def connect(self, ixLoadVersion=None, sessionId=None, timeout=90):
        """
        For new session, provide the ixLoadVersion.
        If connecting to an existing session, provide the sessionId
        """
        self.ixLoadVersion = ixLoadVersion

        # http://10.219.x.x:8080/api/v0/sessions
        if sessionId is None:
            response = self.post(self.httpHeader+'/api/{}/sessions'.format(self.apiVersion), data=({'ixLoadVersion': ixLoadVersion}))
            response = requests.get(self.httpHeader+'/api/{}/sessions'.format(self.apiVersion), verify=self.verifySsl)

            try:
                sessionId = response.json()[-1]['sessionId']
            except:
                raise IxLoadRestApiException('connect failed. No sessionId created')

        self.sessionId = str(sessionId)
        self.sessionIdUrl = '{}/api/{}/sessions/{}'.format(self.httpHeader, self.apiVersion, self.sessionId)
        
        # Start operations
        if ixLoadVersion is not None:
            response = self.post(self.sessionIdUrl+'/operations/start')

            self.logInfo('\n\n', timestamp=False)

            counter = 0
            while True:
                response = self.get(self.sessionIdUrl)
                currentStatus = response.json()['isActive']

                self.logInfo('\tCurrentStatus: {0}'.format(currentStatus), timestamp=False)
                if counter <= timeout and currentStatus != True:
                    self.logInfo('\tWait {0}/{1} seconds'.format(counter, timeout), timestamp=False)
                    time.sleep(self.pollStatusInterval)
                    counter += self.pollStatusInterval
                    continue

                if counter <= timeout and currentStatus == True:
                    break

                if counter >= timeout and currentStatus != True:
                    raise IxLoadRestApiException('New session ID failed to become active')