Managing connections

To use the external applications within IBM watsonx Orchestrate, you must establish a connection between them which acts as bridge enabling communication between watsonx Orchestrate and the external applications. The connections can be set up using various methods, such as API keys, OAuth, or other authentication protocols, depending on the app's requirements.

Connection settings

On the watsonx Orchestrate Connection settings page, you can view existing connections, add a new connection, filter and edit connections. To access the connection settings page, follow these steps:

  1. From the menu menu, select Manage > Connections.
  2. You see a list of all your existing connections.

The Connection settings page offers several functionalities:

  1. Adding a new connection: You can create a new connection by clicking Add new connection. This process involves specifying a connection ID, display name, authentication type, and credential type.
  2. Filtering connections: You can filter the connections based on specific categories.
  3. Editing connections: You can edit existing connections. You can modify the connection ID, display name, authentication type, or credential type as needed.

Adding a new connection

You can add the connections in both draft and live environments. Adding connections in both draft and live environments ensures thorough testing and seamless integration of your apps, ensuring consistent functionality across different stages of development and deployment.

To add a new connection:

  1. On the Connection settings page, click Add new connection.
  2. In the Define connection details tab, enter a Connection ID and Display name.
  3. Click Save and continue.
  4. In the Configure draft connection tab, choose an Authentication type and set the Credential type.
  5. Click Next.
  6. In the Configure live connection tab, you can either Paste draft configuration choose a new Authentication type and set the Credential type. Click Reset to clear all details if needed.
  7. Click Add connection.
Note: The icon A green check icon appears. indicates that the connection was successfully established.

Filtering connections

You can filter the connections based on the following categories:

  • Draft connections status: Filter connections based on whether they are active or inactive in the draft environment.
  • Live connection status: Filter connections based on whether they are active or inactive in the live environment.
  • Draft authentication type: Filter connections based on the authentication type used in the draft environment.
  • Live authentication type: Filter connections based on the authentication type used in the live environment.

Editing a connection

To edit the connection:

  1. On the Connection settings page, click the edit icon beside the app.
  2. Select the Edit option.
  3. Apply the changes on the Draft and Live tabs.
  4. Click the Save button.

Authentication types

The following authentication types are available for configuring connections:

  • API Key: Requires the server URL and API key location (header, query, or cookie).
  • Basic Auth: Requires the server URL.
  • Bearer Token: Requires the server URL.
  • Key Value Pair: Requires the server URL, key, and value. Click Add new field to add additional key-value pairs.
  • OAuth2 Authorization Code: Requires the server URL, token URL, authorization URL, client ID, and client secret.
  • OAuth2 Client Credential: Requires the server URL, method for sending credentials (header or body), token URL, authorization URL, client ID, client secret, grant type, and scope.
Info:Refer Overview of authentication types for a detailed explanation of each authentication type.

Credential types

Each app can have a credential type set as either member credentials or team credentials.

Member credentials: Member credentials are personal credentials assigned to individual users for a specific app. These credentials are unique to each user and are not shared with others. Member credentials provide a level of security and privacy, as each user has their own set of access keys.

Note: If you have selected "Member credentials" and haven't provided the details, watsonx Orchestrate prompts you to enter them through the chat interface the first time you use the tool. The credentials will be securely saved and accessible for subsequent tool invocations.

Team credentials: Team credentials are shared credentials used by all users within a team for a specific app. These credentials are managed by the admin. Team credentials simplify the management of access keys. The parameters required for team credentials depend on the chosen authentication type. Here are the specific details needed for each authentication type:

  • API Key: Requires the API key.
  • Basic Auth: Requires user ID and password.
  • Bearer Token: Requires the bearer token.
  • Key Value Pair: Requires the key and value.
  • OAuth2 Authorization Code: Requires the server URL, token URL, authorization URL, client ID and client secret.
  • OAuth2 Client Credential: Requires the server URL, token URL, authorization URL, client ID, client secret and grant type.
Note: Set the team credentials and click Connect so that all users in your team can access the application.