The Data Center CLI (DCLI) is a CLI client of the VMware vSphere^® Automation™ SDK. Almost all methods that are available in the vSphere Automation SDKs are available as DCLI commands.

You can run the DCLI from the VMware vSphere® Command-Line Interface (vCLI) package or from the appliance shell.

For an illustration showing appliance connections, see the block diagram vCenter Server Appliance Management Connections.

For more information about the DCLI, see Getting Started with vSphere Command-Line Interfaces.