Incremental data synchronizer overview

The Incremental Data Synchronizer is a separately installed utility that provides fast synchronization of data and access control items. Synchronization occurs between the directory server that ISIM uses and the ISIM database.

In addition, the Incremental Data Synchronizer can be configured to enforce changes in the schema entities and attribute mappings used in custom report templates. The Incremental Data Synchronizer synchronizes staged reporting data (entities and attributes) and corresponding access control item information for the data. Additionally, it can propagate schema changes. The Incremental Data Synchronizer does the following operations:

1. Changelog synchronization:
   1. Obtain the changelogs from the directory server.
   2. Analyze the effective operation and attribute values of each modified entry.
   3. Update the access control item information, if necessary.
   4. Update all available entry attributes in the staged tables with the changes recorded in the directory changelog.
2. Schema enforcement:
   1. Determine any changes made to the report schema.
   2. Map or unmap entities, if necessary.
   3. Map or unmap entity attributes, if necessary.
   4. Add or remove the access control item information of the newly mapped and unmapped attributes.

A fully configured Incremental Data Synchronizer does the same functions as the built-in data synchronizer. However, it manages incremental changes to the data and does the synchronization task only on the changed data. By propagating only the changes since the last synchronization task was done, the Incremental Data Synchronizer can update the staged reporting data quickly.

You install and configure the Incremental Data Synchronizer after installing IBM Security Identity Manager. Incremental data synchronization is not a prerequisite for custom reports unless the environment requires a fast synchronization of data and access control item definitions.

The more often you run the Incremental Data Synchronizer, the less likely we are to have errors in the data. You are less likely to have errors in the access permissions to the report data. The accuracy of the custom reporting process is enhanced.

For information about the Incremental Data Synchronizer, search for Incremental Data Synchronizer in ISIM documentation.

• Directory Server changelog
  The Incremental Data Synchronizer uses a mechanism known as changelog, a feature provided by the directory server.
• Starting the incremental data synchronizer
  Start ISIM Server and synchronize the data with the Synchronize Data task in ISIM console before you start the Incremental Data Synchronizer.
• Fine-tuning the Incremental Data Synchronizer
  We can tune the performance of the Incremental Data Synchronizer by modifying properties in the adhocreporting.properties configuration file.

Parent topic: Data synchronization