What Python SDK is used to implement the vSphere Web Services API examples in the article, and how do you perform a login operation?

The article uses the Python SDK `pyvmomi`, specifically calling `SmartConnect` with the vCenter host, username, and plaintext password to establish a connection. This gives access to a wider range of management objects compared to the Automation SDK. The full implementation details are in the vSphere Development Guide 2 article.