Get the MDS connector
The MDS Portal provides different deployment environments for you to use. Environments can be switched via the selector in the top bar of the MDS Portal.
The selection is global and affects all areas of the portal that deal with connectors. Also, the amount of free CaaS is limited per environment.
The Eclipse Dataspace Components (EDC) Connector is the key component for connecting to the MDS and providing and consuming data. There are two options to access the MDS with:
- Connector-as-a-Service (CaaS)
- On-premise installation
A CaaS is a cloud-based service that enables integration and data exchange between different systems and applications in a very easy way. In this case: The MDS facilitates smooth data communication and exchange in between the MDS members.
Together with our partner sovity we provide a platform that acts as a mediator between your system and those of other MDS members. Thus, the CaaS helps you to reduce the complexity of integrating and exchanging data, as no own operating environment and no detailed IT-knowledge is needed.
The CaaS is the simplest way to receive a registered and compliant connector.
If you seek to add a CaaS to your organization in the MDS, click Add Connector.
Select I need a connector.
In case the amount of free connectors for the selected environment is not exceeded, you will be able to proceed with the registration.
Fill out the CaaS details and click Request CaaS.
After the registration, you will find your newly registered CaaS in the Connectors list. The provisioning process of your new connector may take some time. The current status can be tracked in the connector details.
The creating user is registered in sovity Keycloak and receives an invitation via email.
Once the account has been confirmed, a password and 2FA has been set up, users can log in with the chosen credentials
After logging into the portal and clicking on Connectors, you can see the list of your connectors and, for example, use this list to access the frontend of your CaaS.
The installation of an on-premise connector consists of three steps:
- Plan your deployment
- Register your connector.
- Set up and configure the connector.
In order to start the deployment, you need to define a (sub)domain for your connector. Through this domain your connector will be exposed to the internet and it will be the base-url of the connector's management-API. In order to secure the access to your connector, please follow our guidelines.
If you seek to add a Connector to your organization in the MDS, click Add Connector.
Select I have a connector.
Fill out the "Add Connector Details" form and click Next to proceed.
After entering your Connector details, you now need to give the stated information in the "Generate Certificate" form and click Generate & Download Certificate.
The certificate will automatically be filled into the respective field in the registration form and the download will be triggered. You will need the cerificate later during the Connector setup.
Click on Register Connector to finalize the connector registration process.
We recommend saving this data temporarily, you will need it later during the Connector setup. On the following page you will find further instructions on how to set up your on-premise Connector and a link to the open-source repository edc-extensions providing all you need to set up your Connector.
Find your newly registered Connector in the "Connectors" list.
We recommend using the MDS version of the Eclipse Dataspace Connector, which is used as reference for configuration. Nevertheless, you can use any other connector which is compatible with the EDC, MDS Catalogue and MDS Logging House.
A deployment guide for self-hosting a functional MDS EDC can be found here.