How to set up a VPN connection for Jira Align Enterprise Insights

Summary

This guide outlines the process for establishing a Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection for Enterprise Insights within a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) environment. This option is available for instances that have purchased VPC offerings for both Jira Align and Enterprise Insights (EI).

Connection Options

• Purchase Requirements: Jira Align VPC + Enterprise Insights VPC

• Authentication: Azure or SQL username

• Access Method: VPN gateway through Google Cloud Platform (GCP) or Amazon Web Services (AWS)

• Port Requirement: TCP port 1433 must be open to the VPN gateway

Connectivity Requirements

• Network Point of Contact: A knowledgeable network administrator from your team

• Cloud VPN Gateway: Set up an HA VPN gateway using GCP or AWS

• Shared Secret: A 32-character pre-shared key for authentication

• Security: Ensure network protection as a two-way tunnel will be established

Solution

Step-by-Step Setup Process

1. Purchase VPC Option:

   • Confirm the purchase of the VPC option for both Jira Align and Enterprise Insights. Contact your Enterprise Advocate or Atlassian partner if needed.

2. Notify and Designate Contact:

   • Inform your Solutions Engineer or Atlassian partner about setting up a VPN connection for EI.

     • Designate a networking point of contact and include their details in the request.

3. Network Preparation:

   • Open TCP port 1433 on your corporate network to the VPN gateway.

   • Choose an RFC-1918/26 subnet CIDR private IP address range for the Azure Virtual Network hosting EI.

   • Select two Autonomous System Numbers (ASN) for the VPN connection within the ranges 64512-65534 or 4200000000-4294967294.

   • Choose four Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) addresses for the VPN tunnels, two for each side, within the range 169.254.21.0 to 169.254.22.255.

   • Select two public IPv4 addresses on your GCP or AWS VPN gateway, one for each VPN tunnel.

   • Create a 32-character shared secret for VPN tunnel authentication.

4. Complete Connectivity Questionnaire:

   • Fill out the Enterprise Insights VPN Connectivity Questionnaire and submit it to your Solutions Engineer or Atlassian partner.

     • This form is essential for provisioning and configuring your EI instance and ensuring the VPN connection functions correctly.

5. Support Ticket Creation:

   • Once network requirements are confirmed and the questionnaire is submitted, a support ticket is created.

6. Shared Secret Transmission:

   • Through the support ticket, securely provide the shared secret key using a provider like Yopass or One-Time Secret.

7. Configuration and Setup:

   • Our Jira Align Support team will collaborate with your Solutions Engineer or partner to configure and set up the connection.

8. Receive Connection Details:

   • You will receive an update with the EI server name, Microsoft Azure public IP addresses, VPN gateway details, and authentication information.

9. Authentication Setup:

   • If using Azure AD Authentication, expect an email for Azure guest tenant authentication redemption.

     • Refer to Microsoft’s guide on guest access.

   • For SQL Server authentication, you will receive a username and temporary password for each user needing access.

10. Private IP and DNS Configuration:

    • The private IP address of the Azure SQL server will be provided. Create a custom DNS A record within your VPC to resolve this private IP, overriding the public SQL server name.

11. Testing and Verification:

    • Test the connection to EI from your corporate network using tools like SQL Server Management Studio (SMSS) or Azure Data Studio.

    • For SQL Server authentication, change the temporary password via the SQL code editor after a successful connection test.

12. Final Steps:

    • Once the connection test is successful, the support ticket is closed. You can now utilize your data visualization tools with Enterprise Insights.

Additional Consideration

• • With the rise of remote work, ensure your network team is prepared to address potential routing issues if users access Enterprise Insights from home IP addresses. Proper routing details are crucial for seamless connectivity.