elastic / elastic/docs-content
Document user API key authentication for cross-cluster search requests
- Dominant language
- No language data
- Stars
- 47
- Forks
- 261
- Avg merge
- 3d 12h
- Merged PRs (30d)
- 116
Description
The [CCS](https://www.elastic.co/docs/explore-analyze/cross-cluster-search) page explains how to configure privileges for CCS, but all examples assume username/password users:
* Search examples in [CCS examples](https://www.elastic.co/docs/explore-analyze/cross-cluster-search#ccs-example) show no authentication header
* [after https://github.com/elastic/docs-content/pull/6934 is merged]: Role creation uses `POST /_security/role/` and access is granted via `POST /_security/user/` with a password.
https://github.com/elastic/docs-content/pull/6934 adds the **API key authentication** section that describes the remote cluster security model (cross-cluster API key for connecting clusters), not how an end user or application authenticates CCS search requests. Readers may incorrectly assume CCS requires user/password auth, or confuse cross-cluster API keys with user REST API keys.
It would be useful to:
* clarify terminology to distinguish cross-cluster API key from REST user API key (request authentication)
* add an example for creating a user API key for CCS (with remote indices and optionally local ones in role descriptors)
* add an example of running a CCS request with the created key
* explain that remote access is the intersection of the API key's privileges and the key owner's privileges
Useful resources:
* https://www.elastic.co/docs/deploy-manage/api-keys/elasticsearch-api-keys
* https://www.elastic.co/docs/troubleshoot/elasticsearch/remote-clusters
Contributor guide
No contributing guide indexed for this repository
Research direction
Start with the CCS page and its linked CCS examples, then review the API keys and remote-clusters resources listed in the issue. Add terminology distinguishing cross-cluster API keys from user REST API keys, a user API key creation example, and a CCS request using it. Done means the examples cover remote and optional local indices and explain the intersection of API-key and owner privileges.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- elasticsearch
- Domain
- authentication, documentation, security
- Issue type
- Documentation
- Difficulty
- 3/5
- Estimated time
- 1-2 days
- Activity status
- Quiet
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 62/100