This tutorial covers composing the controller PKI and minimal controller and router configs from scratch. The previous tutorial guided you to run a controller with the demo PKI checked in to this repo under ./etc/ca
and with annotated and complete controller and router configs generated with the ziti create config
command.
You will configure:
- 1x Ziti Controller + Edge
- 1x Ziti Fabric Router
- 1x Ziti Edge Router
- 1x Ziti Tunneler
- 1x Ziti Service (a demo netcat service)
It will also include provisioning and running a Ziti Tunneler with a demo netcat service. The services will use Ziti router egress. The full connection will be:
SDK -> Edge Router -> Router -> Service
These commands require a running BASH shell. Windows users will need to use WSL, cygwin, a Linux virtual machine, or some other environment that supports BASH. The easiest thing might just be to use the shell that comes with git bashfor windows. WSL is maturing more and more: Mintty and WSL.
Also note that the ziti
command may need to have the .exe
suffix appended to the example commands.
This document assumes that the following hostnames will resolve on your local system:
- up-and-running-ctrl.ziti.netfoundry.io
- up-and-running-er01.ziti.netfoundry.io
- up-and-running-r01.ziti.netfoundry.io
This means that temporarily adding these to your system hosts file (outlined below) is required for this guide.
-
Windows:
windows: %windir%\system32\drivers\etc\hosts
-
Linux:
/etc/hosts
127.0.0.1 up-and-running-ctrl.ziti.netfoundry.io 127.0.0.1 up-and-running-er01.ziti.netfoundry.io 127.0.0.1 up-and-running-r01.ziti.netfoundry.io
If you are deploying on multiple machines with their own resolvable hostnames, this is not required. However, it will be necessary to alter the Environment Variable DNS San values to match your environment. Also, all generated Ziti Identities (server, client, and private keys), configuration files, and binaries will need to be copied to the correct hosts.
The environment variables ZITI_HOME and ZITI_NETWORK will be used to bootstrap an environment configuration file and directory structure to hold the various certificate, private keys, configuration files, and enrollment tokens that will be generated in this guide. This will help keep them separated on your file system for easy deletion later.
After these are defined an environment folder and 'env' file will be generated that can easily reset these values.
-
Define the boot strap environment variables
export ZITI_NETWORK=up-and-running export ZITI_HOME=~/.ziti
For Windows users: if a bash shell is being used some absolute paths may not work (i.e. /mnt/c/myziti). Using paths that start with
~
are generally safer. Using.
will make configuration files andenv
files sensitive to the current working directory, but should work as long as the correct current working directory is maintained. -
Generate the base directory structure and
env
filemkdir -p $ZITI_HOME cat <<SHELL > ${ZITI_HOME}/env export ZITI_HOME=${ZITI_HOME} export ZITI_NETWORK=${ZITI_NETWORK} export ZITI_ID="${ZITI_HOME}/identities.yml" export ZITI_CA_NAME="${ZITI_NETWORK}" export ZITI_PKI="${ZITI_HOME}/pki" export ZITI_CA_FILE="${ZITI_PKI}/${ZITI_CA_NAME}/certs/${ZITI_CA_NAME}.cert" export ZITI_CTRL_HOSTNAME="${ZITI_NETWORK}-ctrl.ziti.netfoundry.io" export ZITI_ER01_HOSTNAME="${ZITI_NETWORK}-er01.ziti.netfoundry.io" export ZITI_R01_HOSTNAME="${ZITI_NETWORK}-r01.ziti.netfoundry.io" export ZITI_EDGE_API_PORT=1280 export ZITI_EDGE_API_HOSTNAME="${ZITI_CTRL_HOSTNAME}:${ZITI_EDGE_API_PORT}" mkdir -p $ZITI_HOME/db mkdir -p $ZITI_PKI SHELL
This file generated by the above snippet can be sourced any time to switch between working with multiple environments generated by this document or when starting new terminal windows.
Source the newly created
env
file:source ${ZITI_HOME}/env
or if the defaults were usedsource .ziti/env
ZITI_HOME
- The root directory that should be consider the "HOME" directory (defaults to ~ if not set)ZITI_NETWORK
- The name of the network being worked with, this value is used as the basis for other file names. Should not contain spacesZITI_PKI
- The location of the PKI used byziti pki
via the--pki-root
optionZITI_CA_NAME
- The name of the signing CA that will be used for certificate generation and controller configuration. Defaults to the name of the network.ZITI_CA_FILE
- Location of the CA signing cert for ease of use usingziti
CLI commandsZITI_CTRL_HOSTNAME
- DNS SANs for controller certificate generation, should match hosts file changesZITI_ER01_HOSTNAME
- DNS SANs for edge router configuration, should match hosts file changesZITI_R01_HOSTNAME
- DNS SANs for router certificate generation, should match hosts file changesZITI_EDGE_API_PORT
- The port the Edge API will be available onZITI_EDGE_API_HOSTNAME
- The hostname/port combination for the Ziti Edge API, used withziti edge
commands
All communication between Ziti components is secured using mutual TLS. In order to get a ziti environment running a certificate authority is required. This document guides the reader through creating a Root Certificate Authority (Root CA). It does not cover setups that should utilize Intermediate Certificate Authorities for production environments.
The ziti
CLI will be significantly streamline and reduce the prerequisite knowledge required to generate a Root CA and signed certificates for client and server usage. Specifically the ziti pki
command will do most of the heavy lifting.
-
Ensure that the
env
file is sourced if you are using a new terminal. -
Create the CA
ziti pki create ca --pki-root="${ZITI_PKI}" --ca-file="${ZITI_CA_NAME}"
Additional certificate common name and subject fields can be set as needed. Run
ziti pki create ca -h
for options. -
(Optional) Verify the output
ls -l $ZITI_PKI/$ZITI_CA_NAME
Example:
total 0 drwxr-xr-x 1 cd cd 512 Jan 28 16:39 certs drwx------ 1 cd cd 512 Jan 28 16:39 crls drwx------ 1 cd cd 512 Jan 28 16:39 keys -rw-r--r-- 1 cd cd 3 Jan 28 16:39 crlnumber -rw-r--r-- 1 cd cd 162 Jan 28 16:39 index.txt -rw-r--r-- 1 cd cd 20 Jan 28 16:39 index.txt.attr -rw-r--r-- 1 cd cd 3 Jan 28 16:39 serial
The following steps outline how to configure and start the Ziti Controller.
-
Ensure that the
env
file is sourced if you are using a new terminal. -
Generate the controller Ziti Identity (server, client, and private key)
Server
ziti pki create server \ --pki-root=$ZITI_PKI \ --ca-name $ZITI_CA_NAME \ --server-file "${ZITI_NETWORK}-ctrl-server" \ --dns "${ZITI_CTRL_HOSTNAME}" \ --ip "127.0.0.1" \ --server-name "${ZITI_NETWORK} Controller"
Client
ziti pki create client \ --pki-root=$ZITI_PKI \ --ca-name ${ZITI_CA_NAME} \ --client-file "${ZITI_NETWORK}-ctrl-client" \ --key-file "${ZITI_NETWORK}-ctrl-server" \ --client-name "${ZITI_NETWORK} Controller"
Note: The client cert uses the controller server key as specified by
--key-file
.Additional certificate common name and subject fields can be set as needed. Run
ziti pki create server -h
orziti pki create client -h
for options.The Ziti Identity files are output in the following locations
$ZITI_PKI/$ZITI_CA_NAME/certs/${ZITI_NETWORK}-ctrl-server.cert $ZITI_PKI/$ZITI_CA_NAME/certs/${ZITI_NETWORK}-ctrl-client.cert $ZITI_PKI/$ZITI_CA_NAME/keys/${ZITI_NETWORK}-ctrl-server.key
-
Generate the controller configuration file
cat <<YAML > $ZITI_HOME/controller.yaml v: 3 db: $ZITI_HOME/db/ctrl.db identity: cert: ${ZITI_PKI}/${ZITI_CA_NAME}/certs/${ZITI_NETWORK}-ctrl-client.cert server_cert: ${ZITI_PKI}/${ZITI_CA_NAME}/certs/${ZITI_NETWORK}-ctrl-server.cert key: ${ZITI_PKI}/${ZITI_CA_NAME}/keys/${ZITI_NETWORK}-ctrl-server.key ca: ${ZITI_PKI}/${ZITI_CA_NAME}/certs/${ZITI_NETWORK}.cert ctrl: listener: tls:127.0.0.1:6262 mgmt: listener: tls:127.0.0.1:10000 edge: api: listener: 0.0.0.0:1280 advertise: ${ZITI_EDGE_API_HOSTNAME} sessionTimeoutMinutes: 30 enrollment: signingCert: cert: ${ZITI_PKI}/${ZITI_CA_NAME}/certs/${ZITI_NETWORK}.cert key: ${ZITI_PKI}/${ZITI_CA_NAME}/keys/${ZITI_NETWORK}.key edgeIdentity: durationMinutes: 5 edgeRouter: durationMinutes: 5 YAML
-
Initialize the database if this is the first time you are going to start the controller
# if needed, initialize the controller ziti controller edge init $ZITI_HOME/controller.yaml -u admin -p admin # run the controller ziti controller run $ZITI_HOME/controller.yaml
Note that running this command will commandeer your current terminal. Use
screen
or multiple terminals by usingsource
on theenv
file.
This section outlines the steps necessary to configure and connect a router to the Ziti Controller. The router will be
named r01
which is represented in the Common Name field of the certificates for the router. Routers join a controller
and create a mesh to provide long-haul transport.
To enroll a Ziti Router, the command line utility ziti fabric
will be used that requires its own Ziti Identity in order
to connect to and control the fabric.
-
The
ziti fabric
command will be used to manage the fabric, a Ziti Identity must be generated to do that:ziti pki create client \ --pki-root="${ZITI_PKI}" \ --ca-name="${ZITI_CA_NAME}" \ --client-file="${ZITI_NETWORK}-dotzeet" \ --client-name "${ZITI_NETWORK} Management"
-
Generate a fabric identity that references the Ziti Identity:
ziti fabric add-identity \ --cli-identity "${ZITI_NETWORK} Management" \ --ca-cert ${ZITI_PKI}/${ZITI_CA_NAME}/certs/${ZITI_NETWORK}.cert \ --client-cert ${ZITI_PKI}/${ZITI_CA_NAME}/certs/${ZITI_NETWORK}-dotzeet.cert \ --client-key ${ZITI_PKI}/${ZITI_CA_NAME}/keys/${ZITI_NETWORK}-dotzeet.key
-
Login
ziti edge login --cli-identity "${ZITI_NETWORK} Management"
-
Verify the identity works:
ziti fabric list routers
-
Generate the Ziti Router identity
Server
ziti pki create server \ --pki-root=$ZITI_PKI \ --ca-name ${ZITI_CA_NAME} \ --server-file "${ZITI_NETWORK}-r01-server" \ --dns "${ZITI_R01_HOSTNAME}" \ --ip 127.0.0.1 \ --server-name r01
Client
ziti pki create client \ --pki-root=$ZITI_PKI \ --ca-name ${ZITI_CA_NAME} \ --client-file "${ZITI_NETWORK}-r01-client" \ --key-file "${ZITI_NETWORK}-r01-server" \ --client-name r01
-
Generate the router configuration file:
cat <<YAML > $ZITI_HOME/r01.yaml v: 2 identity: cert: ${ZITI_PKI}/${ZITI_CA_NAME}/certs/${ZITI_NETWORK}-r01-client.cert server_cert: ${ZITI_PKI}/${ZITI_CA_NAME}/certs/${ZITI_NETWORK}-r01-server.cert key: ${ZITI_PKI}/${ZITI_CA_NAME}/keys/${ZITI_NETWORK}-r01-server.key ca: ${ZITI_PKI}/${ZITI_CA_NAME}/certs/${ZITI_NETWORK}-r01-server.chain.pem ctrl: endpoint: tls:${ZITI_CTRL_HOSTNAME}:6262 link: listener: quic:127.0.0.1:6002 listeners: - binding: transport address: tls:0.0.0.0:7002 YAML
-
Enroll the Ziti Router identity with the controller
ziti fabric create router "${ZITI_PKI}/${ZITI_CA_NAME}/certs/${ZITI_NETWORK}-r01-client.cert"
Verify:
ziti fabric list routers
Should show 1 router named
r01
. -
Start the router:
ziti router run $ZITI_HOME/r01.yaml
Note that running this command will commandeer your current terminal. Use
screen
or multiple terminals by usingsource
on theenv
file.
A Ziti Edge Router allows the Ziti SDK to ingress to a Ziti overlay network. A Ziti Edge Router is a Ziti Router that has the edge
section of the configuration defined and has gone through the Edge Router Enrollment process instead of the Ziti Router
enrollment process. Ziti Edge Routers and Ziti Routers are run from the same binary ziti router
.
Ensure that the env
file is sourced if you are using a new terminal.
-
Authenticate w/ the controller if not authenticated
#update username / password if the default admin password has been updated ziti edge login ${ZITI_EDGE_API_HOSTNAME} -u admin -p admin
-
Create a edge router and output the JWT to a file:
ziti edge create edge-router er01 cluster01 -o $ZITI_HOME/er01.jwt
-
Create the edge router configuration file
cat <<YAML > $ZITI_HOME/er01.yaml v: 2 identity: cert: ${ZITI_PKI}/${ZITI_CA_NAME}/certs/${ZITI_NETWORK}-er01-client.cert server_cert: ${ZITI_PKI}/${ZITI_CA_NAME}/certs/${ZITI_NETWORK}-er01-server.cert key: ${ZITI_PKI}/${ZITI_CA_NAME}/keys/${ZITI_NETWORK}-er01-server.key ca: ${ZITI_PKI}/${ZITI_CA_NAME}/certs/${ZITI_NETWORK}-er01-server.chain.cert ctrl: endpoint: tls:${ZITI_CTRL_HOSTNAME}:6262 edge: csr: country: US province: NC locality: Charlotte organization: NetFoundry organizationalUnit: Ziti sans: dns: - ${ZITI_NETWORK}-er01.ziti.netfoundry.io ip: - "127.0.0.1" dialers: - binding: udp - binding: transport listeners: - binding: edge address: tls:0.0.0.0:3022 options: advertise: ${ZITI_NETWORK}-er01.ziti.netfoundry.io:3022 - binding: transport address: tls:0.0.0.0:7099 YAML
-
Complete the enrollment process with the controller
ziti router enroll $ZITI_HOME/er01.yaml --jwt $ZITI_HOME/er01.jwt
-
Start the edge router:
ziti router run $ZITI_HOME/er01.yaml
Note that running this command will commandeer your current terminal. Use
screen
or multiple terminals by usingsource
on theenv
file.