Protect Configuration

Introduction

Since resources are created according to the configurations you enter, it's essential to restrict such configurations from direct modifications. For critical environments like production, it becomes necessary to introduce an approval flow for any edits made to the configuration files.

In Devtron, these configurations are present in the App Configuration tab of your application.

Any changes made to the following configurations will require approval if enabled:

• Deployment Template

• ConfigMaps

• Secrets

This stands true for both: base configuration and respective environment-level configuration.

Figure 1a: Protecting Base Configuration

Figure 1b: Protecting Environment-level Configuration

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Tutorial

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Changing the Configuration Values

Only a super-admin, manager, and admin can edit the configuration values.

Let's assume you are the application admin and you wish to edit the deployment template of your environment (as an override).

1. Go to the App Configuration tab.

2. In Environment Overrides → (choose your environment) → Deployment Template

   

   Figure 2: Selecting Values to Change
3. You can change the value of a key to a desired value as shown below. Once done, click the Save Changes… button.

   

   Figure 3: Changed Values

If you are not a super-admin, you cannot modify the locked keys in deployment template. Refer Lock Deployment Configuration to know more.

4. If the configuration is protected, your changes won't be published right away. You can do either of the following:

   • Save as draft : Selecting this option will save your file as a draft. You and other users can view and edit the saved draft and propose it further for approval.

   • Save & Propose Changes : Selecting this option will propose your changes to a configuration approver for a review.

   Since we are proposing the changes immediately, click Propose Changes.

   

   Figure 4: Proposing Changes
5. You can also view the approver(s) if you wish.

   

   Figure 5: Viewing the Approver(s)

The one who performs the edits cannot approve their own changes. A different user has to review and approve.

Only one draft can exist at time and you cannot create multiple drafts. In the top-right corner, you have the option to discard the draft if you don't wish to proceed with the edits you made.

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Approving the Configuration

Only a different super-admin user or someone (who is not amongst the editors of the draft), having Configuration approver access, can approve the changes made to the configuration files.

Go to the edited configuration file to review and approve the changes as shown below.

Figure 6: Approving the Changes

A super-admin can check whether a user has approval rights by going to Global Configurations → Authorization (dropdown) → User Permissions.

Figure 7: Checking Permissions

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Deploying with New Configuration Values

Once the approver validates and approves your configuration changes, you can proceed to deploy your application with the updated configuration.

1. Go to the Build & Deploy tab of your application.

2. Click Select Image in the deployment flow.

   

   Figure 8: Build & Deploy Page
3. You can view an indicator at the bottom Config Diff from Last Deployed. Click Review to view the changes.

   

   Figure 9: Checking Config Diff

If the new configuration is not yet approved, the changes made to the config would not be visible during deployment, it would show No Config Diff from Last Deployed at the bottom. In that case, check whether your changes are present in the live config or not. If your changes are absent, chances are your draft is either pending for approval or rejected (discarded).

4. Once you have verified the changes, you can click Deploy.

   

   Figure 10: Deploying App using New Config

If you don't wish to deploy with the new changes, you can choose Last deployed config from the available drop-down.

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Enabling/Disabling Config Protection

Only a super-admin can enable or disable the config protection.

1. Go to the App Configuration tab.

2. Click Protect Configuration.

3. Use the toggle button to enable the protection for the configuration of your choice (base/environment level). A protection badge would appear next to the chosen configuration.

Alternatively, unprotecting the configuration will lead to the discarding of unapproved drafts (if any).

Figure 11a: Disabling Protection

Figure 11b: Confirming Action