Adding a New Data Source

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You use the Profiles resource to add new data sources for storing profile data. You use profile data sources to map profile data to your data stores. Data stores can be OLE DB databases or LDAP sources.

You use a data source to map profile definitions to a database or LDAP source. You can partition the data source to map profile definitions to multiple data stores. You must create a database or an LDAP source before you can create a data source. The Profiles resource does not modify the underlying data store. You must make any schema changes directly to the database or to the LDAP store.

Ee810588.important(en-US,CS.10).gif Important

  • Some OLE DB drivers listed in the Data Link Properties dialog box are not appropriate for use with the Profiles resource. Do not use the following drivers:

    • Microsoft OLE DB Provider for DTS Packages

    • Microsoft OLE DB Provider for Indexing Service

    • Microsoft OLE DB Provider for Internet Publishing

    • Microsoft OLE DB Simple Packages

    • Microsoft OLE DB Provider for Microsoft Site Server Search

    • Microsoft OLE DB Provider for Commerce Server

    If you select any of these drivers in the Data Link Properties dialog box, you may get a Microsoft Data Link error message stating that the provider is no longer available.

To add a new SQL Server data source

To add a new LDAPv3-Compliant Source data source

To add a custom attribute to a data source partition

To add a new SQL Server data source

  1. Expand Commerce Server Manager, expand Global Resources, expand Profiles, expand Profile Catalog, right-click Data Sources, and then click New Data Source.

  2. In the New Data Source dialog box, do the following:

    Use this To do this
    Name Type the programmatic name of the data source. The name can contain a maximum of 127 alphanumeric characters and the underscore (_) symbol. The name cannot contain spaces.
    Display Name Type the name you want displayed for the data source. The display name can contain a maximum of 127 Unicode characters.
    Description Type a description for the data source. The description can contain a maximum of 127 Unicode characters.

  3. Click Next.

  4. In the Data Source dialog box, in the Source Type drop-down list, select OLEDB-ANSI Provider, and then click Next.

  5. In the Partitions dialog box, select Partitioned Data Source to partition the data source, and then click Add.

  6. In the Partition dialog box, click Edit.

  7. In the Data Link Properties dialog box, on the Provider tab, select Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server as the provider for your data source, and then click Next.

  8. In the Data Link Properties dialog box, on the Connection tab, do the following:

    Use this To do this
    Select or enter a server name Select a server name from the drop-down list, or type the location of the server where the database you want to access is located.
    Refresh Click to refresh the server list.
    Use Windows NT integrated security Do not use this option. Commerce Server does not support Windows NT authentication.
    Use a specified user name and password Select this option to supply a user name and password to authenticate your logon information to the data source.
    User Name Type the user ID to use for authentication when you log on to the data source.
    Password Type the password to use for authentication when you log on to the data source.
    Blank password Select this option to enable the specified provider to return a blank password in the connection string.
    Allow saving password Select this option to allow the password to be saved with the connection string. Whether the password is included in the connection string depends on the functionality of the calling application. If the password is saved, it is returned and saved unmasked and unencrypted.
    Select the database on the server Select this option to type the database name that you are mapping the data source to, or select the database name from the drop-down list.
    Attach a database file as a database name Do not use this option. Commerce Server does not support SQL Server version 6.5 or earlier.
    Using the filename Do not use this option. Commerce Server does not support SQL Server version 6.5 or earlier.
    Test Connection Click to attempt a connection to the specified data source. If the connection fails, verify that the settings are correct. Spelling errors and case sensitivity can cause failed connections.

  9. To return to the Partition dialog box, click OK.

  10. To save the data source and return to Commerce Server Manager, click Finish.

The data source is saved. You can add partitions, custom attributes, and data objects to it.

To add a new LDAPv3-Compliant Source data source

  1. Expand Commerce Server Manager, expand Global Resources, expand Profiles, expand Profile Catalog, right-click Data Sources, and then click New Data Source.

  2. In the New Data Source dialog box, do the following:

    Use this To do this
    Name Type the programmatic name of the data source. The name can contain a maximum of 127 alphanumeric characters and the underscore (_) symbol. The name cannot contain spaces.
    Display Name Type the name you want displayed for the data source. The display name can contain a maximum of 127 Unicode characters.
    Description Type a description for the data source. The description can contain a maximum of 127 Unicode characters.

  3. Click Next.

  4. In the Data Source dialog box, in the Source Type drop-down list, select LDAPv3-Compliant Source, and then click Next.

  5. In the Partitions dialog box, click Partitioned Data Source to partition the data source, and then click Add.

  6. In the Partition dialog box, click Edit.

  7. In the LDAP Connection String dialog box, do the following:

    Use this To do this
    Server Type the server name where the LDAP source is located.
    Port Type the port name. The default port is 389.

  8. To return to the Partition dialog box, click OK.

  9. In the Partition dialog box, do the following:

    Use this To do this
    Default Partition Select to designate this partition as the default partition.
    User Name Type the user name you use to access the LDAP source. If you are using an Active Directory server, type the user name in the form domain\username.
    Password Type the password you use to access the LDAP source.

  10. To open the System Attributes dialog box, click Next.

  11. In the System Attributes dialog box, do the following:

    Use this To do this
    Parent URL Type the location in the LDAP directory tree where you want your data to be stored.
    Use the same credentials for all users Select this option to specify that the Profiles resource always use the same credentials when binding to LDAP sources. If this option is not selected, the Profiles resource will use the credentials of the current user.
    Allow Simple Bind Select this option to send the password in clear text. This option is less secure, but is required by some directory services.
    Dynamic Container Select this option to connect to a dynamic store, such as Internet Locator Service (ILS).
    One-Level Select this option to set the default search scope to the current directory.
    Sub-Tree Select this option to set the default search scope to the current directory and sub-directories.
    Domain Name Type the domain name of the server if you are using Active Directory.
    Discover Click to find the domain name.

  12. Click Next.

  13. To return to the Partition dialog box, click OK.

  14. To save the data source and return to Commerce Server Manager, click Finish.

The data source is saved. You can add partitions, custom attributes, and data objects to it.

To add a custom attribute to a data source partition

  1. Expand Commerce Server Manager, expand Global Resources, expand Profiles, expand Profile Catalog, expand Data Sources, right-click the data source that contains the partition you want to add a custom attribute for, and then click Properties.

  2. In the Properties dialog box, on the Partitions tab, select the partition you want to add a custom attribute for, and then click Edit.

  3. In the Partitions dialog box, on the Custom Attributes tab, click New to add attributes to the data source.

  4. In the Custom Attribute dialog box, do the following:

    Use this To do this
    Name Type a programmatic name for the attribute. The name can contain a maximum of 127 alphanumeric characters and the underscore (_) symbol. The name cannot contain spaces.
    Display Name Type the name you want displayed for the attribute. The display name can contain a maximum of 127 Unicode characters.
    Description Type a description for the attribute. The description can contain a maximum of 127 Unicode characters.
    Value Type a value for the attribute.

  5. To save the attribute, click OK.

  6. To save the partition information, click OK.

  7. To return to Commerce Server Manager, click Finish.

The data source is saved with the custom attribute.

See Also

About the Profiles Resource

Adding a New Data Object

Adding a New Data Member

Managing Data Sources


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