Configuration option to skip certificate validation for connection to ServiceControl

[HEskandari]

This is a spin-off of the discussion in #604.

This allows, for example, connections to ServiceControl running with a self-signed certificate.

We will allow this via an app config setting, which address the problem whether ServiceInsight is launched by the user directly, or via ServicePulse.

Plan of attack

• Make changes - Bypassing self-signed certificate validation #756
• Update docs - ServiceInsight SSL validation override document. docs.particular.net#3273

[HEskandari]

@Particular/servicecontrol-maintainers Had a spike on this, there is a problem with the proposed way of doing it.

The way the by-pass works is that once you set it, it will be there for the session and there's no way to roll it back. Also, the workaround is controlled via a static variable (ServicePointManager.ServerCertificateValidationCallback property) which means it is not per SC instance.

How do you propose we introduce the UI bit for it so that:

• It clearly communicates that it is for all SC connection, not tied to a particular instance
• It is per session at least (once the flag is set, you'll need to restart the app to set it back to default behavior)

I propose doing that via an option in the Settings screen.

• It is a global flag, so not per SC instance.
• All settings changes require restarts.
• We'll need to persist this flag anyhow, so not an extra effort.
• It works fine with issue Allowing SI activation to connect to ServiceControl running with a self-signed certificate #718 as well.

[mikeminutillo]

How common is this? Would it be problematic to simply make it an app.config setting with no UI?

[gbiellem]

@mikeminutello i raised the original issue (#604), IMHO its very uncommon, i was not sure if it was worth supporting

[HEskandari]

@mikeminutillo App.config could be an option, but we're not storing anything else in there (with the exception of binding redirects).

[adamralph]

@Particular/serviceinsight-maintainers discussed this today and we decided to add it as an app config setting (description updated). This is a low cost, low impact way for us to support this use case.

[adamralph]

FYI I changed the title and description, and unchecked "Make changes" in the POA, since that's only done when #756 is merged.