How to Automate Tasks in Response to IP Address Changes on Odoo.sh

Managing and automating responses to dynamic IP address changes is a critical aspect of maintaining the smooth operation of your Odoo.sh instances. To address this need, Odoo.sh provides an automated mechanism to notify project administrators of IP address changes and triggers a predefined endpoint for custom actions. In this blog, we’ll explore how this process works and how you can harness it to automate tasks efficiently.

Understanding the IP Change Notification Mechanism

How Notifications Work

1. Administrator Notification: When an IP address change occurs, project administrators receive notifications directly from Odoo.sh. This ensures that stakeholders are informed promptly.

2. Automatic HTTP Request: Simultaneously, Odoo.sh sends an HTTP GET request to the internal path / _odoo.sh/ip-change. This request includes:

* The new IP address (new) in the query string.

* The previous IP address (old) as an additional parameter.

Security Considerations

For security reasons:

* The / _odoo.sh/ip-change route is only accessible internally by Odoo.sh.

* Any external attempt to access this endpoint will result in a 403 Forbidden response.

Using the IP Change Endpoint

To automate actions when an IP change occurs, you can create a custom controller in Odoo. Below is a step-by-step explanation and an example implementation.

1. Define the Endpoint

You can define an HTTP controller in your custom Odoo module to handle incoming requests. Here’s a pseudo-code implementation:

from odoo import http
import logging
_logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
class IPChangeController(http.Controller):
	@http.route('/_odoo.sh/ip-change', auth='public', methods=['GET'], csrf=False)
	def ip_change(self, old=None, new=None):
    	"""Handles IP address change notifications from Odoo.sh."""
    	# Log the IP change for auditing purposes
    	_logger.info("IP address changed from %s to %s", old, new)
    	# Perform custom actions here
    	# Example: Update system configuration
    	http.request.env['ir.config_parameter'].sudo().set_param('odoo_sh.old_ip', old)
    	http.request.env['ir.config_parameter'].sudo().set_param('odoo_sh.new_ip', new)
    	# Example: Notify an external service or API
    	# self.notify_firewall_api(new)
    	# Example: Send an alert email
    	# self.send_alert_email(old, new)
    	return 'ok'

2. Implement Custom Actions

You can perform various actions based on your specific needs. Here are a few examples:

* Update System Configuration: Use ir.config_parameter to store and track IP changes in your database.

* Contact an External API: Update firewall rules or notify third-party services by integrating their API.

* Send Email Notifications: Send emails to your team or administrator, detailing the IP change.

3. Extend with Logging and Monitoring

Use the _logger functionality to log all IP change events for auditing. Additionally, integrate with monitoring systems to trigger alerts automatically.

Practical Use Cases

1. Firewall Configuration: Automatically update firewall rules to whitelist or remove the new/old IP.

2. DNS Updates: Trigger updates to DNS configurations or CDN rules when IP changes.

3. Security Monitoring: Log IP address changes for security audits or integrate with security incident response workflows.

4. Dynamic Configuration Updates: Adjust configurations dynamically in other connected services or systems.

Conclusion

Automating tasks in response to IP address changes on Odoo.sh ensures seamless and secure operation of your instances. By leveraging the internal / _odoo.sh/ip-change endpoint, you can implement a wide range of custom actions tailored to your business needs. With robust logging and careful security considerations, this approach empowers you to respond dynamically and maintain operational efficiency.

To read more about How to Deploy Module in Odoo 17 Using Odoo.sh, refer to our blog How to Deploy Module in Odoo 17 Using Odoo.sh