Cogent DataHub V11 Provides Secure Remote Configuration Built In

Although Cogent DataHub is best known for its wide range of connectivity interfaces, its intuitive design for configuring and using its features—both locally and remotely—is equally important for users like you.

Remote configuration has been a standout feature of Cogent DataHub since Version 9, enabling you to interact with a local DataHub instance running as a Windows service or remotely manage and configure any DataHub instance across your enterprise. And with security top of mind, the DataHub installs with Remote Configuration disabled by default, making it secure out-of-the-box. 

In this blog, you'll learn how to use DataHub's remote configuration tool so you can:

• Simplify configuration management across your organization by accessing multiple DataHub instances from one location.
• Avoid interruptions and enhance efficiency with the ability to make changes while the Windows service is running.
• Prevent unauthorized changes with a digitally signed one-click install over a secure TCP connection with flexible, user-configurable roles and permission sets.
• Speed up configuration with CSV Import support for OPC UA, OPC DA, Bridging, MQTT Client, Modbus and Local & External Historian.

Continue reading to learn how you can enable and set up DataHub Remote Configuration.

Enabling Secure Remote Connections in Your DataHub

In order to configure the DataHub instance for Remote Config, it must first be run as a standard application rather than a service to gain initial access to properly configure the Web Server, Security settings, and Remote Config features.

Web Server:

First you will need to specify the DataHub Web Server port for the DataHub instance and determine whether SSL is required to be enabled for that port.

1. Navigate to the Web Server section in the configuration, enable "Act as a web server," and take note of the Port number.

(Note: this is set to 80 by default, this is a relatively common port, so we recommend using something different such as 8080)

Security Configuration:

1. Navigate to the Security section of the configuration.
   
2. Click the Configure button.
   
3. Ensure the Organization is set to Local. Now we will add a new user by clicking the Add button located in the Users section.  For this example, we will add a BuiltIn user.
   
4. Selecting BuiltIn User will open a window where you will be prompted to enter a User Name, Display Name, and Password. The password is required to be an eight-character password including only letters (upper/lower case) and digits. For example, Abcd1234.
   
   
5. In the Default Roles section, there is an option to enable or disable RequireTotpAuthentication. For this example, we will want to disable this role. However, if you are looking to implement a higher level of security for your Remote Config access, be sure to read our blog on TOTP with DataHub to learn how this is done.
   
6. With the new user selected, in the Roles section, check the Show Available button to display the available roles. Check the roles BasicConnectivity and RemoteConfig.  These 2 groups have the permissions needed to allow Remote Configuration Access.
   
7. We are finished with the required basic security configuration. Be sure to Click Apply to save these changes. Next, click the Close button to close the Configure Security window. Lastly, click Apply on the Cogent DataHub main configuration window to apply these changes to your DataHub project.
   

Remote Config Features:

Now we must configure the DataHub instance to allow remote configuration for any features that you wish to be able to remotely configure. For example, you may want to remotely configure Tunnel connections but not allow scripts to be configured except from the local computer. You specify the configurable features as follows:

1. From the DataHub Properties window, select the Remote Config tab.
   
   
2. Check the boxes of the features you want to be configurable by the Remote Config. Checking a box in the Local column allows Remote Config connections only from a DataHub instance running on the same machine, whereas in the Remote column allows Remote Config connections running on a separate (remote) machine.
   

Running DataHub as a Service

The Service Manager is a program that provides access to Cogent software that can be installed to run as a Windows service. With this program you can select and configure how the service runs and change its status.

1. Open "Service Manager" from the Start Menu under the Cogent section.
   
2. Set Startup Type to Automatic, Manual or Disabled as desired.
   
   
3. The Configuration folder is typically left as default. If changed, all files must be manually moved from the current configuration folder to the new location.
   
   
4. IIf you would like to run the Service under a specific user’s credentials, you will need to check the box “Run as specified user” and enter the user account credentials. If not, the service by default will run under the LocalSystem account.
   

Making a Secure Remote Connection to Your DataHub

Now let's establish the connection between the DataHub Remote Configuration app and the DataHub.

1. Open "Remote Config" from the Start Menu under the Cogent section. You will be presented with the following logon screen.
   
2. Give your Remote Config a user-friendly connection Name.
   
   
3. Specify the IP Address or DNS Host Name in the Host section for the machine where the DataHub you wish to configure is located (localhost is the default and allows you to configure the local DataHub running as a Windows service).
   
   
4. Next, specify the DataHub Web Server HTTP Port we took note of in step 1 of the Web Server configuration section above. If SSL was selected, check here as well.
   
   
5. Specify the User Name and Password you created in step 4 of the Security Configuration section above. Once complete, click Enter.

You should now be connected to the DataHub remotely for configuration.

Conclusion

The remote configuration capability enhances the DataHub's ability to have a connected enterprise on all levels, from the smallest sensor all the way to the cloud and everywhere in between.  

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