Skip to content

0464 Integration Groups

The types in this model are used to create integration group definitions and provide support for integration connectors to record their activity with the principle (anchor) entity.

UML

IntegrationGroup entity

An integration group is a software capability that is able to run specific integration connectors on demand.

RegisteredIntegrationConnector relationship

The integration connectors to run in an integration group are specified via the RegisteredIntegrationConnector relationships.

  • connectorName sets up the name of the connector. This name is used for routing refresh calls to the connector as well as being used for diagnostics. Ideally it should be unique amongst the connectors for the integration service.
  • connectorUserId sets up the user id for the connector - if this is null, the integration daemon's userId is used on requests to the Open Metadata Access Service (OMAS).
  • metadataSourceQualifiedName sets up the qualified name of the metadata source for this integration connector. This is the qualified name of an appropriate software capability element stored in open metadata. This software capability is accessed via the partner OMAS and is used to control the origin information - known as metadata provenance in any metadata elements created by the integration connector. The default value is null, which means all metadata elements created by the integration connector will have local cohort provenance values and can be updated by other process in the open metadata ecosystem. If it is set up with a valid qualified name, the metadata elements will have external source provenance values and only the integration connector is able to update the values.
  • startDate sets up a date/time that determines when the integration connector can start running.
  • refreshTimeInterval sets up the number of minutes between each call to the connector to refresh the metadata. Zero means that refresh is only called at server start up and whenever the refresh REST API request is made to the integration daemon. If the refresh time interval is greater than 0 then additional calls to refresh are added spaced out by the refresh time interval.
  • stopDate sets up a date/time that determines when the integration connector must stop running.
  • permittedSynchronization is an optional property that defines the permitted directions of metadata flow between the third party technology and open metadata. If the integration connector attempts to flow metadata in a direction that is not permitted, it receives the UserNotAuthorizedException. The default for this value is set up automatically in the integration service's descriptive information so this value only needs to be set if it is necessary to restrict the behavior of the connector. These are the different values for this property and their effect:

    • TO_THIRD_PARTY - The third party technology is logically downstream of open metadata. This means the open metadata ecosystem is the originator and owner of the metadata being synchronized. Any updates detected in the third technology are overridden by the latest open metadata values.
    • FROM_THIRD_PARTY - The third party technology is logically upstream (the originator and owner of the metadata). Any updates made in open metadata are not passed to the third party technology and the third party technology is requested to refresh the open metadata version.
    • BOTH_DIRECTIONS - Metadata exchange is permitted in both directions. Synchronization is halted on a specific element if potentially clashing updates have occurred both in the third party technology and open metadata. Such conflicts are logged on the audit log and resolved through manual stewardship.

IntegrationConnector entity

Integration connectors are specialist connectors. They are represented in open metadata using the IntegrationConnector entity which is a specialization of DeployedConnector. This entity is linked to a Connection entity via a ConnectionToAsset relationship.

An integration connector can be linked to multiple integration groups via the RegisteredIntegrationConnector relationship. It can only be linked to a specific integration group once. If multiple instances of the same integration connector implementation is to be specified in a group. each one is represented by an IntegrationConnector entity linked to its own Connection entity that describes its required behaviour.

The usesBlockingCalls attribute sets up whether the connector should be started in its own thread to allow it to block on a listening call.

CatalogTarget relationship

The CatalogTarget relationship links an IntegrationConnector entity to another entity that the integration connector is to update. For example, if an integration connector is configured to catalog a database and its Database entity is already created, the CatalogTarget would link the IntegrationConnector entity with the Database entity. This prevents the integration connector from recreating the Database entity when it runs.

An integration connector may have multiple catalog targets. The attributes of this relationship are used to control the processing of each one.

  • catalogTargetName provides a symbolic name for the catalog target. This is used in messages ans it is helpful to have a unique name ofr each catalog target.
  • configurationProperties provide properties that control the behaviour of the integration connector whilst it is processing the catalog target. Its value override the configuration properties supplied in the integration connector's connection.

IntegrationReport entity

The IntegrationReport entity describes the updates made by an integration connector during a single call to its refresh() method. A report is only created if the connector made changes (create, update, delete) to the metadata.

The attributes are as follows:

  • serverName - name of the integration daemon where the integration connector is running/ran.
  • connectorId : unique identifier of the connector. This is either set in the integration daemon's configuration document or it is the unique identifier (guid) of the RegisteredIntegrationConnector relationship that links the integration connector into a running integration group.
  • connectorName : name of the connector. This is either set in the integration daemon's configuration document or it is the unique identifier (guid) of the RegisteredIntegrationConnector relationship that links the integration connector into a running integration group.
  • refreshStartDate : The date/time that the refresh() call was made to the integration connector.
  • refreshCompletionDate : The date/time that the integration connector returned from the refresh() call.
  • createCounts : A map of element type names to the number of instances of that type that were created and anchored to the anchor subject.
  • updateCounts : A map of element type names to the number of instances of that type that were updated while anchored to the anchor subject.
  • deleteCounts : A map of element type names to the number of instances of that type that were deleted while anchored to the anchor subject.
  • additionalProperties - additional properties of importance to the integration connector.

RelatedIntegrationReport relationship

The RelatedIntegrationReport relationship links the anchor entity to an integration report.


Raise an issue or comment below