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External Service Integrations

The STATUS system integrates with multiple external services to provide comprehensive functionality for compliance monitoring, workflow automation, data visualization, and AI-powered analysis. This section will guide you through understanding and configuring these integrations.

Overview​

STATUS provides seamless integration with:

  • Node-RED: Workflow orchestration and data processing
  • Grafana: Data visualization and monitoring dashboards
  • OpenAI: AI-powered assistants and natural language processing
  • Registry Service: Centralized guarantee data storage

Integrations Overview Figure 1: STATUS external service integrations.

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Most integrations require additional configuration. Make sure you have the necessary credentials and access rights before setting up integrations.

Node-RED Integration​

Node-RED is a powerful tool for visually programming and automating workflows. STATUS uses Node-RED to:

  • Execute compliance computations
  • Process and transform data
  • Handle events and trigger actions
  • Create custom integration flows

How It Works​

Node-RED flows are linked to controls through Mashup IDs. When a computation is triggered:

  1. STATUS sends a request to Node-RED with the control's Mashup ID
  2. Node-RED executes the corresponding flow
  3. The flow collects evidence from datasources
  4. Evidence is processed according to the control's logic
  5. Results are returned to STATUS as computation data

Node-RED Flow Figure 2: Node-RED integration flow.

View Node-RED Flows​

To view Node-RED flows linked to controls:

  1. Navigate to a Control Details page
  2. Click the View Node-RED Flow link
  3. You will be redirected to the Node-RED interface
  4. The flow associated with the control will be displayed
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You need access to the Node-RED server to view and edit flows. Contact your administrator if you don't have access.

Create a New Flow​

To create a new Node-RED flow for a control:

  1. Access the Node-RED interface
  2. Create a new flow
  3. Design your flow using Node-RED's visual editor
  4. Add nodes for data collection, processing, and output
  5. Configure the flow to return results in the expected format
  6. Deploy the flow
  7. Copy the flow ID
  8. Link the flow to a control by setting the Mashup ID

Node-RED Editor Figure 3: Node-RED visual editor.

Flow Input/Output Format​

STATUS expects flows to return data in the following format:

{
  "value": true,
  "evidences": [
    {
      "key": "evidence_key",
      "value": "evidence_value",
      "result": true,
      "from": "2025-01-01T08:00:00",
      "to": "2025-01-01T17:30:00"
    }
  ]
}
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Ensure your Node-RED flows return data in the correct format. Incorrect formats will cause computation failures.

Common Node-RED Patterns​

Some common patterns for Node-RED flows in STATUS:

  • HTTP Request Nodes: Call external APIs to collect evidence
  • Function Nodes: Transform and process data
  • Database Nodes: Query databases for evidence
  • Filter Nodes: Filter and validate data
  • Debug Nodes: Debug and monitor flow execution

Grafana Integration​

Grafana provides powerful data visualization and monitoring capabilities for STATUS.

Features​

The Grafana integration allows you to:

  • Create Dashboards: Visualize compliance metrics and trends
  • Real-Time Monitoring: Monitor system health and compliance status
  • Alert Management: Configure alerts for compliance violations
  • Custom Visualizations: Create charts, graphs, and tables
  • Template Variables: Use dynamic variables for flexible dashboards

Grafana Dashboard Figure 4: Grafana dashboard example.

Access Grafana​

To access Grafana:

  1. Navigate to the Dashboards section in STATUS
  2. Click on a dashboard to open it
  3. You will be redirected to Grafana with the dashboard pre-loaded
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Grafana uses STATUS authentication for seamless access. You will be automatically logged in to Grafana when accessing it from STATUS.

Create a Dashboard​

To create a new Grafana dashboard:

  1. Navigate to the Dashboards section
  2. Click the Create Dashboard button
  3. Configure the dashboard:
    • Name: Descriptive name for the dashboard
    • Description: What the dashboard displays
    • Panels: Add panels and configure visualizations
    • Queries: Set up data queries
    • Variables: Add template variables if needed
  4. Click Save to create the dashboard

Create Dashboard Figure 5: Create dashboard form.

Dashboard Panels​

Dashboards are composed of panels that display data:

  • Time Series: Visualize data over time
  • Gauges: Display current values with thresholds
  • Tables: Show data in tabular format
  • Stat Panels: Display key metrics
  • Heatmaps: Show data density and patterns
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Use Grafana's powerful query editor to create complex queries that aggregate and transform your compliance data.

Alerts​

Grafana allows you to configure alerts based on your data:

  1. Configure alert conditions based on thresholds
  2. Set up notification channels (email, Slack, etc.)
  3. Define evaluation intervals and grouping
  4. Test alerts to ensure they work correctly

Alert Configuration Figure 6: Grafana alert configuration.

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Alerts are managed in Grafana. Make sure your Grafana instance has access to notification channels you want to use.

Dashboards Management​

You can manage dashboards from the STATUS interface:

  • Edit Dashboard: Modify existing dashboards
  • Delete Dashboard: Remove dashboards you no longer need
  • Export Dashboard: Export dashboard configuration
  • Import Dashboard: Import dashboards from files
  • View History: Track changes to dashboards

OpenAI Integration​

STATUS integrates with OpenAI to provide AI-powered capabilities for compliance management.

AI Assistants​

The OpenAI integration allows you to:

  • Create Assistants: Build intelligent assistants for specific compliance tasks
  • Natural Language Processing: Process and analyze compliance documents
  • Automated Insights: Generate compliance recommendations
  • Conversation Management: Maintain context-aware conversations

AI Assistant Figure 7: AI assistant interface.

Create an Assistant​

To create a new AI assistant:

  1. Navigate to the Assistants section
  2. Click the Create Assistant button
  3. Configure the assistant:
    • Name: Descriptive name for the assistant
    • Description: What the assistant does
    • Instructions: Guidelines for the assistant's behavior
    • Model: Select the OpenAI model to use
    • Tools: Enable tools like code interpreter, file search, etc.
    • Knowledge Base: Upload relevant documents
  4. Click Save to create the assistant

Create Assistant Figure 8: Create assistant form.

Chat with Assistant​

To interact with an AI assistant:

  1. Navigate to the Assistants section
  2. Select an assistant
  3. Type your message in the chat interface
  4. The assistant will respond based on its instructions and knowledge
  5. Continue the conversation as needed
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AI assistants maintain conversation context, allowing for natural, multi-turn conversations about compliance topics.

Assistant Capabilities​

AI assistants can:

  • Answer Questions: Answer compliance-related questions
  • Analyze Documents: Analyze compliance documents and regulations
  • Generate Reports: Generate compliance reports and summaries
  • Recommend Actions: Suggest actions for compliance issues
  • Explain Concepts: Explain complex compliance concepts

Manage Conversations​

You can manage your conversations with assistants:

  • View History: See past conversations
  • Delete Conversations: Remove conversations you no longer need
  • Export Conversations: Export conversations for documentation
  • Archive Conversations: Archive conversations for later reference

Conversation History Figure 9: Conversation history view.

Configure OpenAI API​

To use the OpenAI integration, you need to:

  1. Obtain an OpenAI API key from https://platform.openai.com
  2. Configure the API key in STATUS settings
  3. Select the default model to use
  4. Configure rate limits and usage policies
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OpenAI API usage incurs costs. Monitor your usage and set appropriate limits to control costs.

Registry Service Integration​

The Registry Service provides centralized storage and management of guarantee points.

Features​

The Registry Service offers:

  • Centralized Storage: All guarantee points in one place
  • Data Synchronization: Sync compliance data across services
  • Historical Tracking: Maintain historical compliance records
  • Query Capabilities: Advanced querying of compliance data
  • API Access: RESTful API for external access

Registry Service Figure 10: Registry service architecture.

Access Registry Data​

Guarantee points are automatically stored in the Registry Service when computations complete. You can:

  • Query Data: Query guarantee points via API
  • Filter Results: Filter by various criteria
  • Aggregate Data: Aggregate data for analysis
  • Export Data: Export data for external tools

Registry API​

The Registry Service provides a RESTful API for accessing data:

# Query guarantee points
GET /api/registry/guarantees?control_id=xxx&from=2025-01-01&to=2025-12-31

# Get aggregated compliance
GET /api/registry/compliance?catalog_id=xxx&scope=environment:production

# Get historical trends
GET /api/registry/trends?control_id=xxx&period=monthly
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Registry API authentication uses STATUS tokens. Ensure you have valid authentication credentials when calling the API.

Best Practices​

Follow these best practices for effective use of integrations:

  1. Security: Secure all integrations with proper authentication
  2. Monitoring: Monitor integration health and performance
  3. Error Handling: Implement proper error handling in flows and dashboards
  4. Documentation: Document your flows, dashboards, and assistants
  5. Testing: Test integrations thoroughly before putting them in production
  6. Rate Limits: Respect rate limits for external APIs
  7. Cost Management: Monitor and manage costs, especially for OpenAI
  8. Backup: Back up important flows, dashboards, and configurations
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Integrations greatly extend STATUS's capabilities but require careful configuration and monitoring. Invest time in understanding each integration and its configuration options.

Troubleshooting​

Node-RED Flows Not Executing​

If Node-RED flows are not executing:

  1. Check the Node-RED server is accessible
  2. Verify the Mashup ID is correct
  3. Check flow logs for errors
  4. Ensure datasources are accessible from Node-RED

Grafana Dashboards Not Loading​

If Grafana dashboards are not loading:

  1. Check the Grafana URL is correct
  2. Verify authentication between STATUS and Grafana
  3. Check data sources are configured in Grafana
  4. Review Grafana logs for errors

OpenAI Assistants Not Responding​

If OpenAI assistants are not responding:

  1. Verify the OpenAI API key is valid
  2. Check you have available API credits
  3. Review the assistant configuration
  4. Check network connectivity to OpenAI
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For complex integration issues, check the logs or contact support for assistance.