Cloud connections
Cloud Connections provides a centralized location for viewing and managing cloud provider connections within Connections Management. Administrators can monitor credential expiration dates and status, identify connections that require attention, review connection details and metadata and perform connection management tasks from a single interface. By providing visibility into credential health and lifecycle information, the page helps support proactive credential management, governance and the ongoing operation of cloud integrations.
Cloud Connections table
- Connection Type: Displays the cloud provider associated with the connection.
- Name: Displays the connection name.
- Access Tags: Shows the tags assigned to the connection.
- Description: Provides additional information about the connection.
- Expiry Status: Indicates whether credentials are active, expiring soon, or expired.
- Credential Expiry Date: Displays the configured credential expiration date.
- Date Added: Shows when the connection was created.
- Last Updated: Displays the most recent update date.
The system evaluates configured credential expiry dates daily and generates notifications 30 days and 7 days before expiration for all supported connection types, including Cloud Connections, Content Connections and Tool Connections.
Expired and soon-to-expire connections are highlighted in the Connections table to help administrators prioritize credential updates. Any changes made to the Credential Expiry Date are recorded in the audit history.
Capabilities
- Actions: Next to the connection, select the Actions (ellipsis) menu to perform the following operations:
- View Details: View the connection configuration, credential information, metadata, and expiration details associated with the selected cloud connection.
- Edit: Modify the connection configuration, update credentials, change the credential expiry date, or update connection information as needed.
- Delete: Remove the connection from Connections Management. Deleting a connection unregisters it and removes the associated connection configuration.
- Search: Use this field to quickly locate specific cloud connections.
- Add Cloud Connection: Click Add Cloud Connection to create a new cloud connection when additional cloud providers or accounts need to be onboarded.
Cloud Providers
You can establish a connection for common services for the following cloud providers:
- IBM Cloud
- Microsoft Azure (CSP, EA, Application Insights, MPA and Subscription)
- Google Cloud
- AWS
- Alibaba Cloud
- VMware
- vSphere
- Demo Cloud
- BYOD
- Private Container Cluster
Registering a connection
After creating your cloud account with certain policy permissions, you need to register a connection in Kyndryl Bridge. The credentials of your account are the ones that will be added to the Connections Management page.
The configuration and credential details required will vary based on the selected cloud provider. Please ensure that you complete all fields on the page with the correct information. The following example outlines the onboarding process for an AWS connection.
- From the Kyndryl Bridge main menu
, go to Administration→ Service Operations → Connections Management.
- From the Connections Management side panel menu, select the Cloud Connections option.
- Select Add Connection. The Add Connection page opens.
- Complete the following information to onboard your supported cloud connection:
- Connection Name: Enter the connection name of your choice.
- Description: Enter the description for the connection.
- Technology Category: Select Cloud Provider from the drop-down menu.
- Connection Type: Select the cloud connection from the drop-down menu.
- Tags: Select a tag from the drop-down menu.
If no access tags have been created, you can add them directly on the Tool Connections Management page. To learn more about Access Tags, see Access Tags Management.
- Add the configuration details. Not all the details are required; it depends on the cloud provider selected.
- Billing data toggle: Toggle on if you are using this connection for billing data. If the billing data is enabled, complete the following information:
- Cost and Usage Report Path: Enter the cost and usage report path.
- Account Number: Enter the account number for which the bill is to be generated.
- Account Number: Enter the account number.
- S3 Bucket: Enter the S3 Bucket credential.
- Additional Info: Enter any additional info required.
- Region: Enter the ID of the region where the service will be accessed. In the context of setting up a Kyndryl Bridge Connections Management credential for AWS, the region refers to the AWS region that will be specified in all AWS APIs calls made through this connection. This setting ensures that the content returned by API calls is limited to the specified AWS region.
- Advance: Click the down arrow and complete the following information:
- Delegated Access: Enter the ARN.
- External ID: Enter the external ID.
- Add the credential details. Not all the details are required; it depends on the cloud provider selected:
- Access Key ID: Enter the Access Key ID.
- Secret Access Key: Enter the secret access key.
- Client ID: Enter the client ID.
- Secret: Enter the secret ID or API key.
- User: Enter the username.
- API Key: Enter the API key.
- Data Set: Enter data set.
- Service Key: Enter the billing JSON key (in base 64).
- Click Test Connection to test whether the credentials are valid. This is a crucial step prior to adding the connection. Typically, the connection fails because the credentials are incorrect or the data cannot be displayed due to a permission limitation.
- Click Add. A “Success: [Connection Name] has been successfully added” alert is displayed. Additionally, the new connection can be viewed on the Connections Management page. If the connection is not successful, a “Failed: [Connection Name] could not be added” alert with the reasons for failure is displayed. If all the information added is correct, and you are still encountering issues, create a support ticket.
Deleting a connection
Often, you may want to unregister a connection to maintain control of your IT data.
- From the Cloud Connections Management page.
- Click the Actions icon next to the connection you want to delete and select Delete.
- Type the name of the connection and click Confirm.
- Click the Global menu icon.
- Click Services and select Common Inventory. The Common Inventory page opens.
- On the top left corner, click on the Page Filter icon located below the Inventory header.
- Expand the Provider Information and select the Account Name radio button, if not selected already.
- Type the name of the connection and click Confirm.
- Search by the connection name that was deleted.
If a user has added multiple connections with the same Account Number, deleting one connection will only remove that specific connection and its resource information. The Account Number will still be visible in the Connections Management page, as it is also associated with other connections.