January 2023 Summaries

Kong Academy offers a range of certifications and courses designed to help IT professionals and enthusiasts demonstrate and validate their skills in API management and microservices connectivity, with a particular focus on the Kong Gateway platform. The Kong Certification program provides industry-recognized credentials across several roles, including developer, operator, and architect certifications, starting with the foundational Kong Gateway Certified Associate Certification. This certification requires completion of specific training courses and exams, such as Kong Gateway Foundations and Kong Gateway Operations, which are available in both instructor-led and self-paced formats. Microcredentials and digital badges are a key component of the program, offering benefits like increased confidence and professional success for individuals, while employers gain from enhanced employee productivity and reduced operational risks. In 2023, Kong plans to expand its certification offerings to include new roles such as Kong Developer and Kong Mesh Operations Associate, further supporting the evolving needs of the IT community.

OAuth is a widely-used open authorization standard that allows secure, delegated access to resources on behalf of a user without sharing sensitive credentials, enhancing convenience while maintaining security and privacy. It facilitates seamless data sharing between applications by enabling users to authorize third-party services to access specific resources without revealing their usernames and passwords, thereby minimizing security risks. Although often confused with authentication, OAuth is focused on authorization, determining what permissions a user has, as opposed to confirming their identity. OAuth 2.0, a complete rewrite of the initial version, is easier to implement and supports a broader range of devices, distinguishing between resource delivery and authorization. The process involves various components, such as the client requesting access, the resource owner, the resource server, and the authorization server, which issues tokens to manage access. OAuth can be integrated with tools like Kong Gateway to enhance API security and functionality, enabling seamless information transfer and programmatic resource access while maintaining robust security controls.

Kong Konnect has introduced several new features aimed at enhancing security, analytics, and automation within its platform. Key updates include a robust secrets management system that integrates with third-party managers like AWS Secrets Manager and HashiCorp Vault, ensuring sensitive information is securely managed and auditable. The platform now supports Kong Gateway 3.1, featuring new plugins for improved API security and visibility. Kong Analytics has been updated with new metrics and chart types, allowing users to better understand API traffic and performance through dynamic reports. Additionally, the introduction of Runtime Groups API and Configuration API facilitates the automation of runtime workflows, streamlining the management of runtime instances and configurations. System accounts are now available, enabling non-user-specific access for automation purposes, while a new Konnect Overview page and Service Wizard offer an intuitive interface for managing services and deployments. These enhancements aim to provide users with a more secure, efficient, and user-friendly experience on the Kong Konnect platform.

Kong’s open-source API Gateway is a popular project with significant community support, boasting over 33k stars on GitHub and numerous contributors. The transition from Kong's open-source version (OSS) to the Enterprise version offers enhanced features tailored for a production-grade API management platform. These features include Kong Manager for GUI-based configuration and monitoring, Secrets Management, Developer Portal, Vitals for service analytics, and Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) for multi-tenancy. Moreover, the Enterprise version provides additional plugins and integrates with existing identity management systems, converting Kong into a robust enterprise-ready API gateway. The migration process involves updating both the Kong executable and the data store format to accommodate Enterprise features, which can be done without an Enterprise license initially. The migration can be executed in different deployment architectures, and while the process involves some downtime, it is presented as straightforward and beneficial for those seeking advanced administrative and operational capabilities.