1. A method, comprising operations of: receiving a first query from a user of a client device connected to a network for a system, wherein the first query seeks information as to identity types supported by the system; responding to the first query with a list of supported identity types, wherein the supported identity types include at least a hardware device, a role, and a user identity type and wherein the list is retrieved from a global configuration data structure in a global data store that is separate from any data stores associated with an identity type; receiving a second query from the user for identities of the hardware devices associated with one of the supported identity types; and responding to the second query with the identity of a specific hardware device, if the user is permitted to access the specific hardware device according to permissions obtained through the global configuration data structure, and further comprising, receiving a third query from the user for connection configurations for the specific hardware device; determining that the connection configurations are partially available in the global configuration data structure; retrieving over the network at least one connection configuration from the specific hardware device, using a plugin associated with the specific hardware device; and responding to the third query with the at least one retrieved connection configuration, if the user is permitted to use the retrieved connection configuration according to permissions obtained through the global configuration data structure, wherein each operation of the method is executed by one or more processors.