Map definition file

The mapping definition file contains mappings that define how the gateway maps data received from the ObjectServer to the destination data collecting application.

Note: You can configure the gateway to operate in one of two modes of operation: standard mode or IBM Operations Analytics - Log Analysis (LA) mode.

You can configure the mapping functions of the gateway by using the mapper properties defined in one of the following properties files:

  • G_XML.props - For gateways operating in standard mode.
  • G_SCALA - For gateways running in LA mode.

For details of these properties, see Mapping properties.

Running the gateway in standard mode

If you are running the gateway in standard mode, the default map definition file, xml.map, is located in the following directory:

$OMNIHOME/gates/xml

Running the gateway in LA mode

If you are running the gateway with OMNIbus Insight Pack Version 1.1.0.x and higher deployed against IBM Operations Analytics - Log Analysis, use the xml.map definition file, which is located in the following directory:

$OMNIHOME/gates/xml/scala

If you are running the gateway with OMNIbus Insight Pack Version 1.3.0.0 and Version 1.3.0.1 and higher and Network Manager Insight Pack Version 1.3.0.0 and higher deployed against IBM Operations Analytics - Log Analysis, use the xml1300.map definition file, which is located in the following directory:

$OMNIHOME/gates/xml/scala

If you are running the gateway with OMNIbus Insight Pack Version 1.3.0.2 and higher and Network Manager Insight Pack Version 1.3.0.0 and higher deployed against IBM Operations Analytics - Log Analysis, use the xml1302.map definition file, which is located in the following directory:

$OMNIHOME/gates/xml/scala

The order of the columns in the map definition file is important. It must match the order of the columns in the OMNIbus1100.properties file in the OMNIbus Insight Pack for IBM Operations Analytics - Log Analysis. You may need to edit the gateway map file to ensure that the order of the columns does match.

When running the gateway in LA mode, the gateway uses several lookup tables to provide easy conversion from a numeric value to a string for the numeric columns used in the map definition file. As a result, the event data ingested by IBM Operations Analytics - Log Analysis contain string values only; this allows you to search against string values directly and makes the search results easier to understand. For example, you can search for Severity=Critical instead of Severity=5.

The contents of the lookup tables should be consistent with the conversions in the ObjectServer. If you make any change to the conversions in the ObjectServer, you must update the gateway map file to keep them identical. Changes or additions to the lookup table will take effect only after the gateway is stopped and restarted.

Information flow

The gateway is comprised of mapper, reader, and writer components. The flow of information between the components is as follows:
  1. The reader component reads from the source ObjectServer and passes the data to the mapper component.
  2. The mapper component transforms the data it receives into an appropriate form for the target writer using the map definition file. It then passes the data to the writer component.
  3. The writer component writes the data it receives to the destination data collecting application.