Author: Arpeet Gupta

Shell initialization files

Introduction

A shell initialization file is a shell script that runs automatically each time the shell executes. The initialization file sets up the “work environment” and “customizes” the shell environment for the user. The main agenda of Shell initialization files are to persist common shell configuration, such as Continue reading “Shell initialization files”

Achieve SSO in Privately Hosted Jenkins

Introduction

Providing OAuth 2.0 user authentication directly or using Google+ Sign-in reduces your CI overhead. It also provides a trusted and secure login system that’s familiar to users, consistent across devices, and removes the burden of users having to remember another username and password. One of the hurdles in implementing a Gmail authentication is that Google developer console and your  Jenkins server should be in the same network or in simple terms they can talk to each other.

Resources Used

  • Privately Hosted Jenkins
  • Google developer console
  • Ngrok
In this blog, I’m trying to explain how to integrate Gmail authentication feature in your privately hosted Jenkins server so that you get free of filling the form by the time of creating a new user.

Setup 1: Setup Ngrok

NGROK
 
Ngrok is multiplatform tunneling, reverse proxy software that establishes secure tunnels from a public endpoint such as the internet to a locally running network service while capturing all traffic for detailed inspection and replay.
We are using Ngrok to host our Jenkins service (running on port 8080) to public IP.

 
Go to google and search for Download Ngrok.
 
 
 
Either Login with google account or do Ngrok own signup.
 
 
After Logged in Ngrok Download it.
 
 
After Download Ngrok, Go to the console and unzip the downloaded zip file and then move it to /usr/local/bin.
Note: Moving part is optional, we do so for accessing ngrok from anywhere.
 
 
 
Go to ngrok UI page , copy the authentication key and paste it.
Note: Remove ” . / ” sign because we moved ngrok file to /usr/local/bin
 
 
 Major configuration for Ngrok is done. Now type the command:
ngrok http 8080
 Assuming that Jenkins is running on port 8080.
 
 
Now Ngrok Host our Jenkins Service to public IP.
 
Copy this IP, we will use it in the google developer console.
 
Note: Make this terminal up and running.(don’t do ctrl+c)

Step 2: Setup Google Developer Console

Go to google and search for google developer console.
 
 
After sign in into google developer console, we will redirect to Google developer console UI screen.
Go to Select a project  → New Project
 
 
Give Project Name, here I will use “JenkinsGmailAuthentication” and create a project. Creating a project takes 1 or 2 minutes.
 
 
After Project created, we will be redirected to the UI page as shown below. Now click on on the “Credentials” Tab on the left slide bar.
 
 
 
After Go to the OAuth consent screen tab and give the below entries. Here I will give Application name to “JenkinsGmailAuthentication”.
 
 
The important part of the Google developer console is Public IP we created using Ngrok. Copy Public IP in Authorized domains and note to remove ” http:// ” in Authorized domains.
 
 
After Setting OAuth consent screen, Go to   “Credentials Tab”→ Create Credentials→OAuthClientID
 
 
Select Application type as Web Application, give the name “JenkinsGmailAuthentication”.
Major Part of Create Credential has Authorized JavaScript origins and Authorized redirect URIs.
 
 
Copy Client ID and Client Secret because we are going to use these in Jenkins.
 

Step 3: Setup Jenkins

I am assuming that Jenkins is already installed in your system.
Go to Manage Jenkins → Manage Plugins→ Available
 
 
Search for “Google Login Plugin” and add it.
 
 
Go to Manage Jenkins → Configure Global Security
 
 
The major part of Jenkins Setup is to Configure Global Security.
Check the Enable security → Login with Google and Paste the Client ID and Client secret generated in Create Credential Step and Save.
 
 
Up to here, we are done with the Setup part.
Now Click on login button on Jenkins UI, you will redirect to Gmail for login.
 
 
Select the account from which you want to log in.
 
 
After selecting Account you will redirect to Jenkins and you are logged in as selected user.
 
 
You may be facing a problem when you log in again.
Logout from the current user and login again.
 
 
After redirected to Gmail select another user.
 
 
After selecting user you will be redirected to Error Page showing: HTTP ERROR 404.
 
 
Don’t worry, you have to just remove “securityRealm/” or enter again “localhost:8080”.
 
 
You are logged in with the selected user.
 
 
So now you know how to do Gmail Authentication between Google developer console and Jenkins when they are not directly reachable to each other.
Here the main bridge between both is Ngrok which host our Privately hosted Jenkins to outer internet.
 
 
 

Can you integrate a GitHub Webhook with Privately hosted Jenkins No? Think again

Introduction

One of the most basic requirement of CI implementation using Jenkins is to automatically trigger a Jenkins job post every commit. As you are already aware there are two ways in which a Jenkins job can be triggered in an automated fashion is:

  • Pull | PollSCM
  • Push | Webhook

It is a no-brainer that a Push-based trigger is the most efficient way of triggering a Jenkins job else you would be unnecessarily hogging your resources. One of the hurdles in implementing a push-based trigger is that your VCS & Jenkins server should be in the same network or in simple terms they can talk to each other.

In a typical CI setup, there is a SAAS VCS i.e GitHub/GitLab and a privately hosted Jenkins server, which make a Push-based triggering of Jenkins job impossible. Till a few days back I was under the same impression until I found this awesome blog that talks about how you can integrate a Webhook with your private Jenkins server.

In this blog, I’ll be trying to explain how I implemented the Webhook relay. Most importantly the reference blog was about integration of WebhookRelay with GitHub, with GitLab still there were some unexplored areas and I faced some challenges while doing the integration. This motivated me to write a blog so that people will have a ready reference on how to integrate GitLab with Webhook Relay.

Overall Workflow

Step 1: Download WebHook Relay Agent on the local system

Copy and execute the command 

curl -sSL https://storage.googleapis.com/webhookrelay/downloads/relay-linux-amd64 > relay && chmod +wx relay && sudo mv relay /usr/local/bin

Note: Webhook Relay and Webhook Relay agent are different. Webhook Relay is running on public IP which triggers by GitLab and Webhook Relay Agent is a service which gets trigger by Webhook relay.

Step 2: Create a Webhook Relay Account

After successfully signing up we will land on Webhook Relay home page.

Step 3: Setting up the Webhook Relay Agent.

We have to create Access Tokens.
Now after navigating through Access token, click on Create Token button. Then we are provided with a Key and Secret pair.
Copy and execute:

relay login -k token-key -s token-secret
 
 
If it prompts a success message it means our Webhook relay agent is successfully setup.

Step 4: Create GItLab Repository

We will keep our repository a public one to keep things simple and understandable. Let’s say our Gitlab repository’s name is  WebhookProject.

Step 5: Install GitLab and GitLab Hook Plugin.

Go to Manage Jenkins →  Manage Plugins → Available
 

Step 6: Create Jenkins Job

 
Configure job: Add Gitlab repository link
 
Now we’ll choose the build trigger option:
 
 
 
Save the job.

Step 7: Connecting GitLab Repository, Webhook Relay, and Webhook Relay Agent

The final and most important step is to Connect the Overall flow.

Start forwarding Webhooks to Jenkins

Open terminal and type command:

relay forward --bucket gitlab-jenkins http://localhost:8080/project/webhook-gitlab-test
Note: Bucket name can be anything
 
 
Note: Do not stop this process by doing (ctrl+c).Open a new terminal or a new tab for commit to gitlab.

The most critical part of the workflow is the link generated by the Webhook Relay Agent. Copy this link and paste Gitlab repository(webhookProject) → Settings → Integrations

Paste the link.
For the sake of simplicity uncheck the Enable SSL Verification and click Add webhook button
Until now all major configuration has been done. Now Clone GitLab repository and push commits to the remote repository.
Go to Jenkins job and see build is triggered by GitLab webhook.
To see GitLab webhook Relay Logs, Go to :
Gitlab Repository → Settings → Integrations → webhook → Edit
 
 
To see Logs of Webhook Relay Agent trigger Jenkins, Go to:
Webhook Relay UI page → Relay Logs.

So now you know how to do WebHook integration between your VCS & Jenkins even when they are not directly reachable to each other.
Can you integrate a GitHub Webhook with Privately hosted Jenkins? Yes
Cheers Till Next Time!!!!