Configure the FAST Search database connector

  • Article

 

Applies to: FAST Search Server 2010

The FAST Search database connector is a specialized indexing connector. The connector gathers content from database content sources.

You install the FAST Search database connector by installing FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint. After installation, you need to configure an XML file and map crawled to managed properties in the Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010 Central Administration to enable search on the content gathered by the connector.

Before you begin

Before you configure the FAST Search database connector, ensure you meet the following requirements.

Tip

If you have deployed FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint on multiple servers, you need to fulfill the requirements on the server that will run the connector, not on all the machines.

  • Install the applicable database drivers to connect to the database of your choice. The drivers should be placed into the \lib directory of your FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint installation directory.

    Note

    The SQL Server driver is already included.

  • Enable TCP/IP on your source database to give the database client access.

  • Install the 32 bit Java Runtime Environment (JRE) version 1.6 or newer.

  • Use a SQL Server 2008 Enterprise (or newer) database for tracking the state of items and the connector, instead of a SQL Server Express database, if you plan to crawl more than roughly 2 million items.

    Tip

    The system generates the file dbconfig.xml in the \etc folder in the FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint installation directory when you configure or reconfigure FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint. Should you have to change the database after installation, you need to update the connection string in this file.

  • Create a SQL query to use for crawling your database content. You may need the assistance of the database administrator for this.

Set the JAVA_HOME system environment variable

The following system environment variable should be set in order for the FAST Search database connector to work correctly.

You can set environment variables in Windows Server 2008 by clicking Start, right click on Computer, select Properties, then Advanced System Settings (click Continue if prompted to provide access), click Environment Variables and click New below System variables.

Tip

Use Windows Explorer to verify or find the actual file path in your environment.

Variable Description Value

JAVA_HOME

Point this variable to the folder where the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) is installed.

Note: If you have installed Java Development Kit (JDK), you should point JAVA_HOME to the bundled JRE instead.

Without JDK installed:Typically C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre1.6

With JDK installed: Typically C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jdk1.6.0_17\jre

Configuring the connector

To set up a basic configuration, copy the file jdbctemplate.xml that you can find in the FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint installation etc folder, typically located in C:\FASTSearch\etc. Give the copied file a new unique name, for example MyJDBCConfig.xml, and configure it for your environment in an XML editor of your choice. The configuration file should be stored in UTF-8 format. Place the new file back in the etc directory after configuration.

The table lists a number of parameters from this file that are required to set up a basic configuration.

Parameter group Parameter Description

Input

JDBCDriver

JDBC driver class name, defined by the JDBC driver provider.

Input

JDBCUrl

JDBC URL, specified by the JDBC driver provider. The URL may vary for different JDBC drivers.

Input

JDBCUsername

Database username.

May be omitted when using Windows integrated authentication to access SQL Server.

Input

JDBCPassword

Database password.

May be omitted when using Windows integrated authentication to access SQL Server.

Note

This password must be encrypted using the connectorpwgen.bat tool. See the section Encrypt passwords.

Input

JDBCSQL

Specifies the SQL crawl query. The selected columns in the SQL query will be available as crawled properties in FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint .

If you use time stamp updates, this attribute requires one of the following:

  • %TIMESTAMP%: Last crawl time is specified as a datetime value.

  • %TIMESTAMPSEC%: Last crawl time is specified as the number of seconds since the epoch.

Transformation

 JDBCPrimaryKeyField

The database view/table primary key. Used to create the item ID. Case-sensitive: must match your SELECT statement.

FASTSearchSubmit

Collection

Name of the destination content collection.

The default content collection for FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint is sp.

Encrypt passwords

  1. Verify that you meet the following minimum requirements: You are a member of the FASTSearchAdministrators local group on the computer where FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint is installed.

  2. On the Start menu, click All Programs.

  3. Click Microsoft FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint.

  4. Click the Microsoft FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint shell.

  5. At the Microsoft FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint shell command prompt, type the following command:

    connectorpwgen.bat

  6. Enter the password that you want to encrypt twice.

    Warning

    The encryption/decryption key is dependent on the user that performs the encryption/decryption. The user who will run the connector must run the connectorpwgen.bat tool.

  7. Copy the password (not including any new lines or white spaces) and paste it into Notepad. Remove the new line character and starting text.

  8. Copy the password from Notepad to the appropriate parameter in the configuration file.

See Also

Reference

connectorpwgen.bat reference

Concepts

jdbctemplate.xml reference