Universal REST connector
Not every system in your environment has a dedicated Mesh connector — and you shouldn't have to wait for one to get its identity data into Mesh. The universal REST connector lets you integrate any system that exposes a REST API, using a template that describes how Mesh should talk to it.
How it works
The universal REST connector is template-driven. A template describes your system's API to Mesh:
- Endpoints — where to fetch users, groups, and other identity data.
- Authentication — how Mesh authenticates to the API, with secrets stored write-only like any other connector credential.
- Pagination — how to walk through large result sets.
Once configured, the connector behaves like any other source: it collects on a schedule, and the data is normalized into Mesh, correlated into identities, and scored for risk exactly as data from a dedicated connector would be.
Setup is guided: a conversational flow walks you through the application name, the base URL, the OpenAPI or Swagger specification, and the authentication scheme, then validates the specification and helps you select which data to collect. See AI features and data handling for how the guided setup handles your data.
When to use it
| Your situation | Best fit |
|---|---|
| The system has a dedicated connector in the integration catalog | Use the dedicated connector — it's purpose-built for that system's data model |
| The system has a REST API but no dedicated connector | Use the universal REST connector |
| The system has a REST API but is only reachable inside your network | Combine approaches: run the connector through the edge agent |
| The system can't be reached over an API at all | Use a custom or offline import — see the Custom & Offline section of this documentation |
If you're unsure which path fits, contact Axiad Customer Success — a dedicated connector for your system may already be planned. New connectors are announced in the release notes.
Authoring a template
Templates describe the specifics of your system — its endpoints, its authentication scheme, and how its records map onto Mesh's data model. Work with Axiad to author the template for your system: contact Axiad Customer Success with your system's API documentation, and Axiad helps you build and validate the template.
What to expect after setup
- The connector appears on the Connectors page alongside your other connectors, with the same health reporting.
- Collected accounts are correlated to identities and contribute to risk scores like data from any other source.
- Credentials follow the same rules as other connectors — see Manage connector credentials.