Update the service account for an SFTP user

This document shows how to update the service account for a Cloud FTP user. The service account accesses Cloud Storage resources on behalf of the user.

At a high level, these are the steps to update the service account for a user:

  1. Configure a service account with the appropriate IAM roles.
  2. Update the service account that's attached to the user.

We recommend that you use a dedicated service account for each user so that you can manage SFTP access separately for each user.

Required roles

To get the permission that you need to update SFTP users, ask your administrator to grant you the FTP Admin (roles/ftp.admin) IAM role on your project. For more information about granting roles, see Manage access to projects, folders, and organizations.

This predefined role contains the ftp.users.update permission, which is required to update SFTP users.

You might also be able to get this permission with custom roles or other predefined roles.

Configure a service account

  1. Create a service account for the user, if a service account doesn't already exist.

    gcloud iam service-accounts create USERNAME-sa \
        --description="USERNAME SFTP Service Account" \
        --display-name="USERNAME SFTP Service Account"

    Replace USERNAME with a unique username for the SFTP user. The username must start with a lowercase letter and can include lowercase letters, numbers, or hyphens.

    On success, a message like Created service account [example-userid-sa] is displayed.

  2. Grant yourself the Service Account User (roles/iam.serviceAccountUser) role:

    gcloud iam service-accounts add-iam-policy-binding USERNAME-sa@PROJECT_ID.iam.gserviceaccount.com \
        --member="user:ADMINISTRATOR_EMAIL" \
        --role="roles/iam.serviceAccountUser"

    Replace ADMINISTRATOR_EMAIL with the email address of the principal who is updating the SFTP user. If you're updating the user (as opposed to an application), then this value is the email address that you use to access Google Cloud.

    On success, a message like the following is displayed:

    Updated IAM policy for serviceAccount [example-userid-sa@example-project.iam.gserviceaccount.com].
    bindings:
    - members:
    - user:admin@example.com
    role: roles/iam.serviceAccountUser
    etag: BwZJk7OiSzw=
    version: 1
    
  3. Grant the user's service account the IAM role that's necessary to access the bucket:

    gcloud storage buckets add-iam-policy-binding gs://BUCKET_NAME \
        --member="serviceAccount:USERNAME-sa@PROJECT_ID.iam.gserviceaccount.com" \
        --role="ROLE"

    Replace ROLE with one of the following IAM roles:

    • For read-only access, use the roles/storage.objectViewer role.
    • For read and write access, use the roles/storage.objectAdmin role.

    Repeat this step for each bucket that the user needs to access.

  4. Authorize the Cloud FTP Service Agent to generate tokens for the user's service account:

    1. Get the email address of the SFTP server's service agent. For steps, see Get details about a server.

    2. Authorize the Cloud FTP Service Agent:

      gcloud iam service-accounts add-iam-policy-binding USERNAME-sa@PROJECT_ID.iam.gserviceaccount.com \
          --member="serviceAccount:SERVICE_AGENT_EMAIL" \
          --role="roles/iam.serviceAccountTokenCreator"

      Replace SERVICE_AGENT_EMAIL with the service agent's email address.

Next, update the user's service account.

Update a user's service account

gcloud

To update the service account that's attached to an SFTP user, run the gcloud alpha storage ftp users update command.

Before using any of the command data below, make the following replacements:

  • USERNAME: the SFTP user's username.
  • LOCATION_ID: the location of the server, such as us-west1.
  • SERVER_ID: the server ID.
  • SERVICE_ACCOUNT: the user's service account. For example, username-sa@example-project.iam.gserviceaccount.com.

Execute the following command:

Linux, macOS, or Cloud Shell

gcloud alpha storage ftp users update USERNAME --location=LOCATION_ID \
    --server=SERVER_ID --customer-service-account=SERVICE_ACCOUNT

Windows (PowerShell)

gcloud alpha storage ftp users update USERNAME --location=LOCATION_ID `
    --server=SERVER_ID --customer-service-account=SERVICE_ACCOUNT

Windows (cmd.exe)

gcloud alpha storage ftp users update USERNAME --location=LOCATION_ID ^
    --server=SERVER_ID --customer-service-account=SERVICE_ACCOUNT
It takes a few seconds for the user to be updated.

REST

To update the service account that's attached to an SFTP user, use the servers.users.patch method. In the updateMask query parameter, provide the customerServiceAccount field.

Before using any of the request data, make the following replacements:

  • PROJECT_ID: the Google Cloud project ID of the server.
  • LOCATION_ID: the location of the server, such as us-west1.
  • SERVER_ID: the server ID.
  • USERNAME: the SFTP user's username.
  • SERVICE_ACCOUNT: the user's service account. For example, username-sa@example-project.iam.gserviceaccount.com.

HTTP method and URL:

PATCH https://ftp.googleapis.com/v1/projects/PROJECT_ID/locations/LOCATION_ID/servers/SERVER_ID/users/USERNAME?updateMask=customerServiceAccount

Request JSON body:

{
  "customerServiceAccount": "SERVICE_ACCOUNT"
}

To send your request, expand one of these options:

The response identifies a long-running operation. It takes a few seconds for the user to be updated.

Client libraries

C#

To learn how to install and use the client library for Cloud FTP, see Cloud FTP client libraries. For more information, see the Cloud FTP C# API reference documentation.

To authenticate to Cloud FTP, set up Application Default Credentials. For more information, see Set up authentication for a local development environment.

using Google.Cloud.Ftp.V1;
using Google.LongRunning;
using Google.Protobuf.WellKnownTypes;
using System.Threading.Tasks;

public sealed partial class GeneratedCloudFtpClientSnippets
{
    /// <summary>Snippet for UpdateUserAsync</summary>
    /// <remarks>
    /// This snippet has been automatically generated and should be regarded as a code template only.
    /// It will require modifications to work:
    /// - It may require correct/in-range values for request initialization.
    /// - It may require specifying regional endpoints when creating the service client as shown in
    ///   https://cloud.google.com/dotnet/docs/reference/help/client-configuration#endpoint.
    /// </remarks>
    public async Task UpdateUserAsync()
    {
        // Create client
        CloudFtpClient cloudFtpClient = await CloudFtpClient.CreateAsync();
        // Initialize request argument(s)
        User user = new User();
        FieldMask updateMask = new FieldMask();
        // Make the request
        Operation<User, OperationMetadata> response = await cloudFtpClient.UpdateUserAsync(user, updateMask);

        // Poll until the returned long-running operation is complete
        Operation<User, OperationMetadata> completedResponse = await response.PollUntilCompletedAsync();
        // Retrieve the operation result
        User result = completedResponse.Result;

        // Or get the name of the operation
        string operationName = response.Name;
        // This name can be stored, then the long-running operation retrieved later by name
        Operation<User, OperationMetadata> retrievedResponse = await cloudFtpClient.PollOnceUpdateUserAsync(operationName);
        // Check if the retrieved long-running operation has completed
        if (retrievedResponse.IsCompleted)
        {
            // If it has completed, then access the result
            User retrievedResult = retrievedResponse.Result;
        }
    }
}

Go

To learn how to install and use the client library for Cloud FTP, see Cloud FTP client libraries. For more information, see the Cloud FTP Go API reference documentation.

To authenticate to Cloud FTP, set up Application Default Credentials. For more information, see Set up authentication for a local development environment.


//go:build examples

package main

import (
	"context"

	ftp "cloud.google.com/go/ftp/apiv1"
	ftppb "cloud.google.com/go/ftp/apiv1/ftppb"
)

func main() {
	ctx := context.Background()
	// This snippet has been automatically generated and should be regarded as a code template only.
	// It will require modifications to work:
	// - It may require correct/in-range values for request initialization.
	// - It may require specifying regional endpoints when creating the service client as shown in:
	//   https://pkg.go.dev/cloud.google.com/go#hdr-Client_Options
	c, err := ftp.NewCloudFtpRESTClient(ctx)
	if err != nil {
		// TODO: Handle error.
	}
	defer c.Close()

	req := &ftppb.UpdateUserRequest{
		// TODO: Fill request struct fields.
		// See https://pkg.go.dev/cloud.google.com/go/ftp/apiv1/ftppb#UpdateUserRequest.
	}
	op, err := c.UpdateUser(ctx, req)
	if err != nil {
		// TODO: Handle error.
	}

	resp, err := op.Wait(ctx)
	if err != nil {
		// TODO: Handle error.
	}
	// TODO: Use resp.
	_ = resp
}

Java

To learn how to install and use the client library for Cloud FTP, see Cloud FTP client libraries. For more information, see the Cloud FTP Java API reference documentation.

To authenticate to Cloud FTP, set up Application Default Credentials. For more information, see Set up authentication for a local development environment.

import com.google.api.core.ApiFuture;
import com.google.cloud.ftp.v1.CloudFtpClient;
import com.google.cloud.ftp.v1.UpdateUserRequest;
import com.google.cloud.ftp.v1.User;
import com.google.longrunning.Operation;
import com.google.protobuf.FieldMask;

public class AsyncUpdateUser {

  public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
    asyncUpdateUser();
  }

  public static void asyncUpdateUser() throws Exception {
    // This snippet has been automatically generated and should be regarded as a code template only.
    // It will require modifications to work:
    // - It may require correct/in-range values for request initialization.
    // - It may require specifying regional endpoints when creating the service client as shown in
    // https://cloud.google.com/java/docs/setup#configure_endpoints_for_the_client_library
    try (CloudFtpClient cloudFtpClient = CloudFtpClient.create()) {
      UpdateUserRequest request =
          UpdateUserRequest.newBuilder()
              .setUpdateMask(FieldMask.newBuilder().build())
              .setUser(User.newBuilder().build())
              .build();
      ApiFuture<Operation> future = cloudFtpClient.updateUserCallable().futureCall(request);
      // Do something.
      Operation response = future.get();
    }
  }
}

Node.js

To learn how to install and use the client library for Cloud FTP, see Cloud FTP client libraries. For more information, see the Cloud FTP Node.js API reference documentation.

To authenticate to Cloud FTP, set up Application Default Credentials. For more information, see Set up authentication for a local development environment.

/**
 * This snippet has been automatically generated and should be regarded as a code template only.
 * It will require modifications to work.
 * It may require correct/in-range values for request initialization.
 * TODO(developer): Uncomment these variables before running the sample.
 */
/**
 *  Optional. Field mask is used to specify the fields to be overwritten in the
 *  User resource by the update.
 *  The fields specified in the update_mask are relative to the resource, not
 *  the full request. A field will be overwritten if it is in the mask. If the
 *  user does not provide a mask then all fields present in the request will be
 *  overwritten.
 */
// const updateMask = {}
/**
 *  Required. The resource being updated
 */
// const user = {}

// Imports the Ftp library
const {CloudFtpClient} = require('@google-cloud/ftp').v1;

// Instantiates a client
const ftpClient = new CloudFtpClient();

async function callUpdateUser() {
  // Construct request
  const request = {
    user,
  };

  // Run request
  const [operation] = await ftpClient.updateUser(request);
  const [response] = await operation.promise();
  console.log(response);
}

callUpdateUser();

PHP

To learn how to install and use the client library for Cloud FTP, see Cloud FTP client libraries. For more information, see the Cloud FTP PHP API reference documentation.

To authenticate to Cloud FTP, set up Application Default Credentials. For more information, see Set up authentication for a local development environment.

use Google\ApiCore\ApiException;
use Google\ApiCore\OperationResponse;
use Google\Cloud\Ftp\V1\Client\CloudFtpClient;
use Google\Cloud\Ftp\V1\StorageDirectoryMapping;
use Google\Cloud\Ftp\V1\StorageDirectoryMapping\Permission;
use Google\Cloud\Ftp\V1\UpdateUserRequest;
use Google\Cloud\Ftp\V1\User;
use Google\Cloud\Ftp\V1\UserCredential;
use Google\Cloud\Ftp\V1\UserCredential\Type;
use Google\Rpc\Status;

/**
 * Updates the parameters of a single User.
 *
 * @param string $userCustomerServiceAccount             Service account in customer project attached to this SFTP User.
 * @param string $userUserCredentialsCredentialName      Name of the user credential.
 * @param int    $userUserCredentialsCredentialType      Type of credential.
 * @param string $userStorageDirectoryMappingsBucket     Name of the bucket.
 * @param string $userStorageDirectoryMappingsDirectory  Directory where the user lands in the SFTP server.
 * @param int    $userStorageDirectoryMappingsPermission Permission to the bucket.
 */
function update_user_sample(
    string $userCustomerServiceAccount,
    string $userUserCredentialsCredentialName,
    int $userUserCredentialsCredentialType,
    string $userStorageDirectoryMappingsBucket,
    string $userStorageDirectoryMappingsDirectory,
    int $userStorageDirectoryMappingsPermission
): void {
    // Create a client.
    $cloudFtpClient = new CloudFtpClient();

    // Prepare the request message.
    $userCredential = (new UserCredential())
        ->setCredentialName($userUserCredentialsCredentialName)
        ->setCredentialType($userUserCredentialsCredentialType);
    $userUserCredentials = [$userCredential];
    $storageDirectoryMapping = (new StorageDirectoryMapping())
        ->setBucket($userStorageDirectoryMappingsBucket)
        ->setDirectory($userStorageDirectoryMappingsDirectory)
        ->setPermission($userStorageDirectoryMappingsPermission);
    $userStorageDirectoryMappings = [$storageDirectoryMapping];
    $user = (new User())
        ->setCustomerServiceAccount($userCustomerServiceAccount)
        ->setUserCredentials($userUserCredentials)
        ->setStorageDirectoryMappings($userStorageDirectoryMappings);
    $request = (new UpdateUserRequest())
        ->setUser($user);

    // Call the API and handle any network failures.
    try {
        /** @var OperationResponse $response */
        $response = $cloudFtpClient->updateUser($request);
        $response->pollUntilComplete();

        if ($response->operationSucceeded()) {
            /** @var User $result */
            $result = $response->getResult();
            printf('Operation successful with response data: %s' . PHP_EOL, $result->serializeToJsonString());
        } else {
            /** @var Status $error */
            $error = $response->getError();
            printf('Operation failed with error data: %s' . PHP_EOL, $error->serializeToJsonString());
        }
    } catch (ApiException $ex) {
        printf('Call failed with message: %s' . PHP_EOL, $ex->getMessage());
    }
}

/**
 * Helper to execute the sample.
 *
 * This sample has been automatically generated and should be regarded as a code
 * template only. It will require modifications to work:
 *  - It may require correct/in-range values for request initialization.
 *  - It may require specifying regional endpoints when creating the service client,
 *    please see the apiEndpoint client configuration option for more details.
 */
function callSample(): void
{
    $userCustomerServiceAccount = '[CUSTOMER_SERVICE_ACCOUNT]';
    $userUserCredentialsCredentialName = '[CREDENTIAL_NAME]';
    $userUserCredentialsCredentialType = Type::TYPE_UNSPECIFIED;
    $userStorageDirectoryMappingsBucket = '[BUCKET]';
    $userStorageDirectoryMappingsDirectory = '[DIRECTORY]';
    $userStorageDirectoryMappingsPermission = Permission::PERMISSION_UNSPECIFIED;

    update_user_sample(
        $userCustomerServiceAccount,
        $userUserCredentialsCredentialName,
        $userUserCredentialsCredentialType,
        $userStorageDirectoryMappingsBucket,
        $userStorageDirectoryMappingsDirectory,
        $userStorageDirectoryMappingsPermission
    );
}

Python

To learn how to install and use the client library for Cloud FTP, see Cloud FTP client libraries. For more information, see the Cloud FTP Python API reference documentation.

To authenticate to Cloud FTP, set up Application Default Credentials. For more information, see Set up authentication for a local development environment.

# This snippet has been automatically generated and should be regarded as a
# code template only.
# It will require modifications to work:
# - It may require correct/in-range values for request initialization.
# - It may require specifying regional endpoints when creating the service
#   client as shown in:
#   https://googleapis.dev/python/google-api-core/latest/client_options.html
from google.cloud import ftp_v1


def sample_update_user():
    # Create a client
    client = ftp_v1.CloudFtpClient()

    # Initialize request argument(s)
    user = ftp_v1.User()
    user.customer_service_account = "customer_service_account_value"
    user.user_credentials.credential_name = "credential_name_value"
    user.user_credentials.credential_type = "PUBLIC_KEY"
    user.storage_directory_mappings.bucket = "bucket_value"
    user.storage_directory_mappings.directory = "directory_value"
    user.storage_directory_mappings.permission = "READ_WRITE"

    request = ftp_v1.UpdateUserRequest(
        user=user,
    )

    # Make the request
    operation = client.update_user(request=request)

    print("Waiting for operation to complete...")

    response = operation.result()

    # Handle the response
    print(response)

Ruby

To learn how to install and use the client library for Cloud FTP, see Cloud FTP client libraries. For more information, see the Cloud FTP Ruby API reference documentation.

To authenticate to Cloud FTP, set up Application Default Credentials. For more information, see Set up authentication for a local development environment.

require "google/cloud/ftp/v1"

##
# Snippet for the update_user call in the CloudFtp service
#
# This snippet has been automatically generated and should be regarded as a code
# template only. It will require modifications to work:
# - It may require correct/in-range values for request initialization.
# - It may require specifying regional endpoints when creating the service
# client as shown in https://cloud.google.com/ruby/docs/reference.
#
# This is an auto-generated example demonstrating basic usage of
# Google::Cloud::Ftp::V1::CloudFtp::Rest::Client#update_user.
#
def update_user
  # Create a client object. The client can be reused for multiple calls.
  client = Google::Cloud::Ftp::V1::CloudFtp::Rest::Client.new

  # Create a request. To set request fields, pass in keyword arguments.
  request = Google::Cloud::Ftp::V1::UpdateUserRequest.new

  # Call the update_user method.
  result = client.update_user request

  # The returned object is of type Gapic::Operation. You can use it to
  # check the status of an operation, cancel it, or wait for results.
  # Here is how to wait for a response.
  result.wait_until_done! timeout: 60
  if result.response?
    p result.response
  else
    puts "No response received."
  end
end

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