---
title: "Configuring NIOS as the Source"
canonical: "https://docs.infoblox.com/space/BloxOneCloud/35398334/Configuring%20NIOS%20as%20the%20Source"
format: markdown
---
Consider the following when configuring NIOS as the source:

- To capture DNS query and response data from Infoblox Grid, you must configure certain settings in NIOS to enable Data Connector to collect DNS data from Grid members and then send the data to designated destinations.
- An RO (Read-Only) user permission is required to receive data from NIOS as DNS Query and Response logs or as RPZ logs, or to receive IPAM meta data from NIOS.
- When RPZ logs are sent from NIOS to Data Connector, the time zone for a NIOS member is displayed, not UTC. If the NIOS member’s time zone is set to UTC, it will be displayed correctly as UTC.
- Configuring multiple flows for the same destination type is not supported. When multiple flows exist, ETL filters will be applied to only one flow.
- If you have multiple NIOS grids, you should deploy separate Data Connectors to handle data from each grid. It is not recommended to configure more than one grid when adding multiple traffic flows with NIOS as the source to a single Data Connector service instance.
- The Data Connector is not designed to retrieve information from multiple grids simultaneously.

To create sources for Data Connector traffic flows, do the following:

1. Log in to the Infoblox Portal.
2. Click **Integrations **> **Data Connectors**.
3. Select the **Source Configuration **tab and click **Create**.
4. From the **Create **drop-down list, select **NIOS**.
5. In the **Create NIOS Source Configuration **wizard, do the following:
  - **Name**: Provide a name that will distinguish this source from others.
  - **Description**: Provide a description that does not exceed 256 characters.
  - **State**: Use the slider to enable or disable the source’s configuration. The source’s configuration will be in effect only after you enable it; if you disable it, you will not be able to select this source when you create a traffic flow.
  - **Tags**: Click Add and specify the following to associate a key with the source:
    - **KEY**: Enter a meaningful name for the key, such as a location or department.
    - **VALUE**: Enter a value for the key. For details, see *[Managing Tags](https://docs.infoblox.com/space/BloxOneCloud/35397076/Managing+Tags)*.
  - **Source Data Type**: Select the type of source data you want the Data Connector to collect from this source.  
The Data Connector supports specific traffic flows for specific source data. When you configure this source in a traffic flow, be sure to select a supported destination in your traffic flows. For details, see *[Supported Traffic Flows](https://docs.infoblox.com/space/BloxOneCloud/35397475)*.

1. <span style="color: #111111">**CREDENTIALS FOR GRID MASTER CONFIGURATION**</span><span style="color: #111111">:</span>
  - **F**<span style="color: #111111">**QDN/IP: **</span><span style="color: #111111">Enter the FQDN or the IP address of the source.</span>
  - **User Name**: <span style="color: #111111">Enter the user name for the source credentials. The Data Connector uses this entry to access the source appliance.</span>
  - **Password**: <span style="color: #111111">Enter the password for the source credentials. The Data Connector uses this password to access the source appliance.</span>
  - **Insecure Mode**: <span style="color: #111111">If you do not upload a CA certificate, this checkbox will be selected by default, the user-provided credentials will not be encrypted, and Data Connector will perform authentication by using just the credentials.</span>
  - **CA Certificate**: <span style="color: #111111">Click </span><span style="color: #111111">**Select file **</span><span style="color: #111111">to upload the CA-signed certificate for the NIOS appliance. If the certificate is valid, then Data Connector will secure the connection by using the credentials as well as the certificate.</span>
2. <span style="color: #111111">To allow the transfer of query and response log data, you must give Data Connector access it needs to collect this data through SCP. In the </span><span style="color: #111111">**SCP CREDENTIALS FOR DNS QUERY LOGS TRANSFER**</span><span style="color: #111111"> section, provide the following </span>information:
  - **User Name**: Enter the username used to access the SCP server. The Data Connector uses SCP to communicate with the source.
  - **Password**: Enter the password for the SCP server. Ensure that any password used for SCP/FTP-based operations contain only the following supported special characters: `. - _ / ! @ ^ + % , :`    
Passwords containing unsupported special characters must be updated before performing SCP/FTP transfers.
3. If you select **RPZ Logs **as the type of source data, you must upload the security certificate for the Data Connector to access the RPZ logs. In **Certificate for RPZ Logs**, Click **Select file** and navigate to the RPZ certificate to upload it.  
  
In NIOS, t<span style="color: #1d1c1d">he setting for </span><span style="color: #1d1c1d">**IPAM Metadata/DHCP Lease Information**</span><span style="color: #1d1c1d"> should be </span><span style="color: #1d1c1d">**Enabled**</span><span style="color: #1d1c1d"> in your Data Connector settings found at </span><span style="color: #1d1c1d">**Configure**</span><span style="color: #1d1c1d"> > </span><span style="color: #1d1c1d">**Manage**</span><span style="color: #1d1c1d"> > </span><span style="color: #1d1c1d">**Data Connector**</span><span style="color: #1d1c1d"> > </span><span style="color: #1d1c1d">**Traffic Flow Configuration**</span><span style="color: #1d1c1d">. This applies to any connector where the Source is NIOS. Open </span><span style="color: #1d1c1d">*Settings*</span><span style="color: #1d1c1d"> in NIOS and look under </span><span style="color: #1d1c1d">**NIOS Configuration**</span><span style="color: #1d1c1d"> for details. </span>  
  
Users can use the certificates provided by their organizations. To view an example of how to create a self-signed certificate for viewing RPZ logs, see *[Creating a Self-Signed Certificate for RPZ Log](https://docs.infoblox.com/space/BloxOneCloud/35398725/Creating+a+Self-Signed+Certificate+for+RPZ+Logs)*<span style="color: #111111">.</span>

For more information, see the following:

> Macro (children)