Google

This section shows you how to use Google OpenID Connect as an authentication backend for AxoConsole. It is assumed that you already have a Google organization and Google Cloud Console access. Complete the following steps.

Prerequisites

  • To use Google authentication, AxoConsole must be deployed on a publicly accessible domain name (the $BASE_HOSTNAME must end with a valid top-level domain, for example, .com or .io.)

  • Configure OpenID Connect and create an OpenID credential for a Web application.

    • Make sure to set the Authorized redirect URIs to: https://auth.<your-console-host.your-domain>/callback, for example, https://auth.axoflow-console.example.com/callback.
    • Save the Client ID of the app and the Client secret of the application, you’ll need them to configure AxoConsole.

    For details on setting up OpenID Connect, see the official documentation.

Google group membership

To use group memberships when assigning your users to AxoConsole user roles, you have to configure a service account to retrieve group memberships. Otherwise, you can use email domains. To set up a proper service account, complete the following steps.

  1. Set up a service account with Domain-Wide Delegation.
  2. Save the JSON key file that contains the authentication information for the service account. You’ll need it later.
  3. Delegate the https://www.googleapis.com/auth/admin.directory.group.readonly scope to the service account. Do not delegate any other scope.
  4. Enable the Admin SDK.

You’ll also need the email address of a Google Workspace user with a minimum of the Groups Reader Role assigned. The service account will impersonate this user when making calls to the admin API.

Configuration

  1. Verify that Dex is configured as the OIDC provider in the /var/lib/rancher/k3s/server/manifests/axoflow.yaml file:

    • chalco.oidc.enabled: true
    • chalco.oidc.provider: "dex"

    For example:

        oidc:
        enabled: true
        provider: "dex"
    
  2. Configure authentication by editing the spec.dex.config section of the /var/lib/rancher/k3s/server/manifests/axoflow.yaml file.

    1. (Optional) If you’ve used our earlier example, delete the spec.dex.config.staticPasswords section.

    2. Add the spec.dex.config.connectors section to the file, like this:

      connectors:
      - type: google
        id: google
        name: Google
        config:
          # Connector config values starting with a "$" will read from the environment.
          clientID: <ID-of-Google-application>
          clientSecret: <Secret-of-GitHub-application>
      
          # Dex's issuer URL + "/callback"
          redirectURI: <idp.your-host.your-domain/callback>
      
          # Set the value of `prompt` query parameter in the authorization request
          # The default value is "consent" when not set.
          promptType: consent
      
          # Google supports whitelisting allowed domains when using G Suite
          # (Google Apps). The following field can be set to a list of domains
          # that can log in:
          #
          hostedDomains:
          - <your-domain>
      
          # For group membership authorization:
          #serviceAccountFilePath: "/etc/dex/sa-file/service-account.json"
          #domainToAdminEmail:
            #"*": <impersonated-group-reader-email-address>
      
    3. Edit the following fields. For details on the configuration parameters, see the Dex Google connector documentation.

      • connectors.config.clientID: The ID of the Google application.
      • connectors.config.clientSecret: The client secret of the Google application.
      • connectors.config.redirectURI: The callback URL of the Google application: https://auth.<your-console-host.your-domain>/callback, for example, https://auth.axoflow-console.example.com/callback.
      • connectors.config.hostedDomains: The domain where AxoConsole is deployed, for example, example.com. Your users must have email addresses for this domain at Google.
    4. If you’ll use Google group memberships for authorization, uncomment the serviceAccountFilePath and domainToAdminEmail sections. Replace <impersonated-group-reader-email-address> with the email address you created in Google group memberships prerequisites.

          # For group membership authorization:
          serviceAccountFilePath: "/etc/dex/sa-file/service-account.json"
          domainToAdminEmail:
            "*": <impersonated-group-reader-email-address>
      
  3. Configure authorization in the kcp.rbac.roles section of the /var/lib/rancher/k3s/server/manifests/axoflow.yaml file.

    The following roles are available in AxoConsole by default:

    • IAMadmin: Can manage the roles and permissions to access AxoConsole. Only this role can make changes on the Settings > Roles page.

    • admin: Has full access to AxoConsole, but has only read access to the Settings > Roles page.

    • infrastructureManager: Can manage the infrastructure (without the permissions to view or tap log contents, or to rehydrate data). Has full access to the following pages: Activity Logs, Alerting, Routers, Sources, Flows, Provisioning, Search Logs. Can tap into service logs.

    • infrastructureViewer: Similar to infrastructure-manager, but can only view the pages. Can tap into service logs.

    • contentManager: Can view log content and manage content related details like flows (without the permissions to manage infrastructure, but including access to view infrastructure details).

      • Has full access to the Rehydration page.
      • Can view and modify Flows, but can’t create or delete them.
      • Can view Routers, Sources, Search Logs, Analytics.
      • Can tap into logs.
    • contentViewer: Can view content like analytics, log search, log tapping (without the permissions to manage or view infrastructure details).

      • Can view Search Logs, Analytics.
      • Can tap into logs.

    If you need other roles, contact the Axoflow support team. Composing other roles is possible as part of a custom integration.

    To assign Google groups to AxoConsole roles, add the groups of your users to the related roles under kcp.rbac.roles.<role>.groups.

      rbac:
        createRoles: true
        createRoleBindings: true
        roles:
          IAMadmin:
            groups:
              - groups:iamadmin@example.com
          admin:
            groups:
              - groups:admin@example.com
          contentViewer:
            groups:
              - groups:readonly@example.com
    
    • A specific email address, for example, email:username@example.com

    • An entire email domain, for example, emaildomain:example.com. Any user who authenticates with an email address belonging to this email domain will have access to the role.

    • A user group. The format of the group depends on the OID provider.

      • If you’re using AxoConsole as a SaaS, specify the group in the following format: cognito:groups:<groupname-retrieved-from-cognito>, for example, cognito:groups:ExampleGoogleSaml:Operator.
      • If you’re using an on-prem AxoConsole deployment, specify the group in the following format: groups:<groupname-retrieved-from-dex> for example, groups:operator.
    • A specific session of an authenticated user, in the following format: user:<oidc-response-subject>, for example: user:42c4e962-f077-705f-138f-f01ba1220c44.

    • Every authenticated user: axoflow:user

    For details on authorization settings, see Authorization.

  4. Save the file.

  5. If you’re using Google groups to assign user roles, complete the following steps.

    1. Run the following command to delete the dex-google-service-account secret. This is a placeholder secret that you’ll re-create with valid values in the next step.

      kubectl -n axoflow delete secret dex-google-service-account
      
    2. Re-create the secret using the JSON key of the Google service account you’ve created in Google group membership.

      kubectl -n axoflow create secret dex-google-service-account --from-file <path-to-the-JSON-key>
      

      Expected output:

      secret/dex-google-service-account created
      
    3. Edit the /var/lib/rancher/k3s/server/manifests/axoflow.yaml file and set the dex.googleServiceAccount.create option to false.

  6. Restart the dex deployment after changing the connector:

    kubectl rollout restart deployment/dex -n axoflow
    

    Expected output:

    deployment.apps/dex restarted
    
  7. Open the main page of your AxoConsole deployment in your browser. You’ll be redirected to the Google authentication page.

    After completing the Google authentication you can access AxoConsole.

Getting help

You can troubleshoot common errors by running kubectl logs -n axoflow <dex-container-name>

If you run into problems setting up the authentication or authorization, contact our support team.