How to Set Up and Configure the Objective EDM Connector

This section reviews the settings configured within the Connections tab of the Longitude Connectors menu, and applies to both new and existing connectors. It also describes any tasks you need to run to establish a new connection Connection defines the how Connectivity Hub connects to your Source System (which contains your documents, graphics, etc.,). Your Connection includes identifying elements such as: URL of the BA Insight web service connector you are using, (File Share connector, SharePoint Online connector, etc.), Authentication mode, User Accounts and Credentials, Database information (for database connectors).

How to Establish a Web Service Connector

This section describes how to complete the Web Service/Authentication Mode fields common to all Web Services connectors.

1. Open the Connector Framework Console and click the Connections tab.
   
2. From the Connection Management drop-down, select new Web Services Connection.
   
   • The WebService Connection page displays.
     
3. Enter a unique name for the connection.
   
4. Content Owner: Enter a valid domain account with full rights to the search results (domain\userid).
   
5. Discovery Group: If applicable to your Connector, enter a valid domain group that will have full rights to search results.
   
6. Establish the Web Service connection:
   1. Enter the full path to the BA-Insight DataConnector Web service using either HTTP or https (see "Determine the Web Service URL").
      
      1. For example: http://<YOURSERVER>:<PORT#>/dataconnector.asmx.
         
      2. Replace the server name with the server where you installed the connector and the port that was set during the installation.
   2. If your connector has multiple versions, select the version from a drop-down list.
   3. For Authentication Mode choose either Service Account or Impersonate.
      1. For details, see "Choose a Web Service Authentication Mode" on page 25
   4. Click Enable Tracing to enable Trace-level logging.
      
7. Clean Data:
   1. If available with to your Connector, you can check this box to scrub incoming data of control characters.
   2. Use this only when there is bad data and it is causing exception errors.
   3. Otherwise, leave it unchecked.
      
8. Click Connect or Refresh Web Service in the Web Service section.
   • The form refreshes to display additional settings for the URL you entered.
     
9. Click Save.

Go to the next topic for information about the remaining configuration settings for your connector.

Specific Configuration Settings for this Connector

This section describes how to complete additional settings for this Web Service Connector.

For instructions on accessing these settings, see "Establish a Web Service Connector" on page 8

1. Login:
   1. Objective supports the use of separate accounts for the Database and FileShare.
   2. Enter both accounts in the same field separated by a comma (,) (Example: databaseAccount,fileshareAccount)
      1. Database account:
         1. This account must have full read access to the Objective database using integrated security and must be on the database you specify below.
      2. Fileshare account:
         1. This account must have full read access to the File System Base UNC Path
2. Database Connection string:
   1. Enter a connection string for the current database following the above example.
3. File System Base UNC Path(s):
   1. The UNC paths of the Objective Fileshares.
   2. Add one on each line
4. Database schema:
   1. Specify the default schema for the user connecting to the Objective database.

To verify the default schema for the user specified in the Objective connection, access the Objective database with it and run the following system function: SELECT SCHEMA_NAME();

AD Settings

For caveats support:

• Group Creation Mode: Disabled – Native Only
• Dynamic Group Threshold – All Dynamic

Run the Datastore Type Load Task

The Datastore Types Load Collects the types of data from your source system. Runs on a set schedule. Requires a log level which logs information Task is needed for Connectors that support multiple types of content within the connector source system Your Source System is the repository where your data is stored (data to be indexed). This repository is managed by applications such as: - SharePoint O365 - SharePoint 2013/16/19 - Documentum - File Share - OpenText - Lotus Notes - etc. Your Source System repository can also be a database such as SQL or Oracle..

• For example, some systems have different areas for Discussion Forums, Blogs, Document Libraries, etc.

• The Datastore Types Load Task will inspect the connected system and retrieve the schema so that advanced metadata Provides context with details such as the source, type, owner, and relationships to other data sets. Metadata provides details around the item being crawled by Connectivity Hub. generation and filters can be utilized.

To create the initial Datastore Type Load use the following steps:

1. Select the Tasks tab.
   
2. Select your Connector from the Item field.
   
3. Select Job Definitions > Datastore Types Load.
4. Click Start Job and click Refresh to show the job status.
   
   1. The job information displays below.
   2. When the job has completed, you see "Complete" in the Status column.

Frequency

• Usually this is run once during the initial Connector configuration after the Connection to the source system has been configured.

• After that, it depends upon how often the source system changes the Datastore hierarchy.

• It is recommended you run this task at least once a day.

Defining Content Sources for an Objective

This section describes the settings configured within the Content Management tab of the Connector Management menu.

This is where you define your Content Sources within connected systems, and manage existing content sources.

Define Content for a Web Service Connector

Use the Content Info page to link content to the connector you have defined, and provide basic indexing information.

1. Click the Content tab.
   
2. From the Connection Management drop-down, select New Web Services Content.
   
3. From the Connection drop-down, select the connection to the line of business system's server you have already created.
   
4. Enter a unique name for this Content item.
   1. For SharePoint search this will become the Content Source name in the SSA.
   2. You should NOT change this unless you want to clear the index and recreate the Content Source in the SSA.
      
5. Check Enable Indexing and click the New link to display the Manage Schedules dialog.
   
6. Choose the appropriate Security Target A Target is a "pointer" to a specific instance of a search application, such as Elasticsearch. - (A Search application instance has one or more indexes):

• Normal
  • Use the Normal setting if you mapped your source system security group to Active Directory A directory service for Windows domain networks. A hierarchical structure that stores information about objects on the network. Used to manage permissions and control access to critical network resources. equivalents (see the connection page for this content source).
  • In this case, if Security Target setting is set to Normal, all security information (that is, SIDs the list of users and groups having access to a document) is propagated to and stored in the SharePoint index as Active Directory SIDs.
  • This is the appropriate choice for most installations.
• escbasebadocacl property
  • Use the escbasebadocacl property setting if you decided (or where advised) against mapping your source system security groups to Active Directory.
  • If Security Target setting is set to escbasedocacl property, all security information is written to a special managed property with name "escbasedocacl".

1. Enter a date for the Crawl Start Point.
   1. Content with a Creation/Last Update prior to this date will usually be left out of the connector's item retrieval.
      
2. For Max Paging Size, enter a value for the # of items to be queued for crawling at a time.
   1. The value depends on performance of both the SharePoint Farm and the Connector/Source System.
   2. The recommended value is: 20,000.
      
3. For Content Localization, enter a valid localization ID (LCID).
   1. In most cases, accept the default. (See http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/goglobal/bb964664.aspx to find an alternate location.)
   2. This ID applies to metadata values, not attachments or files, as those are automatically localized during indexing.
      
4. (Available with some connectors)
   For Max File Size, enter the maximum file size to be processed in MB.
   1. Files larger than this size will be skipped.
   2. Default: 50 MB.
   3. Go to the next topic for information about the additional content settings for your connector.

Customize Content Item Definitions

For connectors that support this feature, click the Item Definition tab to customize the item URL and item grouping for search results.

1. Click the Content tab.
   
2. On the Content Management page, select your content from the Content column.
   
3. On Content Management page click the Item Definition tab.
   
4. For Item URL, enter an Item URL to OVERRIDE the default URL for the content. This is the link that users are given in search results to click.
   1. Use the Select Column drop-down to pick a field for the URL.
   2. As an alternative, click the Advanced link use a custom script to define the url.
   3. If you add custom script, click the Compile link to test it.
      
5. Item Extension (if available with your connector) – Enter the extension that appears in search results and controls which icon is displayed. (The extension must be registered with SharePoint).
   1. Use the Select Column drop-down to pick a field for the extension.
   2. As an alternative, click the Advanced link use a custom script to define the item.
   3. If you add custom script, click the Compile link to test it.
      
6. Item Title (if available with your connector)
   1. Enter the title that appears in search results.
      1. Use the drop-down list to set a default title, which you can set for each database.
      2. As an alternative, click the Advanced link use a custom script to define the item.
      3. If you add custom script, click the Compile link to test it.
         
7. Item Author (if available with your connector)
   1. Enter the author that appears in search results.
      1. Use the Select Column drop-down to pick a field for the author.
      2. As an alternative, click the Advanced link use a custom script to define the item.
      3. If you add custom script, click the Compile link to test it.
         
8. Item Grouping
   1. This field is available in all search results as the managed property escbaseclass.
   2. Use if you want to customizing the results XSLT.
      1. Use the Select Column drop-down to pick a field.
      2. Click the Advanced link use a custom script to define the item.
      3. Click the Compile link to verify the script.
         
9. Click Save.

How to Generate Content Metadata

The Content Metadata page allows you to manage existing metadata definitions for an established Content Source, create new metadata definitions, and clone existing metadata properties to new Content Sources.

1. Click the Content tab.
   
2. Under Actions click the Metadata link for the content source.
   
3. Click Automatically Create Managed Properties.
   
4. If applicable, enter a property name prefix to filter for the data you want to generate.
   
5. If you want to start with existing metadata to use as a template, select it from the Import drop-down list, and click Import.
   
6. Click Generate New.
   
7. To remove the metadata field for the associated Content Source, click the Delete Action.
   
8. To edit the property, click the property name.
   
9. View the Metadata Description.
   
10. View the Content type:
    • Boolean, DateTime, Integer, Numeric, or Text.
      
11. View whether the item is Active for the associated content source.
    • If checked, the metadata field will be used during content source indexing.
      
12. Select check box to include the metadata field in the full text index, as well as the property store.
    

    You can also set this flag in Central Administration UI : Search Service Application > Search Schema > Crawled Properties > Edit Crawled Property > Include in full-text index.

    Important! SharePoint 2013 ignores this flag for non-text properties that are mapped to managed properties, and these instances will not be included in full-text index.

    As a workaround, see the section on Connector Framework Troubleshooting in online help.

13. View whether a matching SharePoint Search Managed Property exists (Applicable to SharePoint Search instances only.)
    
14. View whether custom scripting is used in the generation of this metadata field.
    
15. View last modified date.
    
16. View list of Content Sub-types that this metadata applies to. (Applies to some connectors.)
    
17. View any alerts generated by the Framework associated with this item.

Access Advanced Content Settings

The Advanced Content tab is available with most connectors, and provides access to advanced scripting functions.

1. Click the Content tab.
   
2. On the Content Management page, select your content from the Content column.
   
3. On the Content Management page click the Advanced tab.
   
4. Select a separate Cache Database for indexing this Content item, from the list configured on the Framework Configuration page.
   

5. Add a custom Filter Script to query values from the connector to filter out unwanted items.

   Return "true to include item; return "false" to exclude item.
   For example:

   Copy

   dim flag as string = HOST.GetStringValue("myflag")
   if (flag = "bad") then
   return false
   else
   return true
   end if

6. For ACL Script, add to VBScript to override or modify the security attributes of the item.

   Note: In this script you can add/remove users and groups from the list of granted or denied users.
   You have access to all the item datasets in the script for more complex analysis.
   For example, if you wanted to add a special Group to each item that goes into the index you would write a script to:

   Copy

   HOST.AddGroupByID("domain\groupname", true)

7. Select Purge Mode Only to specify that only items missing from the index will be removed during subsequent incremental crawls Scanning and capturing only new data from all of your content sources. This data did not exist when the last crawl was run..
   

8. Enter VBScript functions to be used in all other scripts as library methods.
   For example:

   Copy

   function doSomeThing(inval as string) as string
   return inval.replace("a","b")
   end function

Determine the Web Service URL

Enter the full path to the Web Service connector in either of the following formats:

• https:// . . .(secure through SSL):
  • Data from this type of certification is encrypted.
  • You may decide to provide an https:// site that is either provided by an outside authority or one that is self-certified.
  • You may want to use a self-certified certificate when accessing a Web Service on your own intranet.
• http:// . . . (not secure through SSL):
  • Data transmitted between the framework and the Web Service using this format is not secure as it is not encrypted.

Choose a Web Service Authentication Mode

There are two authentication modes for a Web Services connector

Service Account	(Also known as Windows Authentication) Your application pool account is used to connect to the Web Service. Your web service can be installed on a different machine, but that machine should be in the same domain. If that machine is in a different domain, you must set up trust between the two domains.
Impersonate	Basic Authentication If you deployed your Web Services connector to a remote domain, select Impersonate and provide a User Account and Password.

You should configure the authentication manually in IIS for the web service.

• For more information on Basic authentication, see: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc772009(WS.10).aspx

The following table can help you decide which Web Service and Authentication Mode works best for you.

If you select . . .	with a Web Service that is	then your . . .
Service Account	secure through SSL	Data is encrypted and access to services is by Windows authentication only.
	not secure through SSL	Data is sent over the network unsecured and the Web Service is potentially exposed.
Impersonate	secure through SSL	Data is encrypted and access to your services is by Basic authorization, only.
	not secure through SSL	Password is transmitted in clear text. This method is not secure.