Creating a Google Cloud Platform storage connection

Create a connection to a Google Cloud Platform (GCP) S3 storage connection so that Cognos Analytics users can save their reports on the cloud.

For more information about GCP storage connections, see Cloud Storage Overview (https://cloud.google.com/storage/docs).

Step 1: Create a Google Cloud Platform account

  1. Go to the Google Cloud Platform page (https://console.cloud.google.com).
  2. Follow the instructions to create a GCP account.

Step 2: Create a project

  1. Go to the Project selector page (https://console.cloud.google.com/projectselector2)
  2. Click CREATE PROJECT.
  3. Enter a project name and then click CREATE.

Step 3: Create a storage service account

  1. In the Navigation menu, select Storage to go to your Storage browser page (https://console.cloud.google.com/storage/browser)
  2. .Click Enable Billing, if you haven't already enabled billing.
  3. Click CREATE SERVICE ACCOUNT.
    1. Enter a service account name and description.
      Note: The Service account ID field is populated automatically.
    2. Click CREATE.
    3. Grant the service account access to your project.
    4. Grant users access to the service account.
    5. Click DONE.

Step 4: Create an HMAC key

Create an HMAC key for your service account.
  1. In the Google Cloud console, go to the Cloud Storage Buckets page.
  2. Click Settings.
  3. Select the Interoperability tab.
  4. In the Request endpoint section, copy and save in a text file the value in the Storage URI field.
    Note: You will use this value when you create the storage connection in Cognos Analytics.
  5. Click + Create a key for a service account.
  6. Select the service account you want the HMAC key to be associated with.
  7. Click Create key.
  8. Copy and save in the text file the values of these two fields:
    • Access key
    • Secret
    Note: You will use these values when you create the storage connection in Cognos Analytics.
Table 1. Mapping service credentials from GCP to Cognos Analytics
Property in GCP service credentials Related property when you configure Cognos Analytics
Access key Access key ID
Secret Secret access key
Storage URI Service endpoint

Step 5: Create a bucket

Follow the steps in Creating storage buckets.
Tips for Cognos Analytics administrators:
  • When you select from the Location list, make a note of the region. You must select this same value later when you configure Cognos Analytics to add a location to your connection.
  • In the Access control field, choose Uniform, so that all content in the bucket has the same permissions.

  • In the Advanced settings (optional) > Encryption field, select Google-managed key, and then click CREATE.