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BlueXP setup and administration

Deploy the Connector in restricted mode

Contributors netapp-bcammett

Deploy the Connector in restricted mode so that you can use BlueXP with limited outbound connectivity to the BlueXP software as a service (SaaS) layer. To get started, install the Connector, set up BlueXP by accessing the user interface that's running on the Connector, and then provide the cloud permissions that you previously set up.

Step 1: Install the Connector

Install the Connector from your cloud provider's marketplace or by manually installing the software on your own Linux host.

Before you begin

You should have the following:

Steps
  1. Go to the BlueXP Connector listing on the AWS Marketplace

  2. On the Marketplace page, select Continue to Subscribe.

    A screenshot that shows the Continue to Subscribe and Continue to Configuration buttons on the AWS Marketplace.

  3. To subscribe to the software, select Accept Terms.

    The subscription process can take a few minutes.

  4. After the subscription process is complete, select Continue to Configuration.

    A screenshot that shows the Continue to Subscribe and Continue to Configuration buttons on the AWS Marketplace.

  5. On the Configure this software page, ensure that you've selected the correct region and then select Continue to Launch.

  6. On the Launch this software page, under Choose Action, select Launch through EC2 and then select Launch.

    These steps describe how to launch the instance from the EC2 Console because the console enables you to attach an IAM role to the Connector instance. This isn't possible using the Launch from Website action.

  7. Follow the prompts to configure and deploy the instance:

    • Name and tags: Enter a name and tags for the instance.

    • Application and OS Images: Skip this section. The Connector AMI is already selected.

    • Instance type: Depending on region availability, choose an instance type that meets RAM and CPU requirements (t3.2xlarge is preselected and recommended).

    • Key pair (login): Select the key pair that you want to use to securely connect to the instance.

    • Network settings: Edit the network settings as needed:

      • Choose the desired VPC and subnet.

      • Specify whether the instance should have a public IP address.

      • Specify security group settings that enable the required connection methods for the Connector instance: SSH, HTTP, and HTTPS.

    • Configure storage: Keep the default size and disk type for the root volume.

      If you want to enable Amazon EBS encryption on the root volume, select Advanced, expand Volume 1, select Encrypted, and then choose a KMS key.

    • Advanced details: Under IAM instance profile, choose the IAM role that includes the required permissions for the Connector.

    • Summary: Review the summary and select Launch instance.

Result

AWS launches the software with the specified settings. The Connector instance and software should be running in approximately five minutes.

What's next?

Set up BlueXP.

Step 2: Set up BlueXP

When you access the BlueXP console for the first time, you'll be prompted to choose an account to associate the Connector with and you'll need to enable restricted mode.

Before you begin

The person who sets up the BlueXP Connector must log in to BlueXP using a login that doesn't belong to a BlueXP account or organization.

If your BlueXP login is associated with another account or organization, you'll need to sign up with a new BlueXP login. Otherwise, you won't see the option to enable restricted mode on the setup screen.

Steps
  1. Open a web browser from a host that has a connection to the Connector instance and enter the following URL:

    https://ipaddress

  2. Sign up or log in to BlueXP.

  3. After you're logged in, set up BlueXP:

    1. Enter a name for the Connector.

    2. Enter a name for a new BlueXP account.

    3. Select Are you running in a secured environment?

    4. Select Enable restricted mode on this account.

      Note that you can't change this setting after BlueXP creates the account. You can't enable restricted mode later and you can't disable it later.

      If you deployed the Connector in a Government region, the checkbox is already enabled and can't be changed. This is because restricted mode is the only mode supported in Government regions.

      A screenshot that shows the welcome page where you need to enter a Connector name, account name, and can enable restricted mode on this account.

    5. Select Let's start.

Result

The Connector is now installed and set up with your BlueXP account. All users need to access BlueXP using the IP address of the Connector instance.

What's next?

Provide BlueXP with the permissions that you previously set up.

Step 3: Provide permissions to BlueXP

If you deployed the Connector from the Azure Marketplace or if you manually installed the Connector software, you need to provide the permissions that you previously set up so that you can use BlueXP services.

These steps don't apply if you deployed the Connector from the AWS Marketplace because you chose the required IAM role during deployment.

Attach the IAM role that you previously created to the EC2 instance where you installed the Connector.

These steps apply only if you manually installed the Connector in AWS. For AWS Marketplace deployments, you already associated the Connector instance with an IAM role that includes the required permissions.

Steps
  1. Go to the Amazon EC2 console.

  2. Select Instances.

  3. Select the Connector instance.

  4. Select Actions > Security > Modify IAM role.

  5. Select the IAM role and select Update IAM role.

Result

BlueXP now has the permissions that it needs to perform actions in AWS on your behalf.