Configuring an ODBC replicator for integrating an Access database

How a Microsoft Access® database can be integrated as a data source for estos MetaDirectory will be shown in this application example. You will find the example database in the estos MetaDirectory installation directory the Samples folder.

You will have to start the estos MetaDirectory Administrator for configuring an ODBC system data source with advanced rights under Windows®. You will find the Run as Administrator menu item on the context menu, which will open by right-clicking on the application icon, in order get the necessary rights.

Setting up estos MetaDirectory for using an Access database

• Start the estos MetaDirectory Administrator on the computer where the server was also installed.
• Authenticate yourself on the server with the user data that you specified during installation.
• Go to the Configuration / General / Replicators view.
• Start the Replicator Wizard from the context menu or Add... for configuring a data source.
• Select the ODBC Database data type and confirm the selection using the Next button.
• Specify how the data source should be access in the user login. From the context menu, you can access the data source from both the context for the current user or the system account. In this example, we will use a SYSTEM account. You will find additional information about this issue on the Replicator Wizard page.
  Confirm the selection using the Next button.
• The ODBC connection to the Access database will be configured in the following step.
  
  • The ODBC Connection Wizard provided by the system will open from the Browse... button.
  • Go to the Computer Data Sources tab page.
  • A new computer data source will be created using the New... button.
  • Important: Select System Data Source in the subsequent dialog so that the data can be opened through the previously selected system account.
    Confirm the selection using the Next button.
  • Select the ODBC driver for accessing the Access databases. Potentially, various drivers will be offered in various languages there. Use one of the Access drivers offered by Microsoft® (*.mdb).
    Confirm the selection using the Next button and conclude the configuration of the ODBC driver using the Done button.
  • Enter a name for the selected driver.
    The configuration of the computer data source will be concluded using the OK button.
  • Select the computer data source just setup from the list of available data sources.
    Once you have confirmed the selection using the Ok button, a dialog will be opened, from which you can select the Demo-Database.mdb Access database located in the Samples folders in the estos MetaDirectory installation directory.
  Once you have configured the ODBC connection, you will be able to make additional settings in the Replicator Wizard. Confirm the settings just made using the Next button.
• Several tables are in the Access database. Select the Contacts table. Confirm the selection using the Next button.
• Which data source fields should be copied to which target fields will be determined in the subsequent Field Assignment Wizard. You will find stored field assignment files next to the example Excel file. Load the Demo-Database-mdb.fxm field assignment file from the button at the bottom left of the Field Assignment dialog. Confirm the settings using the Next button.
• Leave the settings in the country and region Location Settings unchanged and confirm the dialog using the Next button.
• In the replication schedule, you can define the intervals and times for replicating the database.
  If desired, make changes. Otherwise exit the settings page using the Next button.
• Enter a replicator name. This name must be unique and cannot be changed afterwards.
  Configuration of the replicator will be concluded using the Done button.

Once the replication process has been concluded, you can let the replicator run from the replicators list from the context menu or by using the Start button.
You will be able to view the results of the replication process from the Database Search or Database View dialogs.