DNS Automation: Getting Started with Gateway
Need help with the first steps in automating your DNS management system? Look no further – here’s a helpful guide to get you started.
Key takeawaysThis key takeaway was generated through LLMs crawling the page and coming up with an overview of the content.This article summarizes BlueCat’s inaugural “Making Gateway Work for You” webinar, which demonstrates how to install and get started with the new Gateway Docker container, import and manage workflows from the BlueCat Labs GitHub repository, and set workflow permissions. It addresses the operational problem of manual, one-off scripting for DNS/DHCP/IPAM tasks by showing how Gateway centralizes and reuses automation workflows to scale enterprise DNS operations, enable self-service for users, and integrate with ITSM tools like ServiceNow. Key outcomes include quick deployment (supported on Debian, RedHat, Ubuntu, and SUSE), availability of certified and user-created workflows, and practical examples such as Host Record and Selective Deployment workflows that streamline cloud infrastructure lifecycle tasks.
How do I install and start using the new Gateway application?
Install Gateway by pulling the Docker container image from Quay.io and running it with a Docker run command that maps the required directories and connects to your active BlueCat Address Manager (BAM). The webinar provides step-by-step clips showing how to access Quay.io, pull the image via the terminal, run the container with appropriate volume mappings and network settings, and then access the Gateway UI through BAM to complete setup. Gateway supports Linux deployments on Debian, RedHat, Ubuntu, and SUSE, enabling administrators to have a working self-service DNS environment in about 15 minutes as demonstrated in the webinar.
How can I import and manage workflows for Gateway?
Gateway integrates with the BlueCat Labs GitHub repository where both BlueCat-certified and user-created workflows are hosted. Using the Gateway UI, you can navigate to the repository and import workflows directly into your Gateway instance. Once imported, workflows can be assigned permissions to control which users or roles can execute them. The webinar includes clips showing how to access the BlueCat Labs repo, import workflows such as Host Record and Selective Deployment, and then set permissions so workflows are available to intended end users via Gateway’s self-service interface.
Why use Gateway workflows instead of one-off scripts for DNS automation?
Gateway addresses scalability and reuse challenges inherent in one-off scripts by centralizing automation as REST-enabled workflows. Rather than duplicating scripts across environments or leaving them in isolated locations, you convert logic into a Gateway workflow (exposed as a REST endpoint) and deploy it centrally. This allows multiple tools and future integrations to leverage the same workflow without rewriting code, simplifies permission management, and supports integrations with ITSM tools like ServiceNow or Remedy. The webinar highlights this approach with examples and a discussion from a Solution Consultant emphasizing centralization and re-use over fragmented scripting.
If you didn’t catch our inaugural “Making Gateway Work for You” webinar in December—the first in a new monthly series—then we’ve got the quick summary for you here with some key how-to clips.
For this webinar session, we focus on the basics of how to:
- Install and get started with the new version of Gateway
- Access our GitHub repository & import workflows
- Set workflow permissions
- Add workflows (Host Record & Selective Deployment)
Gateway is BlueCat’s fast and flexible application for creating custom workflows to automate common tasks and maximize the efficiency of your enterprise-level DNS operations. Gateway offers scalability for managing DNS, DHCP, and IP addresses; reduces the day-to-day manual effort for network admins through end-user self-service; and allows you to manage user access in BlueCat Address Manager (BAM).
Gateway is now delivered as a Docker container image hosted on Quay.io, making installation fast and easy. We support Linux deployment on Debian, RedHat, Ubuntu, and SUSE. Both BlueCat-certified and user-created workflows are available in our BlueCat Labs repository on GitHub. Gateway can also integrate with ServiceNow, Remedy, or any other IT service management tool.
In just 15 minutes, you can have a user creating DNS records and using self-service functionality with Gateway:
Installation and Set-Up
Access Gateway from the Quay.io website and pull up your terminal:
Install and set up the Gateway container using a Docker run command, map directories, and connect it to your active BAM:
Get started with the Gateway UI and access Gateway on BAM:
Accessing GitHub and Importing Workflows
Access and navigate the BlueCat Labs repository:
Use the Gateway UI to import workflows from GitHub:
Setting Permissions
Set user permissions for workflows:
Host Record Workflow
Add a host record workflow:
Selective Deployment Workflow
Implement a selective deployment workflow (selective deployment makes stand-up and tear-down of cloud infrastructure much easier by directing specific DNS records to deploy as needed):
One webinar participant asked why this can’t just all be done with scripting. Our answer: scalability. With Gateway, it’s all about centralization and re-use of code.
“Scripts end up being one-off. You write a script for one thing, and you either copy it around to multiple different places, or it ends up being in one singular place,” says Chris Meyer, a BlueCat Solution Consultant who focuses on Gateway. “You take the script, turn it into a REST endpoint, and deploy it on Gateway. Once it’s there, the script can be leveraged by the tool that you’re utilizing and additional tools deployed later on.”
To hear all the Q&As and learn more about specific Gateway use cases, watch the complete demo from the webinar.
BlueCat provides core services and solutions that help our customers and their teams deliver change-ready networks. With BlueCat, organizations can build reliable, secure, and agile mission-critical networks that can support transformation initiatives such as cloud adoption and automation. BlueCat’s growing portfolio includes services and solutions for automated and unified DDI management, network security, multicloud management, and network observability and health.
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