Managing task credentials
Task credentials is a user-generated API key, securely stored in Vault, that facilitates authentication for requests to IBM Cloud Services. Task credentials are used to run certain tasks in a service or to enable the execution of long operations, such as scheduled jobs, without interruption.
In Cloud Pak for Data as a Service, IBM Cloud API keys are used as task credentials. You can either provide an existing IBM Cloud API key, or you can generate a new key. Only one task credential can be stored per user, per IBM Cloud account.
Task credentials make API keys available to long-running, asynchronous workloads that are triggered by actions you take in the product user interface. You do not use task credentials when you interact with Cloud Pak for Data as a Service programmatically.
If your service requires a task credential to perform an operation, you are prompted to provide it in the form of an API key (existing or newly generated).
Any user with an IBM Cloud account can create an API key. Service administrators are responsible for defining a strategy to revoke task credentials when these are no longer required.
Accessing task credentials
To access your task credentials follow these steps:
-
Log in to Cloud Pak for Data (
https://dataplatform.cloud.ibm.com/
) and then go to your profile tab: -
Choose Profile and settings:
-
Choose the User API key tab:
Creating task credentials
To create new task credentials:
From the User API key tab, click Create key. You'll see your new API key appear in the key list:
Managing existing task credentials
To re-generate your key, from the User API key tab, click Rotate key. You'll see your new API key appear in the key list.
To delete your key, from the User API key tab, click the Delete icon.
Learn more
Parent topic: Administering projects