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Parallel Works

Authentication

Managing API Keys

Use an API key for scripts, CI, and other automation that runs without you, through the REST API, the SDKs, or the CLI with PW_API_KEY. To use the CLI yourself, on your own computer or a cluster, sign in with pw auth instead.

Note

Please note that API keys act as an alternate means to access your account and should be treated with the same care as your login password.

Create an API Key

Navigate to your account settings (Username > Account).

Screenshot of the user clicking Account.

On the next page, click Authentication.

Screenshot of the user clicking the Authentication tab.

Scroll to the API keys section.

Screenshot of the API keys section in the Authentication tab.

Click Create and choose API key.

Screenshot of the user clicking the Create button in the API keys section.

Enter a Key name for the new API key.

Use the Expires dropdown menu to select when your key will expire. Every key expires, by default within 730 days. Your organization or platform admin can set a different limit with the Maximum API Key TTL policy, and keys that never expire are offered only when that policy is Unlimited. Shorter expiration periods are more secure.

Click Create.

Screenshot of the user clicking the Create button in the new API key dialog.

Your new API key is displayed in a banner above the key list. You can use the copy button to copy and save the key in a secure place. Once you refresh or navigate away from this page, you won’t be able to see the key again.

Screenshot of the Authentication tab after creating an API key.

Delete an API Key

Navigate to Account > Authentication, hover over the key's row in the API keys section, open its … menu, and click Delete to remove an API key from your ACTIVATE account.

Screenshot of the user clicking Delete in an API key's row menu.

A dialog box will appear with more information about deleting your key. Click Delete API Key to confirm the deletion. The key will be removed from your account immediately.

Managing Tokens

A token is a short-lived API key, for a quick script or a one-off API call. It expires after 1 to 24 hours. You don't need one to use the CLI or the SDKs: sign in with pw auth, and they keep themselves signed in. On a computer where you're signed in, pw auth token --print prints a current access token for scripts:

curl -H "Authorization: Bearer $(pw auth token --print)" https://cloud.parallel.works/api/buckets

Create a Token

Navigate to your account settings (Username > Account).

Screenshot of the user clicking Account.

On the next page, click Authentication.

Screenshot of the user clicking the Authentication tab.

In the API keys section, click Create and choose Token.

Screenshot of the user choosing Token from the Create menu.

Use the Expires dropdown menu to choose how long the token lasts, from 1 to 24 hours, and click Generate. You can also create one from the command palette with Create Token.

Your new token is displayed in a banner above the key list. You can use the copy button to copy and save the token in a secure place. Once you refresh or navigate away from this page, you won't be able to see the token again. The token is listed under API keys, named token- and the time it was created, until it expires. To revoke it sooner, delete it like any other key.

Managing SSH Keys

You can add an SSH key to your ACTIVATE account, which will allow you to log in to any active cluster from any device with that SSH key on it.

Create an SSH Key

Navigate to your account settings (Username > Account).

Screenshot of the user clicking Account.

On the next page, click Authentication.

Screenshot of the user clicking the Authentication tab.

Scroll to the SSH keys section.

Screenshot of the SSH keys section in the Authentication tab.

Click Add.

Screenshot of the user clicking the Add button in the SSH keys section.

Use the Key name field to give the key a unique name. Paste your public SSH key in the Public key field.

Click Create.

Screenshot of the Authentication tab after pasting an SSH key and naming it.

You can now log in to any active cluster. Navigate to the terminal or command line on your device and enter ssh -i /path/to/ssh/private/key username@IPaddress:

 
parallelworks@Parallels-Macbook-Air sshtest % ssh -i ./id_rsa demo@34.135.24.147
Last failed login: Thu Mar  2 09:48:20 UTC 2023 from 60.94.197.104.bc.googleusercontent.com on ssh:notty
[demo@democluster-70 ~]$
 

Copy an SSH Key

In Account > Authentication, hover over the key's row in the SSH keys section and click the clipboard icon to copy your SSH key to your computer's clipboard.

Screenshot of the user clicking the clipboard icon.

Managing SSH Private Keys

You can store private SSH keys on your ACTIVATE account, which the platform uses on your behalf to connect to remote resources — for example, existing clusters that require an SSH credential you already hold.

Unlike the public SSH keys described above (which let you log in to your clusters), private keys let ACTIVATE log in from the platform to a remote resource.

Create an SSH Private Key

Navigate to your account settings (Username > Account). On the next page, click Authentication and scroll to the SSH private keys section.

Click Add.

Use the Key name field to give the key a unique name, and optionally add a Description. Paste your private key in the Private key field.

Click Create. The key is then listed with its description, creation date, and fingerprint.

Delete an SSH Private Key

In Account > Authentication, hover over the key's row in the SSH private keys section, open its … menu, and click Delete . A dialog box will appear; click Delete private key to confirm.

Managing Multi-Factor Authentication

You can add a second verification step to your account. With 2-Step Verification turned on, signing in requires a code from an authenticator app in addition to your password.

Turn On 2-Step Verification

Navigate to your account settings (Username > Account). On the next page, click Authentication.

In the Sign-in section, the Two-step verification row shows whether 2-Step Verification is currently on or off. Click Set up.

On the Manage MFA Settings page, find the Authenticator app card and click Use Authenticator.

On the Setup Authenticator App page, use a phone app like 1Password, Authy, Google Authenticator, or Microsoft Authenticator to scan the QR code. If you can't scan the QR code, click Can't scan the QR code? to reveal a secret key you can enter in your app manually.

Enter the 6-digit code from your app in the Verification code field and click Enable 2FA. A dialog box with the message MFA setup successful will appear.

The next time you sign in, you'll be asked for a code from your authenticator app after entering your password.

Feature Preview

Security keys (WebAuthn) are also available as an MFA method through a Feature Preview. Organizations can require them with the Enforce Security Key MFA policy.

Turn Off 2-Step Verification

Navigate to Account > Authentication and click Manage on the Two-step verification row.

To remove your authenticator app, click the delete icon on its card. A dialog box will appear; click Remove Authenticator app to confirm. Your authenticator will be removed immediately.

To turn off 2-Step Verification entirely, click Turn Off. A dialog box will appear; click Turn off 2-Step Verification to confirm.