Set up a Zendesk connector

Integrate your Zendesk instance with C1 to run user access reviews, enable just-in-time access requests, and easily provision and deprovision access.

A newer version of this connector is available. This version of the connector is no longer available for installation. If you’re setting up a Zendesk connector with C1 for the first time, use the v2 version.

Capabilities

Resource	Sync	Provision
Accounts
Groups
Organizations

Gather Zendesk credentials

Configuring the connector requires you to pass in credentials generated in Zendesk. Gather these credentials before you move on.

A user with System Admin access in Zendesk must perform this task.

Locate the subdomain for your Zendesk account

1. In your Zendesk account, navigate to the Admin page by clicking the gear icon in the left menu bar.

2. Locate your Zendesk subdomain in the top right corner of the page.

3. Make a note of your subdomain.

Create an API token

1. Click Go to Admin Center.

2. Open Apps and integrations in the navigation bar and click Zendesk API.

3. Click the toggle to enable token access.

4. Click Add API token, then copy and save the newly created token.

5. Click Save.

Done. Next, move on to the connector configuration instructions.

Configure the Zendesk connector

To complete this task, you’ll need:

• The Connector Administrator or Super Administrator role in C1
• Access to the set of Zendesk credentials generated by following the instructions above

Cloud-hosted

Follow these instructions to use a built-in, no-code connector hosted by C1.

1. In C1, navigate to Apps > Connectors and click Add connector.

2. Search for Zendesk and click Add.

3. Choose where to add the connector: Create a new app, or Add to an existing app (then select the app).

   If you’re creating a new app, choose whether to link it to an application discovered from your identity provider: select Yes and pick the IdP application, or No to continue with just the connector.

4. Set the connector’s Name and, optionally, a Description.

5. Click the pencil icon next to Owners to choose who can configure and manage this connector.

6. Click Add. The connector is created and its configuration page opens.

7. Find the Settings area of the page and click Edit.

8. In the Email field, enter the email address associated with your System Admin account in Zendesk.

9. In the Subdomain field, enter the subdomain.

10. Paste the token into the API Token field.

11. Click Save.

12. The connector’s label changes to Syncing, followed by Connected. You can view the logs to ensure that information is syncing.

Done. Your Zendesk connector is now pulling access data into C1.

Self-hosted

Follow these instructions to use the Zendesk connector, hosted and run in your own environment.

When running in service mode on Kubernetes, a self-hosted connector maintains an ongoing connection with C1, automatically syncing and uploading data at regular intervals. This data is immediately available in the C1 UI for access reviews and access requests.

Step 1: Set up a new Zendesk connector

1. In C1, navigate to Apps > Connectors and click Add connector.

2. Search for Baton and click Add.

3. Choose where to add the connector: Create a new app, or Add to an existing app (then select the app).

   If you’re creating a new app, choose whether to link it to an application discovered from your identity provider: select Yes and pick the IdP application, or No to continue with just the connector.

4. Set the connector’s Name and, optionally, a Description.

5. Click the pencil icon next to Owners to choose who can configure and manage this connector.

6. Click Add. The connector is created and its configuration page opens.

7. In the Settings area of the page, click Edit.

8. Click Rotate to generate a new Client ID and Secret.

   Carefully copy and save these credentials. We’ll use them in Step 2.

Step 2: Create Kubernetes configuration files

Create two Kubernetes manifest files for your Zendesk connector deployment:

Secrets configuration

# baton-zendesk-secrets.yaml
apiVersion: v1
kind: Secret
metadata:
  name: baton-zendesk-secrets
type: Opaque
stringData:
  # C1 credentials
  BATON_CLIENT_ID: <C1 client ID>
  BATON_CLIENT_SECRET: <C1 client secret>
  
  # Zendesk credentials
  BATON_API_TOKEN: <Zendesk API token>
  BATON_EMAIL: <Email address associated with your System Admin account in Zendesk>
  BATON_SUBDOMAIN: <Zendesk subdomain>

See the connector’s README or run --help to see all available configuration flags and environment variables.

Deployment configuration

# baton-zendesk.yaml
apiVersion: apps/v1
kind: Deployment
metadata:
  name: baton-zendesk
  labels:
    app: baton-zendesk
spec:
  selector:
    matchLabels:
      app: baton-zendesk
  template:
    metadata:
      labels:
        app: baton-zendesk
        baton: true
        baton-app: zendesk
    spec:
      containers:
      - name: baton-zendesk
        image: public.ecr.aws/conductorone/baton-zendesk:latest
        imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
        envFrom:
        - secretRef:
            name: baton-zendesk-secrets

Step 3: Deploy the connector

1. Create a namespace in which to run C1 connectors (if desired), then apply the secret config and deployment config files.

2. Check that the connector data uploaded correctly. In C1, click Apps. On the Managed apps tab, locate and click the name of the application you added the Zendesk connector to. Zendesk data should be found on the Entitlements and Accounts tabs.

Done. Your Zendesk connector is now pulling access data into C1.