This chapter introduces some of the basic concepts in IBM® Security Directory
Integrator, along with those elements of the architecture that allow you to build your solutions, their characteristics and behaviors.
The AssemblyLine
An AssemblyLine (AL) is a set of components strung together
to move and transform data; it describes the "route" along which the
data will pass. The data that is been handled through that journey
is represented as an Entry object. The AssemblyLine works
with a single entry at a time on each cycle of the AssemblyLine. It
is the unit of work in IBM Security Directory
Integrator and typically
represents a flow of information from one or more data sources to
one or more targets.
The Entry object
One of the cornerstones of understanding IBM Security Directory
Integrator is knowing how data is stored and
transported within the system. This is done using an object called
an entry. The entry object can be thought of as a "Java™ bucket" that can hold any number
of Attributes: none, one or many.