Integration opportunities in OTbase

OTbase allows you to easily integrate with third-party applications. These applications may be standard software products such as ServiceNow or Splunk. Or it may be purpose-built custom applications that you develop internally. There are two types of integration opportunities: User interface integration and data integration.

User interface integration

With user interface integration you open a profile page from OTbase (such as a device profile) as a new browser window from your application. That application can be a standard platform such as a SIEM, IT asset management system, or custom built software.

The goal of user interface integration is that your users can quickly get context on an IP address, serial number, OT system etc. without the need to copy all data from OTbase Inventory into that third party application.

User interface integration is usually the quickest and easiest way to integrate data from OTbase into your workflows.

Data integration

Data integration actually copies asset data from OTbase to other applications and platforms, leaving it up to those other products to display and process the data.

Using the integration features of OTbase, you can either read data from OTbase OTbase Inventory, or create and modify data sets in the inventory. There are different technical ways how to accomplish this:

• For integration with Splunk, there's a dedicated Technical Add-on for Splunk available.
• Virtually all asset data in OTbase Inventory is accessible online via the OTbase REST API. This option is particularly useful when other applications need bits and pieces of your inventory for value added processing.
• You can bulk transfer inventory data via JSON file export. This option is great when no online connection between application exists.

You can either process JSON files and REST queries directly, or use the OTbase Python API. The API provides for easy scripting opportunities and is the method of choice. Internally, the Python API interfaces the REST API and the Portable Inventory Data file interface.