Managing task credentials

Task credentials is a user-generated API key, securely stored in Vault, that facilitates authentication for requests to IBM Cloud Services. Task credentials are used to run certain tasks in a service or to enable the execution of long operations, such as scheduled jobs, without interruption.

In IBM watsonx, IBM Cloud API keys are used as task credentials. You can either provide an existing IBM Cloud API key, or you can generate a new key. Only one task credential can be stored per user, per IBM Cloud account.

Task credentials make API keys available to long-running, asynchronous workloads that are triggered by actions you take in the product user interface. You do not use task credentials when you interact with IBM watsonx programmatically.

If your service requires a task credential to perform an operation, you are prompted to provide it in the form of an API key (existing or newly generated).

Any user with an IBM Cloud account can create an API key. Service administrators are responsible for defining a strategy to revoke task credentials when these are no longer required.

Accessing task credentials

To access your task credentials follow these steps:

  1. Log in to watsonx (https://dataplatform.cloud.ibm.com/wx/) and then go to your profile tab: Open the Profile tab

  2. Choose Profile and settings: Click on Profile and settings

  3. Choose the User API key tab: Choose the User API key tab

Creating task credentials

To create new task credentials:

From the User API key tab, click Create key. You'll see your new API key appear in the key list: Generated task credentials

Managing existing task credentials

To re-generate your key, from the User API key tab, click Rotate key. You'll see your new API key appear in the key list.

To delete your key, from the User API key tab, click the Delete icon. delete icon

Learn more

Parent topic: Administering projects