Preparing Your System for CygNet Bridge API

CygNet Bridge APIs are provided with CygNet Bridge, to facilitate secure interaction with your CygNet data. Because the CygNet Bridge APIs work with an existing CygNet system via an instance of CygNet Bridge, your system must be prepared to support operation of the CygNet Bridge and CygNet Bridge API components, in addition to your existing CygNet installation.

Preparing your system is part of the process to add CygNet Bridge API to your system.

See CygNet Bridge for general information about that component.

Prepare Your System

To prepare your system, prior to installing CygNet Bridge and the CygNet Bridge API, complete the following preparatory tasks:

Comply with CygNet system requirements — See Preparing your System for CygNet Bridge for more information.
Prepare CygNet Software — If multi-factor authentication is used, also see Prepare for Two-Factor Authentication.

Prepare CygNet Software

Once you have complied with CygNet system requirements for all components you will be installing, and prior to installing CygNet Bridge, configure CygNet as follows.

To Configure CygNet Software for CygNet Bridge API

In the Address Resolution Service (ARS), install the CygNet Bridge API license provided by your Account Manager or CygNet Sales.

Trial license — Runs CygNet Bridge API as a trial until a specified date; will not start after the expiration date
Full license — Runs CygNet Bridge API for a specified number of configured facilities based on your site needs; has no expiration date

In the Access Control Service (ACS), configure the ACS security settings needed for CygNet Bridge and CygNet Bridge API access.
Security is set on an application and event basis. See CygNet Bridge API (BRDGAPI) Security for more information about BRDGAPI security settings.
See Configuring Applications and Events and Assigning Permissions to Events in the Security section of the CygNet Help for more information about this process.

On the Permissions page, right-click to access the context menu and then select New App to access the New Application dialog box.
Enter the following values to add security events and users for CygNet Bridge API access, for each permission level needed.

Application: BRDGAPI, Description: Bridge API Security, Event: ACCESS, Event Description: Bridge API Access, Security ID: [Enter all desired User IDs for Level 1 (read-only)], Level: 1, ID Type: US
Application: BRDGAPI, Description: Bridge API Security, Event: ACCESS, Event Description: Bridge API Access, Security ID: [Enter all desired User IDs for Level 3 (Alarm and Control features if licensed)], Level: 3, ID Type: US
Application: BRDGAPI, Description: Bridge API Security, Event: ACCESS, Event Description: Bridge API Access, Security ID: [Enter all desired User IDs for Level 5 (Administrative and 2FA resets if used)], Level: 5, ID Type: US

If you will be providing two-factor authentication for CygNet Bridge API, also prepare CygNet Software as described in Preparing for Two-Factor Authentication.

Prepare for Two-Factor Authentication (Optional)

Important:

CygNet Bridge supports three major features, CygNet Mobile, CygNet Dispatch, and CygNet Bridge API. CygNet Bridge API is the only feature that currently supports a two-factor authentication (2FA) option. Two-factor authentication is not currently supported for operation with CygNet Dispatch, CygNet Mobile or CygNet OPC UA Server users. Because of this, system configuration requirements change depending on your planned installation.

If you are planning to provide two-factor authentication for CygNet Bridge API users and also running CygNet Dispatch, CygNet Mobile, or the CygNet OPC UA Server, you must install separate instances of CygNet Bridge, on different host computers; install one instance of CygNet Bridge with the CygNet Bridge API feature selected and, on different host computers, install a separate instance of CygNet Bridge with the CygNet Dispatch, CygNet Mobile, or the CygNet OPC UA Server feature installed.

Requiring two-factor authentication to use CygNet Bridge API provides an additional layer of security to better protect access to your CygNet system. You can choose to implement this additional security option when desired, such as when allowing third-party access to your CygNet data or commands that could have access to your field devices. See Providing Two-Factor Authentication for more information about setting up this feature for CygNet Bridge API.

To Configure CygNet Software for Two-Factor Authentication of CygNet Bridge API

Once you have complied with CygNet system requirements for all components you will be installing, and prior to installing CygNet Bridge, configure CygNet as follows to prepare your system to use two-factor authentication. See Installing and Deleting Services in the Services section of the CygNet Help for more information about this process.

Note: During CygNet Bridge and Bridge API installation, if 2FA is enabled, you will need to enter the new Group service information in the "Multi-factor authentication" section of the Bridge API page.

In the Address Resolution Service (ARS), create a new Group service (GRP type, e.g. USERDATA.GRP) specifically for storing two-factor authentication user information.
In the Remote Service Manager (RSM), create the new Group service (GRP type, e.g. USERDATA.GRP) specifically for storing two-factor authentication user information.

In the Access Control Service (ACS), add the following security settings to configure access to the Group service storing your two-factor authentication user information. See Implementing Security in the Security section of the CygNet Help and CygNet Bridge API (BRDGAPI) Security (ACCESS event) for more information about configuring security settings.

On the Permissions page, right-click to access the context menu and then select New App to access the New Application dialog box, and add your required security applications.
Enter the following values to add security events and users for 2FA access for CygNet Bridge API, for each permission level needed.
- Application: GRP, Description: [YourUser2FAInfoGrpService], Event: ACCESS, Event Description: Bridge API Access, Security ID: IIS APPPOOL\CygNetBridge, Level:3, ID Type: US
- Application: GRP, Description: [YourUser2FAInfoGrpService], Event: ACCESS, Event Description: Bridge API Access, Security ID: Enter all desired User IDs allowed to reset user 2FA info, Level:4, ID Type: US
- Application: BRDGAPI, Description: [YourUser2FAInfoDescription], Event: ACCESS, Event Description: Bridge API Access, Security ID: Enter all desired User IDs for Level 5, Level:5, ID Type: US