Configuring BMC Helix ITSM connector for the Blackout Policy solution

Before you begin

Before configuring the on-premises connector, make sure that the following prerequisites are met: 

• The server where you want to run and install the remote plug-in matches the minimum hardware and software requirements.
  For more information, see System-requirements.
• The host where the remote plug-in utility is running is accessible from the host where the endpoint automation tool is installed. 
• You have the permissions required to install and configure an on-premises connector.
  For more information, see Roles-and-permissions. 

• (For Linux) The GNU Compiler Collection (GCC) G++ version is 5.4.0 or later. 

  Click here to do the steps before you run the plugin

  1. Install and update GCC version 5.4.0 or later.

  2. Run the following command to unlink the current version.

     sudo unlink /usr/lib64/libstdc++.so.6

  3. Run the following command to copy the latest version.

     sudo cp /usr/local/lib64/libstdc++.so.6 /usr/lib64

Task 1: To create a plug-in key

1. Log in to BMC Helix Intelligent Automation console, and click Connectors > Plugin Keys.
2. Click Create Plugin Key.
   The plug-in key details, the expiry date, and the default name are displayed. 
3. (Optional) Type the plug-in name.
4. (Optional) Click the calendar icon to update the expiry date.
   By default, the plug-in key expires in 90 days. 

5. Click Download Plugin Key.
   The creds.json file is downloaded. 

   Warning

   Download the plug-in key before closing the panel. If the panel is closed, the key cannot be downloaded again, and you will need to create a new one. 

   

6. Click Save.
   The plug-in key is displayed on the Plugins page with the status as Active. 

   Important

   You can use one plug-in key for multiple on-premises connectors. For more information about working with plug-in keys, see Editing-disabling-and-deleting-plugin-keys.

7. Continue with Task 2: To download the remote plug-in utility.

Task 2: To download the plugin

You can download and run a plugin on a Linux or a Microsoft Windows server. This server should be accessible from the computer where the automation tool or application is installed. 

1. Click Solutions > Blackout Policy and click Configure.
2. Select BMC Helix ITSM and click the download & install link to download the remote-restapi-plugin.zip file.
   
   
   
3. Continue with the next steps.

Task 3: To create credentials

A plugin requires credentials to authenticate and execute various actions on the target applications that are defined in an automation policy. The credential CLI utility enables you to create, search, update, and delete credentials for a plugin. 

This server should be accessible from the server where the on-premise application is installed.

1. Navigate to the directory where you have extracted the remote-restapi-plugin.zip file.
   The remote-restapi-plugin directory contains credential.sh/credentials.bat file.
2. Ensure that the credentials file has execute permissions.

3. Run the following command to create credentials for the BMC Helix ITSM connector.

   Sample command for Microsoft Windows

   credential.bat create -n <connectorName> -i <itsm_rest_api_root_url> -p <providerName> -a cookie

   Example command for Microsoft Windows

   credential.bat create -n helix_itsm -i https://itsm.bmc.com -p HELIX_ITSM -a cookie

   Sample command for Linux

   /credential.sh create -n <connectorName> -i <itsm_rest_api_root_url> -p <providerName> -a cookie

4. Enter the values for the following parameters when prompted:

   Parameter	Value
   api key	Enter Authorization
   login required (y/n)	Enter y
   login url	Enter the BMC Helix ITSM REST API login URL Example: https://itsm.bmc.com/api/jwt/login
   username	Enter the administrator username, which also has permissions to create incidents in BMC Helix ITSM
   password	Enter the password that matches the username.
   authentication parameter	Enter AR-JWT
   location ("header", "query" or "cookie")	Enter cookie
   solution	Specifies the solution for which you want to configure the connector. Enter one of the following options:  1. PSR for BMC Helix ITSM 2. Blackout 3. PSR for CSP 4. PSR for SNOW

   If the credentials are created successfully, a message appears.

5. (Optional) If you want to create credentials in a single step, skip step 4, create a JSON file, which contains all the credentials required for configuring the connector, and run the following command:

   Click here to view the sample JSON file

   {
       "auth": {
           "access_token": "Authorization",
           "bearer_parameter": "AR-JWT",
           "login_action": {
               "https://itsm.bmc.com/api/jwt/login": {
                   "post": {
                       "parameters": [],
                       "body": {
                           "content": {
                               "application/json": {
                                   "username": "admin",
                                   "password": "******"
                               }
                           }
                       }
                   }
               }
           }
       }
   }

   Sample command for Microsoft Windows

   credential.bat create -n <connectorName> -i <hostname> -p <providerName> -a cookie -f <locationforJSONfile>

   Example for Microsoft Windows

   credential.bat create -n itsm123 -i https://itsm.bmc.com -p HELIX_ITSM -a cookie -f C:\\Users\\Administrator\\Downloads\\auth_json_file_itsm.json

   If the credentials are created successfully, a message appears.

Task 4: To start and run the plugin as a service

If a remote plugin is installed as a service, you can start, stop, or restart it as any other service. BMC recommends that you run the plugin as a service as against running it as a batch or shell process. You can run remote plugin as a service only on Microsoft Windows Server 2016 Enterprise and CentOS 7 operating systems.

Before running a plugin as a service, ensure that the following prerequisites are fulfilled:

• You have administrative or root privileges on the host where the plugin is extracted.
• The host where the plugin is available is also accessible from the host where the application is installed.

To run plugin as a service:

1. Navigate to the directory where you have extracted the remote-restapi-plugin.zip file.
2. Run the install.bat (for Microsoft Windows) or install.sh (for Linux) command.
   You can also use the install.bat install command. The plugin now runs as a service.

If a service is installed successfully, in the list of services available in the Microsoft Windows Service Manager, the remote restapi plugin service is displayed. On Linux servers, if you run the install.sh status command, a system process with the name BMC remote-restapi-plugin appears.

After the connector is set up, the status on the Blackout Policy solution page is shown as Connected.

Where to go from here

Now that you have successfully configured the connection with BMC Helix ITSM, perform the next steps to complete configuring the Blackout Policy solution. See Configuring-the-blackout-policy-solution.