All the best combined: Cloud, Db2, Python, Serverless and Security

Add a cloud service ID as Db2 user

Earlier this year, I wrote about how to use an API key or access token to connect to Db2 (on Cloud). Today, I am going to show you how to set up a service ID (technical user) on IBM Cloud, assign it a Db2 user ID (see screenshot) and grant database privileges. Thereafter, I share Python code for connecting to Db2 using the service ID with an API key.

All this helps to reduce the set of privileges held by a user or service and hence increases cloud security.

Home office and rubber duck debugging, 5 levels

Rubber duck debugging at home

Recently, I shared with you my best practices for working from home. Today, I want to add an angle specific to technical jobs, especially for developers. When you work in co-located teams, you benefit from the direct conversations and exchange. In (software) development and technical writing, it is important to rethink ongoing processes or ideas, to reassess a situation, to explain what you do. Rubber duck debugging is one such method - debugging code by explaining it to a rubber duck.

Key Protect as vault for multi-cloud setup

Guard credentials in a vault

In my previous blog post, I showed how you can easily encode and upload credentials to IBM Cloud Key Protect. Today, I am going to share sample code with you for retrieving the credentials and turning them back into a JSON object. A common use case is a multi-cloud environment where you need to store credentials for an external service. Basically, you are using Key Protect as vault. An example could be the key ID and secret to access the AWS S3 storage for importing data into IBM Cloud.

Encode credentials and upload to Key Protect

Protect credentials in Key Protect

If you followed my blog or have used IBM Cloud, then you know that Key Protect (and Hyper Protect Crypto Services) is the solution to manage encryption keys on IBM Cloud. Did you know that you can import your own keys? And did you know that "key" can be (almost) anything? Today, I am going to show you how to manage a set of JSON-based credentials with Key Protect.

Covid19 phone challenge: My old Nokia has Android now

My reliable Nokia phone

During these nasty times, you need a steady, reliable companion. It is my old Nokia phone (pictured). It takes phone calls, has an alarm and the current time. Moreover, it serves as projectile against all kinds of "obstacles". The only things missing are Db2 and a Linux terminal. Anyway, this was about to change. Today, I learned that finally (finally!) Android has arrived for this phone with the latest firmware upgrade.