Get Started with the Columnar Management API

  • Capella Columnar
  • how-to
    +
    To get started with the Capella Columnar Management API, you must create an API key. An API key authenticates and authorizes you to access the Columnar Management API.

    This page is for Capella Columnar. For Capella operational, see Get Started with the Management API v4.0.

    This page describes how to create and manage API keys for the Management API v4.0 only. API keys for the legacy Management API v3.0, formerly known as the Public API, are not compatible with the Management API v4.0.

    To create an initial bootstrap API key to access the Management API v4.0, you must use the Capella UI. Once you have created an initial bootstrap API key, you can use the Management API v4.0 itself to create further API keys.

    Understand Management API Keys

    Each API key for the Management API v4.0 has the following characteristics:

    • API keys are associated with Couchbase Capella roles and permissions.

    • Every API key has an expiration date.

    • Every API key is associated with an allowed IP Address list.

    Organization Roles and Project Access

    Each API key is associated with one or more organization roles, which determine the privileges that the API key has within the organization. For more information about organization roles, see Organization Roles.

    Each API key may have access to one or more projects, depending on the organization role. For each project, each API key is associated with one or more project roles, which determine the privileges that the API key has within each project. For more information about project roles, see Project Roles.

    You can create an API key at the level of an organization or a project.

    • When you create an API key at the organization level, you may specify the organization roles for the API key, which projects the API key is associated with, and the project roles for the API key within each project.

    • When you create an API key at the project level, the API key has the Organization Member role for the organization containing the project, and has access to the project where you created it. You may specify project roles for the API key within that project.

    An API key must have the appropriate Capella roles to access an endpoint. The Management API reference guide lists the roles that are needed for each endpoint.

    Expiration

    By default, each API key expires 180 days after creation. You can specify a different expiration, or specify that the API key does not expire. For security, it is recommended that you should let API keys expire and create new API keys regularly.

    IP Access

    By default, when you first create an API key, you can use that API key to access the Management API from any IP address. For security, it is recommended that each API key should only be able to access the Management API from specific IP addresses.

    For each API key, you can grant access from:

    • Individual IP addresses.

    • Blocks of IP addresses using CIDR notation.

    Display Management API Keys

    You can display Management API keys within an organization or within a project.

    Within an Organization

    To display Management API keys within an organization:

    1. In the Capella UI, navigate to the organization.

    2. Go to Settings  API Keys.

    3. If necessary, click Version 4.

    Within a Project

    To display Management API keys within a project:

    1. In the Capella UI, navigate to the project.

    2. Go to Settings  API Keys.

    The API keys for the Management API v4.0 are displayed. If you have generated any API keys, they are listed here. By default, there are no API keys for the Management API v4.0.

    Generate Management API Keys

    You can generate Management API keys within an organization or within a project.

    Within an Organization

    To generate a Management API key at the organization level:

    1. Display the list of Management API keys within the organization.

    2. Click Generate Key.

    3. Click Version 4 (Recommended).

    4. In the Key Name field, enter a name for the API key.

    5. (Optional) In the Description field, enter a description of the API key.

    6. In the Organization Roles section, select one or more organization roles for the API key.

    7. If the API key has the Organization Member role, configure the projects that the API key can access:

      1. Click Configure Project Access.

      2. Use the toggle controls to select each project which you want the API key to access, or click Select all.

      3. For each project which the API key can access, select one or more project roles for the API key.

      4. Click Save.

    Now specify other details and download the Management API key.

    Within a Project

    To generate a Management API key at the project level:

    1. Display the list of Management API keys within the project.

    2. Click Generate Key.

    3. In the Key Name field, enter a name for the API key.

    4. (Optional) In the Description field, enter a description of the API key.

    5. Select one or more project roles for the API key.

    Now specify other details and download the Management API key.

    Specify Details and Download the API Key

    To specify other details and download the API key:

    1. In the Key Expiration section, accept the default expiration, change the expiration, or specify that the key should not expire.

    2. Specify IP access for the API key:

      1. Click Add Allowed IP Address.

      2. To allow a specific IP address or block, in the Add IP / CIDR Block field, enter the IP address or CIDR notation.

      3. To add your current IP address block, click Add Current IP Address.

      4. Click Add.

    3. When you are ready, click Generate Key.

      The Capella UI shows the new API key ID and the new API key token. The API key token is hidden to prevent others reading it.

      You must copy or download the API key token now. When you leave this page, you won’t be able to copy or download the API key token again.
    4. To download the API key token, click Download Key. The key is saved by your browser in a file called <name>-api-key-token.txt, where <name> is the name of the API key.

    5. To copy either the API key ID or the API key token to the clipboard, click the copy icon () next to the field.

    6. When you have copied or downloaded the API key token, click Back to API Keys list.

    The API key is now listed with the Management API v4.0 Keys.

    View Management API Keys

    To view details of a Management API key:

    1. Display the list of Management API keys within an organization or within a project.

    2. Click the name of the API key.

      The details of the API key are displayed: the name, description, organization roles, expiration, allowed IP addresses, and project access.

    3. When ready, click Back to the API Keys list.

    Delete Management API Keys

    To delete a Management API key:

    1. Display the list of Management API keys within an organization or within a project.

    2. Next to the API key you want to delete, click the trash can icon ().

    3. When the confirmation dialog box appears, click in the provided text field and type delete.

    4. Click Delete.

    The API key is deleted.

    Next Steps