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External Data Connections Overview

External Data Connections (EDCs) are secure, approved pathways that allow Game Warden-hosted applications to exchange data with systems outside the Game Warden environment.

These connections support machine-to-machine communication and are commonly used for logging, APIs, external authentication services, or integrating with systems hosted outside your Game Warden deployment.

When do you need an EDC?

If your application needs to send data to or receive data from external systems—including the Internet, NIPRNet, or other cloud platforms—you’ll need to request an EDC.

Examples:

  • Sending logs to a commercial monitoring tool
  • Receiving configuration data from an external service
  • Calling APIs hosted outside Game Warden

Understanding data flow

Clearly defining the direction of data flow is a required part of your request:

  • Ingress – Data flows into your application (e.g., user input, webhooks)
  • Egress – Data flows out of your application (e.g., API calls, logs)
  • Bidirectional – Data flows both in and out (e.g., third-party API syncs)

Understanding this helps Game Warden verify your application's security and compliance posture.

Supported connection scenarios

Connection types vary based on the source, target, and the DoD Impact Level (IL) environment your application resides in.

Source            Target Environment Status / Notes                                      
NIPRNet           IL2                 ✅ Supported                                         
NIPRNet           IL4–IL5             ⚠️ May require CNAP whitelisting                    
P1 IL2            IL2                 ✅ Supported                                         
P1 IL4–IL5        IL4–IL5             ⚠️ May require CNAP whitelisting                    
Internet          IL2                 ✅ Supported                                         
Internet          IL4–IL5             🚫 Not supported (Appgate testing in progress)      
Source Environment Target          Status / Notes                                                     
IL2                 NIPRNet         ⚠️ Requires Firewall Exemption Request                             
IL4–IL5             NIPRNet         ⚠️ Requires Firewall Exemption Request                             
IL2                 P1 IL2          ✅ Supported                                                       
IL2                 P1 IL4–IL5      🚫 Not supported (Appgate testing in progress)                     
IL4–IL5             P1 IL2          🚫 Not allowed (to prevent data spillage)                          
IL4–IL5             P1 IL4–IL5      ⚠️ May require CNAP whitelisting                                   
IL2                 Internet        ✅ Supported                                                       
IL4–IL5             Internet        🚫 Not allowed (to prevent high → low data spillage)               

For detailed requirements and security expectations, see Securing EDCs.

Need help?

External data connections can be complex. If you’re unsure how to configure one or whether your use case is supported, contact your implementation engineer or reach out to supportce@secondfront.com.