Manually Define a Database Connection

Overview

Some technologies allow you to manually define or override source system (mostly database) connection information. This guide describes the format of those connection files and references information in the individual Scanner Guides and Resource Configuration pages for the applicable scanners. Refer to those pages for additional details such as the name of the file where the information should be placed.

The connection settings are automatically extracted by IBM Manta Data Lineage during lineage analysis. However, in some cases it may be necessary to override them or define them manually. The most common cases where this is needed are as follows.

• The connection settings are extracted automatically by Manta Data Lineage during lineage analysis — but to resolve the ODBC connectors, Manta Data Lineage needs more information about the relevant source/destination systems than what is available in the automatically extracted connection details. (This is because the ODBC connections are defined outside the data integration tool.)

• Jobs are provided to Manta Data Lineage as manual inputs rather than via automated extraction (if available for the scanner).

• Manta Data Lineage is connecting to a non-prod environment for the ETL/Reporting tool but prod for the database. In such cases, the database name or server name may need to be overridden.

Connection Definition File Format

To manually define or override connection details, use the INI file format with the following sections and keys.

• Fill in each connection as much as possible. If you don't know how to fill in a property, leave it empty or don't even add it to the configuration file.

• Add a new section for each connection shortcut such as:

  • [Shortcut_Name] — the connection or data server name user by the data integration tool

  • Type=Oracle — the type of system such as:

    • Oracle
    • Teradata
    • MSSQL
    • Sybase
    • Netezza
    • DB2
    • JDBC
    • ODBC
    • FTP

  • Connection_String=orcl — can be a JDBC connection string or any identification of the database such as the SID, host name, etc.; it can match the Connection_Id in the manual dictionary mapping

  • Server_Name=Server — value depends on the type of system

    • Microsoft SQL Server, Sybase, Teradata, Db2, Netezza — the name of the server

    • Oracle and other databases — this value is ignored

    • FTP — host name

  • Database_Name=ORCL11 — value depends on the type of system

    • Oracle — global database name

    • Teradata, Microsoft SQL Server, Sybase, Db2, Netezza, and other databases — name of the default database

  • Schema_Name=Default — value depends on the type of system

    • Teradata — this value is ignored

    • Microsoft SQL Server, Sybase, Oracle, Db2, Netezza, and other databases — name of the default schema

  • User_Name=user — user name that logs in to the database (helps map the default database or schema, can be ignored)

• Add a new line at the end of the parameters for each section.

Example of a Section in the Configuration File

[Medical]
Type=MSSQL
Connection_String=jdbc:sqlserver://192.168.0.16:1433
Server_Name=
Database_Name=
Schema_Name=TestSchema
User_Name=user

[DB-HR]
Type=Oracle
Connection_String=jdbc:oracle:thin:@192.123.0.68:1521/orcl
Server_Name=
Database_Name=orcl
Schema_Name=HR
User_Name=