Replicator Wizard

The Replicator Wizard provides support for integrating a data source into estos MetaDirectory.

You may setup import or export replicators depending on the license available.
Import replicators replicate contacts to MetaDirectory.
Export replicators replicates contacts from MetaDirectory to another database.

In principle, configuration uses the following steps:

1. Select datasource-type
   • Selecting the source database. Only data sources for which Licenses have been entered may be selected.


2. Enter the login information which will be used for accessing the data sources.
   • Applications can be started in either a user context or a system context. The database is then accessed with the privileges defined by the application. It is therefore important for the system or respective user to have access to the data sources.

     	Mapped network drives are not known in a system and user context. If you would like to access files on another computer, you will have to use fully qualified UNC paths (\\ServerName\ShareName\File). Please note that the user and the system access rights for this share and the corresponding files will be needed. You will have to manually enter the UNC path in the ODBC Connection String for access using ODBC.
     	It should be noted that the replicator configuration is always done in the context of a user. The Administrator will be started using your user rights, thus the Replicator Wizard will also be started with your rights. Access to the source database will be limited using your rights. If the replicator is run with other user rights or in a system context, the replicator will NOT be able to access the data source.
     	If you can configure the replicator, but it does not work, check the log file to determine if the source database could be opened. If errors have been recorded then determine which user rights can open the data source.



3. Settings for the data source (selection of the server, the data structure that should be imported and so forth)
• Data source settings are strongly tied to the respective data source. Depending on the replicator, you must provide different information regarding the location of the source data.


4. Field Assignment: Which Source Fields will be copied to which LDAP Fields
• Field assignment is the central component of replicator integration. You must assign which source fields should be copied to which LDAP fields. A default field assignment, which will automatically be assigned, has been stored for some replicators, when you configure the replicator. In part, you will still have to make the field assignments yourself.
  The source fields are located on the left. The contents of the first record found are displayed next to the field name. You can scroll through the records using the arrow keys below the source.
  You will see the target LDAP fields on the right. The assigned fields will be displayed next to the field names. The buttons for deleting all assignments and for setting the default field assignments, if they exist, will be located beneath the target list.
  Both lists use small icons to indicate the field assignments:
  • Field not in use
  • Field used once
  • Field used multiple times
  The buttons for loading and saving field assignments will be located in the lower left corner of the dialog. Notes for Field Assignments:
  • The primary key must be assigned and must be unique for each source record.
  • Each source database normally uses a corresponding primary key, which you should use.

    If the source database does not provide a primary key, you should use the database fields that will provide the most unique connection to a record possible. If necessary, you should combine fields in order to create a unique primary key. If several records have identical primary keys, all of the records will be lost after the first replication process. You may use email addresses, for example, as alternative primary keys.

  • The replicator will always attempt to create an assignment for the Displayed Name field. If the field could not been filled from the pre-defined source fields, the replicator will attempt to generate content form the given name, surname and company or email address fields.
  • Fields can be combined. If a phone number field is involved, the source data will be combined together, one after the other. In all other cases, a space will be placed between the fields. The Extended Field Assignment Settings page will provide further configuration options.



Contactpicture Contactimages may be imported by replication in the following ways: Contactpictures may be imported from a reachable file- or network-path by mapping to the field Picture path. (f.E. text-, ODBC-replicator) The replicator fills the contactimage-field directly with imagedata (f.E. Ews-, Mapi-replicator). Select image replication with the shown checkbox. By mapping of a sourcefield like f.E. "thumbnailPhoto" to Picture. (f.E. AD-, LDAP-replicator) No support fof contactpicture-import. The fields Picture and Picture path do not show up. The used method depends on the replicators type. Some replicators allow mapping of Picture and Picture path.



5. Extended Field Assignment Settings
• The extended field assignment settings permit the integration of complex databases into estos MetaDirectory.
  Using this configuration interface, database fields can be combined or separated. In order to be able to make extended field assignment settings, you will have to enable the Extended Settings checkbox in the Field Assignments Wizard.
  You will see all LDAP database fields, which you have assigned to source fields, on the left.
  On the right, you will find the source fields that have been allocated to the respective database fields listed on the left.
  You can assign any kind of prefix or suffix to the each of the source fields. Regular expressions for each source field provide the most extensive options for data modification.
  You can apply a regular expression to each assigned source field. If the expression does not apply, you can determine whether the original value should be set or a value should not be used.
  An attempt will be made to assign an example value from the database to each source field. The first twenty records from the source database will be read for this. For that reason, values from different databases may be presented. Do not let this bother you.
  Left list shows th overall state of the advanced settings per target-field with these icons:
  • No advanced settings
  • Valid advanced settings
  • incomplete advanced settings
  • Incorrect advanced settings
  
  On the right, settings where done for the selected LDAP-field on the left.
  • regular expression syntactically correct
  • regular expression syntactically correct, matching test-pattern
  • Replacement text present, but searchexpression is missing
  • incorrect regular expression syntx
  Example:
  A database stores the street address (including building number, city and zip code) in one database field, separating each with a "$" character. Thus, an example database field might contain: "12$Street$City$12345"
  In order to be able to use this database with estos MetaDirectory, you will have to parse this combined field and assign the fields for building number, street name, city and zip code. In the Field Assignment Wizard, you assign this one source field to all of the target fields. In our example, these are the Street, City and ZipCode fields. Then, you enable the extended settings, in order to set the configuration that will now be required.
  You will then select the Street entry from the list of LDAP database fields. Then, enter the following information on the right for the regular expression:
  
  • Search: "(.*)(\$)(.*)(\$)(.*)(\$)(.*)"
  • Replace with: "$1 $3"
  The icons for the regular expression will immediately indicate if the expression is valid. The entry, 12 Street, will now appear in the list of results.
  A similar process is used for the ZIP code and city LDAP data fields.
  You will enter the following values for the ZipCode field:
  • Search: "(.*)(\$)(.*)(\$)(.*)(\$)(.*)"
  • Replace with: "$5"
  For the City field:
  • Search: "(.*)(\$)(.*)(\$)(.*)(\$)(.*)"
  • Replace with: "$7"
  The source field contents have now been properly distributed and each corresponding field values will be stored in the database fields after replication.
  You will find more information about regular expressions here.


6. Contact URL links
• Three contact URL links, with which the contact can display other web pages, may be configured in each record. In this, the first contact URL has a special meaning, when estos MetaDirectory is used with estos ProCall.
  estos ProCall uses this URL for all content that could be opened without having to start the client to do so. Thus, this URL will be used for missed calls, for example. You can open the contact directly without having to startestos ProCall. If you have enabled the Edit Replaced Contact option, this URL will be opened if you have opened a contact to be edited in estos ProCall.
  The URL configured here will be stored in the directWebLink database field at the LDAP level. This link will also be stored in the contactURL field for compatibility reasons.
  The link may include all registered URL handlers. This may include not just HTTP: links but also Outlook®: links as well.
  The link may contain all fields for the contact, which can be used in the Template Parser. This includes: <EntryID> and <DisplayName>, for example.
  Web-based CRM
  If the contact originates from a Web-based CRM system data source, the link can be made directly with the contact in the CRM system. Normally, the contact's <EntryID> should be entered in the URL.
  Microsoft® CRM 3.0
  If the contact originates from Microsoft® CRM 3.0, opening the URL http://mscrmserver/sfa/conts/edit.aspx?id=<EntryID> for the contact is possible.
  Outlook®
  If the contact originates from Outlook/Exchange the contact can be opened with using with the outlook:<EntryID> URL.

  Since Outlook® 2007, Microsoft® has not been storing the Outlook® URL handler required for this feature in the registry.

  IBM Notes®
  If the contact originates from IBM Notes®, the contact can be opened with IBM Notes® with the URL notes://server/database.nsf/view/<EntryID>?OpenDocument.


7. Datasource location settings


• The location settings for data source assist with the automatic formatting of phone numbers. During replication, the phone number from the database will be re-formatted using the international standard dialing format. This format will convert phone numbers like "08151 368561" into "+498151368561". The formatting will be performed automatically and recognizes many phone number formats.
  Country or region of the data source
  Enter the country where this data source originated. If a phone number has been entered in the database without a country code (e.g. "030-1234567"), the replicator will have to know which country code should be used. If Germany were to be selected then this phone number would become "+49301234567".
  Area Code
  Enter your own area code here. Local phone numbers can be augmented with this area code. If phone numbers have been included in the database without an area code (e.g. "1234567"), this area code will be used for formatting the phone number. Enter the area code without a prefix (e.g. "30" for Berlin).
  Primary System Phone Number (system connection)
  If internal phone numbers have been included in the database (e.g. "210"), the replicator will have to know to which connection these phone numbers belong. Enter the base phone number for your connection. If the Participant 210 can be reached at +49-30-12345-210, then enter 12345 as the primary system number.


8. Schedule replication plan
• Define when replication should be scheduled and at which intervals this process should be performed.


9. Defining additional applications to be started
• You can start further applications before and after the replication process. Enter the path for the pertinent applications. The applications are started by the replicator, i.e. they run with the same rights as the replicator and may thus block other replicator call-ups during long running times.


10. Assigning a name to the new replicator
• Specify a name for the new replicator. You will not be able to change the name later!

Make sure you know the user context required to access the source database or whether access is possible in a system context.