Linux8.x

SaaS Bridge Client Installation and Configuration on Linux8.x

This article explains how to install and configure the OvalEdge Bridge Client on Linux-based operating systems. The Bridge Client provides secure communication between the OvalEdge SaaS platform and data sources hosted in on-premises or public cloud environments.

The Bridge Client is installed within the client's infrastructure and securely communicates with the Bridge Server hosted in the OvalEdge SaaS environment. This approach enables the OvalEdge platform to access client data sources without requiring direct inbound connectivity or changes to existing firewall rules. Only the Bridge Client's IP address and required communication port must be whitelisted to establish secure communication.

Installation Overview

Complete the following steps to install and configure the OvalEdge Bridge Client:

1. Configure the required Bridge system settings in the OvalEdge application.

2. Prepare the Bridge Client virtual machine.

3. Install OpenJDK 21 on the virtual machine.

4. Validate network connectivity between the Bridge Client, Bridge Server, and data sources.

5. Create and register the Bridge in the OvalEdge application.

6. Install and configure the Bridge Client.

7. Deploy the required Bridge components to Apache NiFi.

8. Configure and restart the Apache NiFi service.

9. Configure the Bridge as a Linux service to enable automatic startup.

10. Validate the Bridge installation and verify communication with the Bridge Server.

11. Validate connector connectivity and perform a test metadata crawl.

Prerequisites

Complete the following prerequisites before installing the Bridge Client.

Installation Files

Ensure the following installation files are available.

File	Description
Bridge Secure	Contains certificates and configuration files required for secure
Connectivity Pack (.zip)	communication between the Bridge Client and Bridge Server.
Bridge Client Installer (.jar)	Installs the Bridge Client on the target virtual machine.
Bridge Component (.nar)	Enables communication between Apache NiFi and the OvalEdge SaaS platform. Copy this file to the NiFi lib directory after the Bridge installation is complete.

• Before installing the Bridge Client, verify that the OvalEdge application is accessible and operational.

• The OvalEdge GCS team provides all installation files through a secure channel. Copy the files to the Bridge Client virtual machine before starting the installation

Hardware Requirements

The following hardware configuration is recommended for the Bridge Client virtual machine.

Component	Recommended Configuration
Memory	32 GB RAM
Storage	250 GB SSD
Processor	8 vCPU

Software Requirements

Install the following software before installing the Bridge Client.

Software	Version
Operating System	Ubuntu 24.04 or later / RHEL equivalent
OpenJDK	Version 21

Whitelisting of Ports

Configure the required firewall rules before installing the Bridge Client.

Traffic	Port	Purpose
Inbound	9443	Access to the Apache NiFi user interface
Outbound	9443	Secure communication between the Bridge Client and Bridge Server

• Whitelist the Bridge Client IP address in every connector data source that the Bridge will access.

• Allow outbound communication from the Bridge Client to the Bridge Server on port 9443.

• Confirm with the OvalEdge GCS team that the Bridge Client IP address has been whitelisted on the Bridge Server.

Bridge Architecture

The OvalEdge Bridge uses a pull-based communication model. The Bridge Client checks the Bridge Server for new commands every five seconds by default. These commands are generated from the OvalEdge platform and include operations such as establishing connections to data sources, crawling metadata, and profiling data. The polling interval can be configured based on deployment requirements.

When the Bridge Client receives a command, it securely connects to the client data source, executes the requested operation, and sends the collected metadata to the OvalEdge platform for processing through the Bridge Server.

This architecture enables secure communication between the OvalEdge SaaS platform and client data sources hosted on-premises or in public cloud environments without requiring direct inbound access to the client environment.

Bridge Components

The Bridge consists of the following components.

Component	Description
Bridge Server	Hosted within the OvalEdge SaaS environment and communicates directly with the OvalEdge platform.
Bridge Client	Installed with in the customer’s cloud or on-premises environment and securely communicates with the Bridge Server.

• OvalEdge owns and maintains the Bridge software.

• Customers are responsible for the virtual machine and network configuration.

• All communication between the Bridge Client and Bridge Server is encrypted using TLS 1.2.

Deployment Scenarios

The Bridge Client supports both cloud-hosted and on-premises data sources.

Environment	Bridge Server	Bridge Client	Communication Requirement
Cloud-hosted Data Sources	OvalEdge SaaS	Customer-managed cloud virtual machine	Whitelist the Bridge Client IP address to ensure secure communication with the Bridge Server.
On-premises Data Sources	OvalEdge SaaS	Customer-managed on-premises virtual machine	Whitelist the Bridge Client IP address to ensure secure communication with the Bridge Server.

The deployment procedure is identical for both scenarios.

Installation Workflow

Complete the Bridge installation in the following order:

1. Configure Access Policies in the Apache NiFi UI Side

2. Configure Bridge System Settings in the OvalEdge Application

3. Prepare the Bridge Client Virtual Machine

4. Install OpenJDK

5. Validate Network Connectivity

6. Create and Register the Bridge

7. Install the Bridge Client

8. Configure Apache NiFi

9. Configure the Bridge as a Service

10. Validate the Installation

Configure Access Policies in the Apache NiFi UI Side

After the Apache NiFi service starts and the NiFi UI is accessible, the flows are disabled by default. Configure the required access policies to enable the flows.

1. Log in to the Apache NiFi UI.

2. Verify that the flows are displayed in the Disabled state.

   
3. Click the Lock icon for the flow component.

4. The Access Policies window opens.

   
5. By default, the Add (+) button is disabled.

6. To enable policy assignment:

   1. Click Create.

   2. Click Add User/Group

      

      
7. Select CN=oeserver and add the user.

   
8. Repeat the same steps for each flow component.

   
9. Verify that all flows are displayed in the Enabled state.

   
10. Restart the Apache NiFi service with NIFI_CERT_MODE set to false.

Validation

• Verify that all flows are enabled and running successfully.

Expected Result

• The Apache NiFi flows are enabled, and the Bridge is ready to process requests.

  Configure access policies for every flow component before restarting the Apache NiFi service.

Configure the OvalEdge Application

Before installing the Bridge Client, configure the required Bridge settings in the OvalEdge application.

Configure the Temporary Directory

1. Log in to the OvalEdge application.

2. Navigate to Administration > System Settings.

3. Search for the ovaledge.temppath system setting.

4. Set the value to: /mnt/tmp/

   

   The temporary directory stores intermediate files generated during Bridge operations. Ensure the specified directory exists and has the required read and write permissions.

Configure Bridge System Settings

Configure the following Bridge system settings before installing the Bridge Client.

1. Navigate to Administration > System Settings > Bridge

System Setting	Description	Purpose	Value
ovaledge.bridge.mode	Enable/disable bridge functionality in the application.	Controls whether the application can communicate with the Bridge service for connector operations.	true – Enables Bridge functionality. false (Default) – Disables Bridge functionality.
ovaledge.bridgesoftware.path	It helps DevOps to specify the path of the bridge software.	Allows the application to locate the Bridge software required during Bridge installation and management.	Enter a valid absolute directory path. Default: /home/ubuntu/BridgeSoftware/ Example: /mnt/BridgeSoftware/
bridge.type	Configure the bridge to Bridge Lite (REST) or NiFi.	Determines whether the application uses the Bridge Lite (REST) implementation or the NiFi-based Bridge.	REST (Default) – Activates Bridge Lite. NIFI – Activates the NiFi Bridge.
bridge.server.host	To configure the host or URL of the bridge server, allowing the system to establish connections and communication with the specified server	Enables the OvalEdge application to establish communication with the configured Bridge server.	Enter a valid Bridge server hostname or URL provided by the OvalEdge team.
bridge.nifiversion	To configure the NiFi Bridge version.	Ensures that the application uses the appropriate NiFi Bridge version compatible with the deployment.	Enter a supported NiFi Bridge version. Example: nifi-2.6.0

Obtain the Bridge Server Host value from the OvalEdge GCS team before proceeding with the installation.

Bridge Setup on Client Virtual Machine

Prepare the Bridge Client virtual machine before installing the Bridge software.

Install OpenJDK 21

The Bridge Client requires OpenJDK 21.

Install OpenJDK on RHEL

1. Run the following commands for RHEL OS:

   sudo dnf update
   sudo dnf install java-21-openjdk-devel -y

2. Verify the installation java -version

Expected Result

• The installed Java version is displayed.

  

Install OpenJDK on Ubuntu

1. Run the following commands.

   sudo apt-get update
   sudo apt-get install openjdk-21-jdk -y

2. Verify the installation java -version

Expected Result

• The installed Java version is displayed.

  

Identify the Public IP Address

1. Run the following command.

   curl ifconfig.me

2. Record the public IP address.

Share the static public IP address or NAT IP address of the Bridge Client virtual machine with the OvalEdge GCS team. The GCS team will whitelist the IP address on the Bridge Server to allow secure communication.

Validate Network Connectivity

Before installing the Bridge Client, verify that the virtual machine can communicate with the Bridge Server and the required data sources.

Verify Connectivity to the Bridge Server

Ensure that the customer network allows outbound traffic to the Bridge Server IP address (provided by the OvalEdge team) over port 9443.

1. Run the following command.

   curl -v telnet://<bridge_server_domain>:9443

   
2. Replace <bridge_server_domain> with the Bridge Server address provided by the OvalEdge team.

Validation

Verify that the connection to the Bridge Server is successful.

Expected Result

The Bridge Client virtual machine can connect to the Bridge Server on port 9443.

If the connection fails, verify the firewall configuration, proxy settings, and outbound network rules before proceeding.

Verify Connectivity to Data Sources

Ensure that the Bridge Client virtual machine can access all required data sources.

• The Bridge Client virtual machine can connect to each required data source.

• Only the required ports are open between the Bridge Client and the data sources.

• The service account used by the connectors has the required read-only permissions.

Expected Result

The Bridge Client can successfully connect to every configured data source.

Create and Register the Bridge

Register the Bridge in the OvalEdge application before installing the Bridge Client.

Add a New Bridge

1. Log in to the OvalEdge application.

2. Navigate to Administration > Connectors.

3. Click Manage Bridge.

   
4. Click Add Bridge (+).

   
5. Enter the static public IP address of the Bridge Client virtual machine.

   

6. Click OK.

   The application displays:

   1. Bridge ID

   2. Security Code

   3. Bridge Secure Connectivity Pack download link

   4. Bridge Installation Software download link

      

7. Click on the Download the Bridge Secure Connectivity Pack and Bridge Installation Software ((certificate zip file) )to the Bridge Client virtual machine.

8. Copy the Security Code for use during the Bridge Client installation. The Security Code follows the format:

   BRIDGExxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

9. Click OK to complete the Bridge registration.

   

Validation

• Verify that the newly created Bridge appears on the Manage Bridge page.

Expected Result

• The Bridge is successfully registered and displayed in the Bridge list.

Keep the Security Code available. It is required during the Bridge Client installation process.

Prepare Installation Directories

1. Create the following installation directories on the Bridge Client virtual machine using mkdir command. Ex: mkdir bridge_artifacts

   1. bridge_artifacts

   2. bridge_client

   3. temp

      
2. Copy the following files into the bridge_artifacts directory:

   1. Download the Bridge Installation Software file shared by the OvalEdge GCS Team via email.

   2. oe-bridge-client-installer-1.0-SNAPSHOT-installer.jar

   3. Bridge Secure Connectivity Pack (.zip)

The Bridge installation package is approximately 700 MB. Ensure that sufficient disk space is available before starting the installation.

Install the Bridge Client

This section describes how to install and register the OvalEdge Bridge Client on the client virtual machine.

Start the Installation

1. Navigate to the bridge_artifacts directory.

2. Run the following command.

   java -jar <Bridge_Client_Installer>.jar

3. Replace <Bridge_Client_Installer> with the installer file name. Example, $ java -jar path_to_jar.jar

   

Confirm the Installation

1. When prompted, enter: 1

2. Press Enter to continue.

   
3. Repeat this confirmation whenever prompted during the installation.

Specify the Installation Directory

1. When prompted, enter the Bridge Client installation directory.

2. The default installation directory is:

   /usr/local/ovaledge_bridge

3. Alternatively, specify the bridge_client directory created earlier.

   /home/ubuntu/bridge_client

   
4. Press 1, then press Enter to confirm.

   

Enter the Security Code

1. When prompted, enter the Security Code generated during the Bridge registration process. Example:

   BRIDGExxxxxxxxxxxxx

   

2. Press Enter.

Configure the Bridge Parameters

Provide the following configuration details.

Machine IP Address

• Enter the same static public IP address used while registering the Bridge in the OvalEdge application.

  

Bridge Name

• Enter a unique name for the Bridge.

  

Bridge Server URL

• Enter the Bridge Server URL provided by the OvalEdge team.

  

Certificates Path

• Enter the location of the Bridge Secure Connectivity Pack (.zip).

  

Bridge Temporary Directory

• Enter the temporary directory created earlier.

  

User Information

1. Provide the following details.

Parameter	Description
User Name	Name of the Bridge administrator
Email Address	Email address of the administrator
User phone	Phone number of the administrator

1. Enter the user details without spaces.

2. These details are recorded for administrative reference only.

   

Enable askEdgi

• Specify whether Is askEdgi should be enabled.

Value	Description
True	Enables askEdgi
False	Disables askEdgi

Complete the Installation

1. Continue by entering: 1

   
2. Press Enter.

3. Repeat the confirmation when prompted.

   
4. When prompted to confirm the installation, enter: Y

   
5. Press Enter.

Specify the Configuration File

1. When prompted, enter the configuration file path enclosed in square brackets. Example:

   [/home/ubuntu/bridge_client/auto-install.xml]

   
2. Press Enter.

3. The installer begins copying the Bridge software.

4. Wait for the installation to complete.

Verify the Installation

1. After the installation completes, verify that the following messages are displayed. Installation was successful.

   
2. Check the NiFi process using the command below:

    ps -ef | grep nifi

3. Specify the username that runs the Apache NiFi service in the lib/bootstrap.conf file.

   
4. After successful installation, verify that the message “Bridge software installed successfully” is displayed.

If the installation fails, verify the installation parameters and rerun the installer.

Deploy the Bridge Component

1. Copy the Bridge bundle to the Apache NiFi installation.

2. Copy the following file oe-bridge-bundle-nar-<version>.nar to <NiFi Installation>/lib

3. If the OvalEdge team provides additional third-party JAR files, copy them to the appropriate NiFi library directory.

Configure Apache NiFi

1. Update the bootstrap.conf file.

2. Navigate to <NiFi Installation>/conf/bootstrap.conf

3. Specify the operating system user that runs the Apache NiFi service.

4. Save the configuration

Restart Apache NiFi

1. Navigate to the NiFi bin directory.

2. Run the following command.

   ./nifi.sh restart

3. Wait until Apache NiFi starts completely.

Validation

• Review the NiFi log files to verify that the service started successfully. Navigate to <NiFi Installation>/logs

  tail -f nifi-app.log

Expected Result

• Apache NiFi starts without errors.

Verify the Bridge Status

1. Open the OvalEdge application.

2. Navigate to Administration > Connectors > Manage Bridge

3. Locate the Bridge that was registered earlier.

Validation

• Verify that the Bridge status displays a green indicator.

  

Expected Result

• A green status confirms that the Bridge Client is successfully communicating with the Bridge Server.

Configure the Bridge Temporary Path

1. After the Bridge is online, configure the Bridge temporary directory.

2. Navigate to Administration > System Settings > Bridge

3. Locate the following setting bridge.temppath

4. Enter the temporary directory created during the Bridge installation.

   
5. Save the configuration.

Installation Complete

The Bridge Client installation is now complete.

Before proceeding to production workloads, verify the following:

• Bridge status is Green.

• Apache NiFi is running.

• The Bridge Client can communicate with the Bridge Server.

• Required connectors can connect to their respective data sources.

• System settings are configured correctly.

Configure the Bridge as a Linux Service

OvalEdge provides the Bridge as part of its SaaS offering, enabling secure communication between the OvalEdge platform and client data sources hosted on-premises or in public cloud environments.

Traditionally, the Bridge Client is started manually on the client virtual machine. If the virtual machine or service stops, administrators must manually restart the Bridge Client, which can interrupt metadata operations.

Bridge as a Service eliminates this manual process by running the Bridge Client as a system service. When the virtual machine restarts, the Bridge service starts automatically without manual intervention.

Benefits

• Starts the Bridge Client automatically after a system reboot.

• Eliminates manual service startup.

• Improves Bridge availability and reliability.

• Minimizes interruptions to crawling, profiling, and other Bridge operations.

• Helps maintain high service availability for Bridge communication.

Create the Systemd Service

1. Stop the running NiFi instance.

   sh nifi.sh stop

2. Switch to the root user.

3. Navigate to the Bridge installation directory.

   cd /etc/systemd/system

4. Create a new service file.

   vim nifi.service

5. Add the following configuration to the service file.

   [Unit]
   Description=Apache NiFi
   After=network.target
   [Service]
   Type=forking
   ExecStart=</home/ovaledge/nifi-server/nifiinstall>/nifi-2.6.0/bin/nifi.sh start
   ExecStop=</home/ovaledge/nifi-server>/nifi-2.6.0/bin/nifi.sh stop
   User=<user_name>
   Group=<user_name>
   UMask=0007
   [Install]
   WantedBy=multi-user.target

6. Save the file.

• ExecStart: Path to NiFi bin/nifi.sh file.

• ExecStop: Path to NiFi bin/nifi.sh file.

• User: VM username.

• Group: VM group name.

Reload the Systemd Configuration

• Reload the systemd daemon to register the new service.

  sudo systemctl daemon-reload

Enable the NIFI Service

• Enable the service to start automatically during system startup.

  sudo systemctl enable nifi.service

Expected Result

• The command returns:

  enabled

Start the NiFi Service

• Start the NiFi service.

  sudo systemctl start nifi.service

Verify the NiFi Service

• Check the current service status.

  sudo systemctl status nifi.service

Validation

• Verify that the service status is active (running).

Expected Result

• The Bridge service starts successfully without errors.

Service Management Commands

Use the following commands to manage the Bridge service.

Action	Command
Reload Service	systemctl daemon-reload
Start Service	systemctl start nifi.service
Enable Service	systemctl enable nifi.service
Check Status	systemctl status nifi.service

Validate the Installation

After completing the installation and service configuration, verify that all Bridge components are functioning correctly.

Verify Apache NiFi

• Confirm that Apache NiFi is running.

  sudo systemctl status nifi.service

Expected Result

• Apache NiFi is running successfully.

Verify Bridge Communication

1. Open the OvalEdge application.

2. Navigate to: Administration > Connectors > Manage Bridge

3. Verify that the Bridge status displays a green indicator.

Expected Result

• The Bridge Client communicates successfully with the Bridge Server.

Validate a Connector

After the Bridge becomes available, validate a connector that uses the Bridge.

1. Open a configured connector.

2. Click Validate.

3. Wait for the validation to complete.

Expected Result

The connector validation completes successfully.

Perform a Test Crawl

Run a metadata crawl to verify end-to-end communication.

1. Open the connector.

2. Click Crawl/Profile.

3. Select a container.

4. Click Run.

Expected Result

The crawl completes successfully, and metadata is loaded into the Data Catalog.

Troubleshooting

Use the following table to troubleshoot common installation issues.

Issue	Resolution
Bridge status remains Offline	Verify that the Bridge service is running and confirm that the Bridge Server URL, Security Code, and firewall settings are correct.
Apache NiFi does not start	Review the NiFi log files, verify the Java installation, and confirm that all required Bridge components are available in the NiFi lib directory.
Unable to communicate with the Bridge Server	Verify outbound network connectivity to the Bridge Server on port 9443 and confirm that the Bridge Client IP address has been whitelisted.
Connector validation fails	Verify that the data source is accessible, credentials are correct, and the required ports are open.
Crawl fails after successful validation	Verify connector permissions, network connectivity, and access to the source system.

Known Limitations

• Verify firewall, proxy, and connector-specific network requirements before deployment.

• Validate all third-party software and dependencies before starting the installation.

• The Bridge Client requires continuous network connectivity to communicate with the Bridge Server.

• The Bridge Client supports only the operating systems and software versions listed in this guide.

Uninstall the Bridge Client

To remove the Bridge Client from the virtual machine:

1. Stop the Bridge service.

   sudo systemctl stop ovaledge-bridge

2. Disable the service.

   sudo systemctl disable ovaledge-bridge

3. Delete the Bridge installation directory.

   rm -rf <Bridge Installation Directory>

4. Remove the systemd service.

   sudo rm /etc/systemd/system/ovaledge-bridge.service

5. Reload the systemd daemon.

   sudo systemctl daemon-reload

Installation Complete

The OvalEdge Bridge Client installation is now complete.

Verify the following before using the Bridge in a production environment:

• Apache NiFi is running.

• The Bridge service is running.

• The Bridge status is Online in the OvalEdge application.

• Connector validation completes successfully.

• Metadata crawl completes successfully.

• All required firewall and network configurations are in place.

Periodically monitor the Bridge status, Apache NiFi service, and system logs to ensure reliable communication between the Bridge Client and the OvalEdge SaaS platform.

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