How to create a CSV Connector

Products

CA Identity Manager CA Identity Governance CA Identity Portal CA Identity Suite

Issue/Introduction

Is there a simple process to create a flat file (CSV) Connector?

Environment

Release : 14.3

Component : CA IDENTITY SUITE (VIRTUAL APPLIANCE)

Cause

User Case

Resolution

Pre-requisites:

Ensure that the CA Identity Manager Connector Server is installed and running.
Ensure that Connector Xpress is installed and configured.

Set-up Data Sources of CSV Type

A data source is a reference to schema-related information that Connector Xpress uses to map with a connector. You can connect to the data source to read its schema and then use Connector Xpress to map the schema to a new endpoint type.

When you create a Connector Xpress project, Connector Xpress prompts you to set up your data sources. In this example we are using a simple CSV flat file.

Example Data Source (No header):

Follow these steps:

1. In Connector Xpress, click New Project
2. The Select Data Source for new Project dialog appears.

3. Click Add.

The Source Types dialog appears.

4. Select CSV data source type from the list, then click OK.

The Edit Source dialog appears, specific to the type of data source you are adding.

5. Specify the data source details.
6. (Optional) Click Test to verify your settings and authentication details.
7. When the test has completed successfully, click OK.

You have successfully configured the data source.

The Select Data Source for new Project dialog appears.

8. Select the data source you want to use from the list, then click OK.

The Enter Password for Data Source Dialog appears.

9. Enter the password for the selected data source, then click OK.

10. Connector Xpress checks the CSV file and information in it and creates a new project. Based on the information from the CSV file, it identifies the related classes, attributes, and its associations (best-guess).

11. You now need to customize the details. Start by defining a name for the end point (Default “New Endpoint Type”). In the example below we call it StarTrek.

12. If you click on “User Account” (Left Pane), the “Map Account Class” settings (Right Pane) are displayed. As noted earlier these are a “best guess” mappings. As we are not using a header in the file the csv (flat file) data is analysed and an attempt is made to identify the content.

13. The Field headings are assigned and appended with a column marker (ie _p1). If these headings do not fairly represent the data in the source, you can double click in the field and edit the headings, but the must retain the column marker (see example below).

14. Now click on Attributes. You will now see how the Attributes are mapped against the default attributes. Any which are mismatched appear at the bottom of the list.

15. Reorganize the attributes so that the mappings are correctly aligned.

16. Next go through each attribute and set any specific attribute requirements.

Please note that all attributes should be set for allowed operations Create, Read and Modify. Also ensure that the correct “Rule String” is defined as appropriate. (See the product documentation for more information https://techdocs.broadcom.com/content/broadcom/techdocs/us/en/ca-enterprise-software/layer7-identity-and-access-management/identity-manager/14-3/administrating/managed-endpoints-and-provisioning/provisioning-roles/attributes-and-rule-strings-in-account-templates.html)

17. Click Project, Save, or Save As.

The Save Project As dialog appears.

18. Specify the folder to save the connector project in, the file name and the file type for the saved connector, and click Save.

Connector Xpress saves the project.

We recommend that you use the default file extension (.con) and that you keep a copy of the project. You cannot view the stored procedure bindings after you deploy a connector, unless you open the Connector Xpress project file where your bindings are stored.

Create an Endpoint Type

You can create an endpoint type using the loaded metadata.

You can only create an endpoint type when a Connector Xpress project is open.

Follow these steps:

1. Open the Flat File project.
2. In the Provisioning Servers tree, right-click the Endpoint Types node, then click Create new Endpoint Type.

The Create New Endpoint Type dialog appears.

3. Complete the fields on the dialog, then click OK.

You have defined the name of your new endpoint type and added the endpoint type to the Endpoint Types node of the Provisioning Server you specified.

Set a Managing Connector Server from the Endpoint Type Node

You can select a connector server to manage a particular endpoint type or endpoint from the endpoint type node.

Follow these steps:

1. In the Provisioning Servers tree, right-click the endpoint type you want to manage, then click Set Managing CS.

The Select Connector Servers dialog appears.

2. Select the Connector Server or Connector Servers from the list, then click OK.

You have specified the Connector Server or Connector Servers you want to manage. Connector Xpress adds the endpoint type or endpoint to the managed branches of the selected Connector Servers.

Deploy the Connector

Once you have created a connector, you can deploy the metadata for that connector to a Provisioning Server.

This procedure assumes that you have created the connector server configuration.

Follow these steps:

1. Open the existing project that contains the metadata you want to deploy.

Connector Xpress opens the project and displays the metadata in the Edit pane of the Connector Xpress window.

2. In the Provisioning Servers tree, expand the Provisioning Servers node and then choose the server where you want to deploy the connector.

The Provisioning Server Password Required dialog appears.

3. Complete the fields on the dialog to specify the password for the server, and click then OK.
4. Expand the server, and then right-click Endpoint Types, then click Create New Endpoint Type.

The Create New Endpoint Types dialog appears.

5. Complete the fields on the dialog to define the name of your new endpoint type, then click OK.

In some cases, a delay occurs before endpoint management screens are available. To check the status of the screen creation, use View Submitted Tasks in the User Console or configure a workflow process to send an email notification when the deployment completes.

6. Right-click on your new endpoint and select Acquire Endpoint.

The Create New Endpoint dialog appears.

7. Complete the fields on the dialog to specify the name and password for your new endpoint, then click OK.
8. (Optional) Under the endpoints node, right-click on your new endpoint and select Explore/correlate Endpoint.

The Explore/Correlate Endpoint dialog appears.

9. Complete the fields on the dialog to specify how Connector Xpress explores and correlates the endpoint, then click OK.

Connector Xpress deploys the connector to the Provisioning Server.

Explore and Correlate an Endpoint

After you deploy a connector, you can explore and correlate endpoint content in the Provisioning Manager.

Follow these steps:

1. Log into the Provisioning Manager as an administrator.
2. From the Endpoints drop-down menu, select an endpoint.
3. Under the endpoints node, right click on your new endpoint and select Explore/Correlate.

The Explore and Correlate Endpoint dialog appears.

4. Select the Explore endpoint for managed objects and Correlate accounts to global users check boxes.
5. Select the Create global users as needed option and click Start.
6. After the exploration completes, the Provisioning Manager displays the count of global users created.
7. To view the global users created, select Users from the menu bar.
8. Right click on a user and click List Accounts.

The List Accounts for Global User dialog appears.

9. Click Search. The account for the global user appears.
10. Right-click on a user and click Properties.

The User Account dialog appears, which shows the user and account details.

Additional Information

This Knowledge Article Augments the information supplied in the product documentation (link below):

http://techdocs.broadcom.com/content/broadcom/techdocs/us/en/ca-enterprise-software/layer7-identity-and-access-management/identity-management-and-governance-connectors/1-0/connectors/other-connectors/flat-file-connector.html