How to set secrets and use with environment variables while using Hivemq operator.

This article explains about how to set secrets with the combination of environmental variables when using Hivemq operator. Also explains How to use them in Enterprise security extension for Username and Password.

Also you can also use just secrets for hivemq-licenses or any other sensitive data based on your usecase.

\uD83D\uDCD8 Instructions

1. Create secret file name as db-secret.yaml (note username and password values are converted to base64)
   for example: echo -n 'admin' | base64. . ====> “YWRtaW4=”
   

   apiVersion: v1
   kind: Secret
   metadata:
     name: ese-secret
   type: Opaque
   data:
     dbusername: YWRtaW4=
     dbpassword: MWYyZDFlMmU2N2Rm

2. kubectl apply -f db-secret.yaml

3. You can verify if secret is created using following command

   1. kubectl get secret

4. Use created secret in Hivemq operator’s values.yaml
   

   hivemq:
     ...
     env:
     - name: DB_USERNAME
       valueFrom:
         secretKeyRef:
           name: ese-secret
           key: dbusername
     - name: DB_PASSWORD
       valueFrom:
         secretKeyRef:
           name: ese-secret
           key: dbpassword

5. Use same env variables in your ESE configuration and then create configMap of the same file. Also use same configMap name in your Hivemq’s values.yaml
   

   ...    
       <realms>
           <!-- a postgresql db-->
           <sql-realm>
               <name>postgres-backend</name>
               <enabled>true</enabled>
               <configuration>
                   <db-type>POSTGRES</db-type>
                   <db-name>ese</db-name>
                   <db-host>localhost</db-host>
                   <db-port>5432</db-port>
                   <db-username>${ENV:DB_USERNAME}</db-username>
                   <db-password>${ENV:DB_PASSWORD}</db-password>
               </configuration>
           </sql-realm>
       </realms>
   ...

6. Deploy Hivemq using values.yaml and that’s it.