Rovo connector types
Rovo connectors determine how third-party content is accessed, indexed, and made available in Atlassian apps. Each connector type can have different setup requirements, data storage, user experience, and quotas.
The four connector types are:
Synced
Synced Lite
Direct
Smart Link
This page is intended for admins and security teams.
End users won’t see these names in the product, but understanding the differences can help you manage your organization's connector functionality, requirements and data governance.
Differences at a glance
As a summary, the main differences between the connector types are:
Connector type | Search quality | Counts towards quota | Admin setup required |
|---|---|---|---|
Synced | Highest | Yes | Yes |
Synced Lite | High | No | No |
Direct | Medium | No | Yes |
Smart Link | Low | No | No |
Synced connectors
Synced connectors store and index all the content in a workspace using a service or admin account. They provide a comprehensive index, giving the best quality search, and making the content available in Chat and agents.
Quota
Objects indexed using a Synced connector count towards Rovo’s Indexed objects quota. To understand the quotas for your organization, see Rovo usage quotas.
Setup
These connectors require an admin to set up within admin.atlassian.com, and sometimes also require end users to authenticate to ensure they only see content they already have access to.
How end users authenticate with external apps
Synced Lite connectors
Synced Lite connectors store and index only the user’s content rather than all workspace content. User content is only stored and indexed after a user authenticates.
How end users authenticate with external apps
Synced Lite is available and automatically enabled for:
Google Drive (also available as a full connector)
Quota
Objects from Synced Lite connectors don't count towards Rovo’s indexed objects quota.
Setup
Once each end user has authenticated, Atlassian will index the content available to that user. Because of this, it can take some time for all content to appear in search.
Disabling Synced Lite connectors
If you’d prefer to disable a Synced Lite connector, you can Disconnect the connector.
Direct connectors
Direct connectors connect to third-party data sources. Atlassian will not store data accessed from Direct connectors. During a search, data from the connected sources are accessed live via Search APIs.
Quota
Data is not stored, and objects don't count towards Rovo’s indexed objects quota.
Setup
The current Direct connectors (Outlook Mail, Gmail, and Slack) require an admin to set up within admin.atlassian.com, and sometimes also require end users to authenticate to ensure they only see content they already have access to.
How end users authenticate with external apps
Smart Link connectors
Smart Link connectors are our default connector type. They index only the links a user has seen in Atlassian surfaces that load as Smart Links. They provide limited quality for search and chat.
Quota
Objects from Smart Link connectors don't count towards Rovo’s indexed objects quota.
Setup
Once an end user has connected their Atlassian account, Smart Links for that app will be available in search. For a result to show in search, it must be:
a Smart Link from a supported app,
on a page you have viewed within an Atlassian app,
on a site with Rovo.
Smart Link connectors are always available and can’t be disabled by an Admin.
Will end users see these connector types?
No, these names are for admins and security teams. End users experience a simple “Connect” authentication flow.
Which connector type is right for me?
When deciding which connector type to use, consider:
Data quality and coverage: Do you need a comprehensive index, or just basic link metadata?
Data residency: Should data be stored in Atlassian, or only accessed on demand?
Compliance: What are your organization’s security and privacy requirements?
Quotas: Some connector types may count towards your organization’s Indexed objects quota.
Can admins upgrade from one connector type to another?
Yes, in many cases, you can upgrade connectors to provide better quality results, and controls for what is ingested and who has access.
To upgrade, simply follow the steps to add the specific connector.
Can admins downgrade from one connector type to another?
Yes. See Disconnect a connector.
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