IBM DB2 Everyplace Sync Server Administration Guide Version 7 Release 2 Modification 1
In the Mobile Devices Administration Center, you administer the
synchronization process through a set of synchronization
objects. A synchronization object contains information about
aspects of the synchronization process in your organization. There are
six types of synchronization objects:
- Group
- A group of users with similar mobile data synchronization needs.
You define synchronization characteristics for each group, such as which
applications the users in the group need to access to perform their jobs and
what subsets of enterprise data they need to access.
- User
- A user who uses the DB2 Everyplace Sync Server to synchronize data between
a source (the enterprise system) and a target (the mobile device). You
assign a user to a group to provide access to the subscriptions defined in the
group's subscription sets.
- Subscription
- A specification for what information in a source database or server
is to be replicated to a target database (the DB2 Everyplace database on the
mobile device). Like a magazine subscription where you choose the types
of information you want to see on a periodic basis, a subscription allows you
to define which subsets of your enterprise's data and files the group
members are allowed to access. Members can then access and synchronize
just this subset of data and files, improving both security and
performance. You can create two types of subscriptions: file
subscriptions for files stored at the source server, and table subscriptions
in the source database using either DataPropagator or JDBC
subscriptions.
- Subscription set
- A collection of subscriptions. To provide group members with access
to the data and files defined in subscriptions, you collect the subscriptions
together in a container called an subscription set, then assign
this container object to the group. This two-step process of
enabling members of a group to access the information that they need makes
administration easier because you can bundle a set of subscriptions and assign
that bundle to multiple groups if necessary.
When users start the synchronization client software on the device,
they choose which subscription set to synchronize. The menu of
subscription sets that appears on the client is created from the list of
subscription sets associated with the user's group.
During a synchronization, if the client failed to synchronize a
subscription successfully, it skips the remaining subscriptions in the same
subscription set, and continues with the next subscription set.
Tip: | Group closely related subscriptions into a subscription set instead of
randomly assigning different subscriptions to a subscription set. This
can make troubleshooting easier if a subscription set fails to synchronize
successfully.
|
- Adapter
- An adapter is used to synchronize and communicate with the Sync
Server. A collection of adapters is included for synchronizing files,
relational data with DB2, relational data with JDBC, and remote query and
stored procedure functionality.
- Log
- After you implement mobile data synchronization, you can monitor any
synchronization problems using the error messages written to the error
log. Monitoring log activity is explained in Viewing the error log to diagnose problems.
You can create and edit groups, subscriptions, subscription sets, and users
to handle your organization's synchronization requirements. Logs
are available for viewing only.
As you create, edit, or delete synchronization objects, the Mobile Devices
Administration Center records this administration information in a control
database stored on the source system. The name of this database is
DSYCTLDB. DSYCTLDB is a reserved name; you cannot rename the
database or use the name DSYCTLDB for any other database in the system.
Created at installation time, the control database helps the Sync Server
authenticate users and obtain subscription information to determine what to
replicate for the synchronization requests. Because it contains
synchronization setup information as well as status information about
synchronization operations, ensure that you regularly back up the
administration control database. Passwords and other information in
this database are not encrypted; thus, ensure that you take appropriate
steps to protect this database.
Although each object requires different input, you create all objects using
the same basic process in the Mobile Devices Administration Center. You
can create an object from the object tree or when you are working within
another object.
To create a synchronization object:
- In the object tree, right-click the object folder that corresponds to the
type of object that you want to create.
- Select Create. If you are creating a subscription, a
submenu displays. Select either File subscription,
Table subscription, or Custom subscription, depending on
the type of subscription that you want to create.
The Create notebook opens with the object type displayed in the title of
the notebook.
For details on how to complete the notebook pages for each object, see one
of the following topics:
After you save an object, you can edit the object to complete it or make
changes. See Editing a synchronization object for more information.
The Mobile Devices Administration Center allows you to create new
synchronization objects for a related object without disturbing your
workflow. For example, you might be editing the characteristics of a
group named Visiting Nurses and realize that you need to add a new nurse who
just started work. Without leaving the Edit Group notebook, you could
click Create on the Users page to open the Create User notebook,
where you can add the new nurse and assign the nurse to the Visiting Nurses
group.
After you create an object, information about that object appears in the
contents pane. To display objects in the contents pane, select a folder
in the object tree.
Different columns appear in the contents pane depending on which folder is
currently open. The column headings are listed here
alphabetically.
- Adapter
- This field displays the adapter used by the subscription.
- Customizer class name
- This field displays Java classname of the custom adapter.
- Data filter
- This field displays Yes if you set a data filter for the user
or group and No if no data filter has been set.
- Description
- This field displays the description that you gave the object when you
created it, and appears for all objects except logs.
- Device type
- This field displays the type of device registered to the user. You
do not enter this information using the Mobile Devices Administration
Center; the DB2 Everyplace Sync Server obtains the device type when the
user registers the device.
- Enabled
- This field displays Yes if the group or user has been enabled
for synchronization and No if it is not enabled. (See Enabling and disabling synchronization for information on enabling a group or user for
synchronization.)
- Encryption Level
- This field displays the encryption level used during data transfer.
- Group
- When the Users folder is selected, this field displays the name
of the group to which the user is assigned. When the Subscription
sets folder is selected, this field displays the number of groups
associated with the subscription set.
- Name
- This field displays the unique name that you gave the object when you
created it, and appears for all objects except logs.
- Signature
- This field displays the signature used by the adapter.
- Subscriptions
- This field displays the number of subscriptions assigned to the
subscription set.
- Subscription sets
- This field displays the number of subscription sets associated with a
group or subscription.
- Synchronization status
- This field displays the synchronization status of the user.
The synchronization status is retrieved by selecting a user, right-clicking
it, and then selecting Synchronization status. The status
displayed is real-time and indicates whether a synchronization session is
starting, is in progress, or is completed.
- Type
- This field displays the type of subscription.
- Users
- This field displays the number of users assigned to a group.
When you make changes to an object, those changes might not be immediately
displayed in the contents pane. To refresh the contents of an object
folder:
- Right-click the object folder.
- Select Refresh.
If you have several synchronization objects in a folder, you might need to
filter the folder's contents to more easily find what you need.
Filtering a folder's contents displays a subset of the contents according
to search criteria that you enter.
To filter a folder's contents:
- Right-click the object folder.
- Select Filter. The Filter notebook opens, displaying the
column headings in the contents pane for the selected object folder.
Some columns cannot be filtered.
- In the Values field of the Locate page, type your search
criteria.
The Mobile Devices Administration Center displays only those objects
meeting the specified filter criteria. After you set the filter for an
object, you must explicitly clear the filter to display all elements in an
object, or all objects in the tree.
For more information about object filters, see the online help for the DB2
Control Center.
Another way to quickly find what you need is to sort a column in the
contents pane alphabetically.
To sort a column, click the column heading. The system rearranges
the data rows in alphabetical order according to the column that is currently
selected.
After you save a synchronization object in the administration control
database, you can open the object in edit mode to add information or make
changes.
To edit an object:
- In the object tree, open the object folder that corresponds to the type of
object that you want to edit. The contents of the folder are displayed
in the contents pane.
- In the contents pane, right-click the object that you want to edit.
- Select Edit. The Edit notebook opens with the object
type displayed in the title of the notebook. The Edit notebook contains
all the same fields as the Create notebook for the object. For
information on specific pages and fields, see the sections for the type of
object that you want to edit:
You can delete any object in the Mobile Devices Administration
Center. Before you delete an object, however, consider the consequences
on your users' synchronization sessions. Will deleting the object
cause a synchronization session to fail? If it does, the objects affected by
the deletion are automatically disabled. (See Enabling and disabling synchronization for more information.)
To delete an object:
- In the object tree of the Mobile Devices Administration Center, open the
object folder that corresponds to the type of object that you want to
edit.
- In the contents pane, right-click the object that you want to
delete. To select multiple objects serially, hold down the Ctrl key
while selecting. To select multiple objects contiguously, hold down the
Shift key while selecting.
- Select Delete. A confirmation window displays the
objects that you selected for deletion. Clear the Delete
check box for any items you decide to keep.
- Click OK.
When you delete an object, its information is automatically deleted
from the administration control database. When you delete a
subscription, mirror tables associated with that subscription are
automatically dropped from the mirror database as well.
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