TDI has kernel/component design, where kernel refers to the rapid integration development (RID) framework used to assemble integration solutions. Kernal features include...
TDI also provides a set of data source-specific components that abstract technical details of interacting with data sources. The two most common components are Connectors and Parsers.
Connectors provide connectivity to a wide variety of data sources, as well as inherent handling of structured data regardless of its underlying organization. Some connectors also serve as event-handlers, for example binding to IP ports and waiting for incoming connections, or 'listening' for changes to occur in directories, databases or files.
Parsers are used to deal with unstructured data (bytestreams) like those found in files, POP3/SMTP email, MQ messages and data streaming across IP ports.
Tivoli Directory Integrator provides an extendable library of Connectors and Parsers, each designed to work with a specific system, service, API, transport or format. The interchangeable nature of Tivoli Directory Integrator components allows us to build a solution based on test data - for example, text files - and then simply swap out the Connectors used in order to point the solution at live sources for verification and deployment.
We can augment the library to deal with custom data sources and services by downloading new components from a community website, writing out own components in Java, or by interactively building and testing them using script directly in the CE.
Parent topic: Simplify and solve