds=4096 mypass\r\n    passwd: \"$6$rounds=4096$aD0didNw/$Pau0z3YK2Ss5MWYoxScEedfMa.1N5qRqK0xYrgs79qdjHdoFUIRmVXpeEewDduSbImu7sqIjSRm40xO6PpJhk/\" \r\n    groups:\r\n      - \"sudo\"\r\nssh_authorized_keys:\r\n  - \"ssh-rsa USER_ID_RSA.PUB\""
            },
            "monitored": true,
            "protected": false,
            "variables": {},
            "creationTimestamp": 1520865331000,
            "backuppolicies": [],
            "generateGuestInitialPassword": false,
            "natrules": [],

  ....
        }

Although you can read the metadata here, the most correct and convenient way to work with VM metadata is using the metadata link as described in the previous steps.

...

If you ever need to delete the VM metadata, just send a DELETE request to the metadata link. But remember that this request will delete ALL metadata, leaving just the empty links list and the null metadata key, as shown in the first example when we retrieved the empty metadata object.

Some API references about working with VM metadata: