Generating an API access key

A CDP user account (a user or a machine user) must have API access credentials to access CDP services through the CDP CLI or API.

When you use this method to generate an access key and then manually configure the access key in the ~/.cdp/credentials, the access credentials are permanent until they are removed from the ~/.cdp/credentials file. If you prefer that the API access key is shorter-lived, refer to the topic Logging into the CDP CLI/SDK, which describes a method of logging into the CLI/SDK through any SAML-compliant identity provider.

Steps - CDP web interface

Sign in to the CDP console.
If you are generating the API access key for yourself:
1. Click your user account name and select Profile.
2. On the user profile page that appears, click Generate Access Key.
If you are generating the API access key for yourself or other users:
1. From the CDP home page, click Management Console.
2. On the side navigation panel, click Users.
3. On the Users page, click the name of the user or machine user account for which you want to generate an access key.
4. On the user account page, go to the Access Keys section and click Generate Access Key.
CDP creates the key and displays the information on the screen.
Copy the access key and private key to a text file and send it to the CDP user who requires it. The private key is a very long string of characters. Make sure that you copy the full string. You can optionally download the credentials file containing the access key information.
Click OK to exit the access key window.

note

The CDP console displays the API access key immediately after you create it. You must copy or download the access key ID and private key information when it is displayed. Do not exit the console without copying the private key. After you exit the console, there is no other way to view or copy the private key.

Once you've generated the access key, you can configure CDP CLI, SDK, or other utilities that require it.