Providing access for external monitoring
You can generate a predefined API token to provide access to the appliance for external monitoring or support.
The following token types are available:
Metrics token: Monitor the performance metrics from a third-party analytics application. For example, Grafana.
Role requirement: Requires the Administrator or Security administrator role.
Support token: Grant permission to Technical Support to create, download, and clean up log packages on the appliance.
Role requirement: Requires the Security administrator role.
Only one token of each type is allowed at a time.
You can restrict a predefined API token so that the appliance accepts it only from the IP addresses and subnets that you specify.
See Restricting API token access to specific IP addresses.
To generate a predefined API token
- Sign in to the Flex Appliance Console with the appropriate role. Click the Settings icon (gear icon) in the upper-right corner of the page, and under Remote management, click Predefined API tokens.
- Click Generate.
- Select the token type and enter the required details. The Allowed list field is optional. You can enter up to five IP addresses or subnets (separated by commas) and click Add. Leave this field empty if you do not want to restrict the token. When you are finished, click Generate.
- A pop-up window appears with the token.
Note:
Make sure that you copy the token and save it to a safe location. You can no longer view it after you close the window.
- Use the new token to provide access to your analytics application or share it with Technical Support. You can access the metrics APIs with the metrics token and the logscollect APIs with the support token. Check SORT for more information on the APIs.
To change the IP addresses that a predefined API token is accepted from
- Sign in to the Flex Appliance Console with the appropriate role.
- Click the Settings icon (gear icon) in the upper-right corner of the page, and under Remote management, click Predefined API tokens.
- In the Predefined API tokens table, select the check box next to the token you want to modify, then click Edit.
- In the Edit allowed list dialog, update the entries.
To add an entry, enter the IP address or subnet and click Add.
To remove an entry, click the X icon on the entry tag.
To remove the restriction entirely, remove all of the entries.
- Click Save.
The change applies to the next request that uses the token. The token does not change, so you do not have to redistribute the token.