User Onboarding on HCL DevOps Plan REST API Server

HCL DevOps Plan REST API Server (shortly called the API Server) is a modern web server component of HCL DevOps Plan software, comparable to the classic Compass Web Server component. However, the deployment procedure is totally different for both these components.

There are two main parts in the process of onboarding a user onto any application in DevOps Plan API Server:

Part-1: Configuring Email Server on DevOps Plan REST API Server

Part-2: Completing lifecycle of User Invitation

Part-1: Configuring Email Server on DevOps Plan REST API Server

The API Server allows to configure Email Server, as a part of user management in API Server. This is needed for sending email notification to the users.

Important notes:

1. The following screenshot shows the Email Server set up for ‘DefectTracking/SAMPL’ application. However, this is the same for all DevOps Plan applications.
2. You need to whitelist the API Server (either the hostname or IP Address) in the Email Server, to make sure the required communication is established between these servers for seamless functioning of Email Notification and the User Management

Logon to DevOps Plan API Server with super user (administrator) privileges. Click on Configuration > Server Setup option, to arrive at the server configuration page, as mentioned in the following screenshot shows the email server set up. Note that the right-hand side section of the server configuration page shows the Email Server Setup.

Each one of the fields under ‘Email Server Setup’ are briefly mentioned below:

SMTP Server Host: This is the Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) or the IP address of the SMTP Server / Email Server set up in your organization

Port: The port number used for configuring Email Server

Encryption: If you have configured the encryption on your email server, you can mention that here. This has the following options – None (if there is no encryption), SSL/TLS & STARTTLS

From address: This is the email address from which the email notification will be sent to user/s as a part of user management. This can be any existing email address, or you can also mention a new email address.

User name: The user name configured on your Email Server

Password: The corresponding password of the user name mentioned above

SMTP Server Certificate: Under the ‘Type’ drop down menu, it gives 3 options – None, Certification Authority, Self-signed. As these names indicate, you need to select the Certification Authority if you have received the security certificate from a 3rd party CA. If you have created Self-signed certificate, select the same option. Once you select the appropriate option, you need to upload the certificate from the path where it is saved on your host.

Once you enter all these details, and click on the Save button, it saves all the configuration and gives you a confirmation pop up at the right-hand side of your screen. This completes the configuration of Email Server.

Part-2: Completing lifecycle of User Invitation

Once the Email Server set up is done, you can start with the user onboarding process, which is also a part of user management of DevOps Plan application/s.

Logon to the API Server with admin privileges and select the ‘User Management’ icon from the left-hand side of your screen. Click on ‘Invite User’ and type the email id of user who needs to be invited. If correct email ID is entered, it identifies the user, and allows that user be selected, as shown in the following screenshots:

Once you select the user, it allows you to select the privileges you want to give to this user. You can select one / many / all these privileges based on the business need. An example of selecting the privileges is shown below. Once you select the privileges, click on ‘Add User’:

It gives you a confirmation pop up that the user has been invited successfully.

Now, the user would see an email with the subject – Join DefectTracking on DevOps Plan, And the email body with the message – admin has invited you to join DefectTracking on DevOps Plan. You also have a link to ‘Accept Invitation’

Once the user clicks on the ‘Accept Invitation’ link, it will redirect to the same API Server URL, and allows to enter the First Name, Last Name and set the password for this application. Once all information is filled in, click on ‘Sign Up’ to complete the process. Note that the email Id and User name are greyed out, because these details cannot be edited / changed.

Once the user clicks on Sign Up, it gives a confirmation that he has successfully created your account. He can click on ‘Login to my account’ to logon to the application which he was added to.

Once he clicks on Login, it will take him to the home page of ‘DefectTracking/SAMPL’ application:

At the right top corner of the DevOps Plan home page, he can see his user profile.

By following these steps and best practices, the onboarding process for users onto HCL DevOps Plan REST API Server can be effectively managed, ensuring users are equipped with the knowledge and resources needed to utilize the platform successfully.

Please visit our website for more information on HCL DevOps Plan.