Replicator Wizard

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

Depending on the license available, you can set up import or export replicators.
Import replicators replicate contacts to the MetaDirectory.
Export replicators replicate contacts from the MetaDirectory to another database.

In principle, configuration uses the following steps:

Select the type of data source
- Select the source database. You can only select data sources for which licenses have been entered.

Define the credentials under which the data source can be accessed

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.

	Connected network drives are unknown in a system and user context. If you want to access files on another computer, you must use fully qualified UNC paths (\\ server\share\file). Note that the user or the system require access rights to this share and the corresponding files. With an ODBC access you have to enter the UNC path manually in the ODBC Connect String.
	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.

Settings for the data source (selecting the server, the data structure to be imported, etc.)

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.

Field mapping - Which source fields are copied to which LDAP fields

The field assignment is the central part of the replicator connection. You have to assign which source fields are to be copied into which LDAP fields. Some replicators have a default field assignment that is automatically assigned when you configure the replicator. In some cases, however, you also have to define the field assignment manually.
On the left you can see the source fields. The content of the first data record found is shown next to the field name. You can scroll through the data sets with the arrow keys below the source.
On the right side you can see the LDAP target fields. The assigned fields are shown next to the field name. Below the target list are the buttons for deleting the entire assignment and, if available, for setting the standard field assignment.
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 offer a primary key, use database fields that can be assigned to an entry as clearly as possible. If necessary, concatenate fields to get a unique primary key. If several records have identical primary keys, all records will be lost after the first replication. As an alternative primary key you can e.g. B. Use email addresses.

The replicator will always try to make an assignment for the "Displayed Name" field. If the field could not be filled from the specified source fields, the replicator tries to generate content from the surname, first name and company or email address.
Fields can be concatenated. If it is a telephone number field, the source data are attached directly to one another. In all other cases a space is placed between them. The extended field mapping settings offer further configuration options.

Contactpicture
Contactimages may be imported by replication in the following ways:

Contact pictures can be read in from an accessible file or network path by assigning the field Image path. (such as text, ODBC replicator)
The replicator fills the contact picture field directly with picture data (e.g. EWS replicator). The selection is made via the displayed checkbox.
Mapping of a source image field such as B. "thumbnailPhoto" on the picture field by the user. (e.g. AD, LDAP replicator)
No support for contact pictures, the fields picture and picture path are not displayed.

Which variant is used depends on the type of replicator. Some replicators allow mapping to image as well as image path.

Extended Field Assignment Settings

The extended field assignment settings permit the integration of complex databases into estos MetaDirectory.
With this configuration interface it is possible to combine or split database fields for further use. In order to be able to make advanced field assignment settings, you must activate the checkbox for advanced settings in the field assignment assistant.
On the left you can see all the LDAP database fields to which you have assigned source fields.
On the right, you will find the source fields that have been allocated to the respective database fields listed on the left.
Any prefix and suffix can be assigned to each source field. Regular expressions for each source field provide extensive possibilities 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 of the source field should be set or no value.
For each assigned source field, an attempt is made to determine a sample value from the database. For this purpose, the first 20 data records are read from the source database. It is therefore possible that you will be presented with values from different data records of the source.
The list on the left shows the overall state of the advanced settings per target field with the following icons:
- No advanced settings
- Valid advanced settings
- incomplete advanced settings
- Incorrect advanced settings
On the right, the settings for all source fields mapped to the LDAP field selected on the left. The icons next to the mapping name show the evaluation status of the regular expression:
- regular expression syntactically correct
- regular expression syntactically correct, matching test-pattern
- Replacement text exists, search expression is missing
- incorrect regular expression syntx
Example of use:

A database stores the street, house number, zip code and city in a database field, each separated by a "$". For example, the database field contains: "Street$12$12345$City".
To use this database with the estos MetaDirectory you have to split this merged field and assign it to the LDAP database fields for street, house number, postal code and city. In the Field Mapping Wizard, you assign this one source field to all the target fields that will be populated. In our case these are the fields street, postal code and city. Activate the advanced settings to be able to carry out the configuration that is now necessary.
From the list of LDAP data fields select the entry "Street". On the right side, enter the following information for the regular expressions:
- Search: "(.*)(\$)(.*)(\$)(.*)(\$)(.*)"
- Replace: "$1 $3"
You can immediately see from the regular expression icon whether it is valid. The result list now shows street 12.
The situation is similar for the LDAP data fields zip code and city.
Enter the following values for the "Postcode" field:
- Search: "(.*)(\$)(.*)(\$)(.*)(\$)(.*)"
- Replace: "$5"
For the "Location" field
- Search: "(.*)(\$)(.*)(\$)(.*)(\$)(.*)"
- Replace: "$7"
Now you have split the source field appropriately and the database fields will have the appropriate field content after replication.
For more information on regular expressions, see here.
Alternative:
Different modes can be selected here if the regular expression is not found in the data:
- Leave field content unchanged: The replacement is performed on the field content.
- Delete field content: The field content is deleted.
- Omit record: The record will not be replicated.
- Delete record: The record will be deleted from the MetaDirectory database, if it exists.

Contact URL Links

In each record three contact URL links can be configured, with which the contact can refer to other web pages. The first contact URL has a special use when estos MetaDirectory is used with estos ProCall.
estos ProCall uses this URL for all content that could be opened outside the application without having to start the client. For example, this URL is used for missed calls. You can open the contact directly without starting estos ProCall. This URL is called when you open a contact in estos ProCall for editing.
At the LDAP level, the URL configured here is stored in the directWebLink database field. This link is also saved in contactURL for reasons of compatibility.
The link can contain all registered URL handlers. So not only http: links, but also e.g. outlook: links are possible.
The link can contain all fields of the contact, which can also be used in the template parser. These are, for example, <EntryID> <DisplayName>.
Web-based CRM
If the contact originates from a data source of a web-based CRM system, the link can be stored directly to the contact in the CRM system. For this purpose, the <EntryID> of the contact must usually be inserted in the URL.
Microsoft CRM 3.0
If the contact is from Microsoft CRM 3.0, you can use the URL http://mscrmserver/sfa/conts/edit.aspx?id=<EntryID> for the contact is possible.
Microsoft Outlook
If the contact is from Microsoft Outlook/Exchange, the URL outlook:<EntryID> can be used to open the contact with Microsoft Outlook.

Since Microsoft Outlook 2007, Microsoft no longer writes the Outlook URL handler, which is required for this function, to the registry when Outlook is installed.

HCL Notes
If the contact originates from Notes, the URL notes://server/database.nsf/view/<EntryID>?OpenDocument can be used to open the contact with Notes.

Datasource location settings

The settings of the location of a data source are used for automatic formatting of phone numbers. During replication, the phone numbers from the database are converted into a canonical format. For example, the canonical formatting turns a phone number like "08151 368561" into the phone number "+498151368561". The formatting is done automatically and recognizes many phone number formats.
Country or region of the data source
Specify the country from which this data source originates. If a phone number without a country code is entered in the database (e.g. "030-1234567"), the replicator must know which country code is to be used. If "Germany" is now selected, this phone number becomes "+49301234567".
Area Code
Enter your own area code here. This area code can be used to add phone numbers from your own local network. If the database contains phone numbers without a prefix (e.g. "1234567"), the prefix is used to format the phone number. Enter the area code without prefix (e.g. "30" for Berlin).
Primary System Phone Number (system connection)
If the database contains internal phone numbers (e.g. "210"), the replicator must know to which connection this phone number belongs. Enter the basic call number of your connection. If the subscriber "210" can be reached under the call number "+49-30-12345-210", enter "12345" as the system call number.

Schedule replication plan

Define when replication should be scheduled and at which intervals this process should be performed.

Replicators can also be started via the Windows task scheduler. In this case, the names of the replicators are taken as arguments of the "-r" parameter from MetaServer.exe or passed to an already running instance for startup.

MetaServer.exe is specified as the program to be started, e.g. E.g.: C:\Programs\estos\MetaDirectory\MetaServer.exe
Argument: -q -r <replikator1> [<replikator2> <replikator3> ...]
The parameter "-q" must be specified! It prevents the opening of message boxes which would prevent the termination of the task.
Several replicators - separated by spaces - can be specified one after the other.
Replikatoren, die Leerzeichen enthalten, müssen in Hochkommata angegeben werden, z. B.: -q -r "Text CSV File"
The user account to be used must be the one under which the MetaDirectory server was started. This is usually [SYSTEM].

Defining additional applications to be started

You can start other applications before and after the replication process. Specify the path to the corresponding application here. The applications are started by the replicator, so they run with the same rights as the replicator and may block other replicator calls if they run for a long time.

Assigning a name for 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.

Version 6

Replicator Wizard

Example of use: