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Create a Remote Access Control (RAC) provider

The RAC provider is a highly flexible feature for accessing remote machines. This document provides instructions for the basic creation and configuration of a RAC provider within a defined scenario.

Fow more information about using a RAC provider, see the Overview documentation. You can also view our video on YouTube for setting up RAC.

Prerequisites​

The RAC provider requires the deployment of the RAC Outpost.

Overview workflow to create a RAC provider​

The typical workflow to create and configure a RAC provider is to 1. create app/provider, 2. create property mappings (that define the access credentials to each remote machine), 3. create an endpoint for each remote machine you want to connect to.

Depending on whether you are connecting using RDP, SSH, or VNC, the exact configuration choices might differ, but the overall workflow applies to all RAC connections.

Step 1. Create an application and RAC provider​

The first step is to create the RAC app and provider.

  1. Log in as an admin to authentik, and go to the Admin interface.

  2. In the Admin interface, navigate to Applications -> Applications.

  3. Click Create with Wizard. Follow the instructions to create your RAC application and provider.

Step 2. Create RAC property mapping​

Next, you need to add a property mapping for each of the remote machines you want to access. Property mappings allow you to pass information to external applications, and with RAC they are used to pass the host name, IP address, and access credentials for the remote machines.

  1. In the Admin interface, navigate to Customization -> Property Mappings.

  2. On the Property Mappings page, click Create.

  3. On the New property mapping modal, set the following:

    • Select Type: RAC Property Mappings
    • Create RAC Property Mapping:
      • Names: define a name for the property mapping, perhaps include the type of connection (RDP, SSH, VNC)
      • General settings:
        • Username: the username for the remote machine
        • Password: the password for the remote machine
      • RDP settings:
        • **Ignore server certificate: select **Enabled** (Depending on the setup of your RDP Server, it might be required to enable this setting.)
        • Enable wallpaper: optional
        • Enable font smoothing: optional
        • Enable full window dragging: optional
      • Advanced settings:
        • Expressions: optional, using Python you can define custom expressions.

  4. Click Finish to save your settings and close the modal.

Step 3. Create Endpoints for the Provider​

Finally, you need to create an endpoint for each remote machine. Endpoints are defined within providers; connections between the remote machine and authentik are enabled through communication between the provider's endpoint and the remote machine.

  1. In the Admin interface navigate to Applications -> Providers.

  2. Select the RAC provider you created in Step 1 above.

  3. On the Provider page, under Endpoints, click Create.

  4. On the Create Endpoint modal, provide the following settings:

    • Name: define a name for the endpoint, perhaps include the type of connection (RDP, SSH, VNC)
    • Protocol: select the appropriate protocol
    • Host: the host name or IP address of the system you are connecting to.
    • Maximum concurrent connections: select a value or use -1 to disable the limitation.
    • Property mapping: select either the property mapping that you created in Step 2, or use one of the default settings.
    • Advance settings: optional

  5. Click Create to save your settings and close the modal.

Access the remote machine​

To verify your configuration and access the remote machine, go to the User interface of your authentik instance. On the My applications page click the Remote Access application. authentik connects you to a secure shell on the remote machine, in your web browser.

If you defined multiple endpoints, they are each displayed; click the endpoint for the remote machine that you want to access.