Add Source Connection Wizard

Select Provider> Set Connection String> Select Tables> Actions>Summary

Use this wizard to create a connection to the database that contains the data you want to replicate, tables that hold all the information needed for your replication.

Select Provider

Source Name

Type a name to identify the source connection. This name appears in the Metadata Explorer as a way to group connections for a specific replication.

Database

Select the database for which you want to create a connection.

Provider

Select a .NET data provider from the list. If no .NET provider is available for the database, select either an OLE DB provider or an ODBC driver. By default, only default providers are listed in this dialog. If you want to see all providers for a specific database, uncheck the Use Only Default Providers option in the Options dialog.

.NET providers are preferred over ODBC drivers or OLE DB providers because, with Syniti DR being a .NET application, it can take advantage of the use of native .NET providers based on the same architecture. If you use ODBC or OLE DB connections, the .NET framework will need to add a software layer for every call you make to the driver, adding overhead. Besides, using 100% managed .NET providers, there is no risk of memory leaks because the .NET framework cleans up memory automatically using an internal garbage collector.

Assembly

This field is displayed only if using a .NET data provider, and the provider has not been registered. Provide a path to the .NET data provider DLL. Check the Database Access Provider List in the Help Center before entering a value in the  Assembly field.

Set Connection String

Connection Properties

Edit at least the Required connection properties by clicking in the property value field and typing a new value.

For Synchronization Replications:
The login/user ID that you provide must be unique to Syniti DR. It should not be used for any transactions occurring in either database involved in the synchronization. Syniti DR does not replicate transactions by the user you specify in this connection.  This user ID is used by Syniti DR during synchronization to read the database logs and perform the synchronization operations. Therefore, any transactions found in the logs with this user ID are not replicated as part of the synchronization data.

For SQL Server Replications:
If you are replicating from SQL Server using mirroring or synchronization, for the user ID and password fields, provide a login that does not have system administrator privileges. This login ID should also be used exclusively for Syniti DR(i.e., no other applications should use the login ID that you specify for Syniti DR). You will need to provide a second login with system administrator privileges in the Enable Transactional Replication wizard. The second login is used to create the distributor and to access the transaction log.

For Db2 for i Replications:
If you are connecting to IBM Db2 for i (iSeries/AS400)  as your source database, see IBM Db2 for i Connection Recommendations.

For Oracle Replications:
If you are replicating from Oracle using mirroring or synchronization, enter a user ID which will be exclusively used by Syniti DR and has the authority to read the database transaction log (redo log.)

The list of Optional properties for .NET and OLE DB providers contains the most commonly used properties for the providers. Edit these as needed.  Note that some properties are displayed with default values (no bold text.) Any values that you add or edit are displayed in bold text. Check the documentation for your provider for a complete list of properties. You can set the value of the ExtendedProperties property to define additional property-value pairs. The syntax for defining property-value pairs is: prop1=val1;prop2=val2;....

If you are using an ODBC driver, click in the ConnectionString value field and then click to open the ODBC Driver Connection dialog. The contents of this dialog depend on the ODBC driver that you are using. Provide values for the dialog fields, then click OK to make a test connection and set the values in the wizard.

Edit

Click Edit to open a text entry window where you can paste or type a connection string for your provider. This is offered as an alternative to the Connection Properties grid, but should be used with great care because an error in the connection string can cause a connection to fail or to have unexpected properties. This window displays any connection information that you have already entered in connection string format. Note that default values are not displayed as part of the connection string.

Test

Click Test to make sure that the connection correctly opens a database connection.

Select Tables

Choose one or more objects from the tree to associate with the source connection. Objects include tables, views and aliases. When creating a replication, you will be able to select an object for replication from those that you have chosen in  this wizard. If you create multiple replications, you can select an object for each replication that you are defining.

Filtering the Table View

Use the filter field to limit the number of tables to view at any time. The field expects standard SQL syntax. Either type in the full name of the object you want to retrieve, or use ‘%’ as search pattern. For example, if you type AB%, all objects beginning with the letters ‘AB…’ are displayed. To apply the filter, type the filter in the textbox and click . If filtering is not available for a specific node, or connection, the filter icon is inactive.

  • You can apply a filter on any node in the tree, as long as you provide the correct SQL syntax.

  • If you apply incorrect SQL syntax, the error dialog reports a SQL error. You should be familiar with the SQL syntax for your database to analyze and fix the error.

  • Syniti DR stores the filter so that if you select another node, then go back to the previous one, the filter is retrieved.

  • When a node in the tree has been expanded with a filter, its icon is modified to show that the full contents of that node have been filtered:

  • Note that some databases, such as IBM Db2 for i, may not support the % symbol on one or more levels in the tree (catalog, schema, etc.).

  • If you expand a node applying one filter (for example, A%) and then select/remove some tables, then change the filter to B% and select/remove other tables, when clicking OK the dialog will remember all the chosen tables and will apply all filters.

To remove a filter, either click , or delete the filter text and click . The content for the node is reloaded without filtering information.

Use the Hide System Tables checkbox to limit the number of tables displayed.

Use the Select All Tables and Deselect All Tables buttons to work with multiple tables.

Note: When using SQL Server as a source in mirroring (or as a source or target in synchronization replications), SQL Server requires that tables have a primary key defined.

 

Select a database owner/schema, then click this button to check all tables under the owner/schema.

Select a database owner/schema, then click this button to uncheck all tables under the owner/schema.

 Note: For more information about the Load Tables List icon, see Loading Table Selections from a File.

Actions

Choose any actions that you would like to perform after completing the wizard. Note that if you plan to set up mirroring or synchronization replications, you first need to complete the Enable Transactional Replication wizard.

Launch the Enable Transactional Replication wizard

Allows you to choose the appropriate source database log access for mirroring and synchronization replications. This wizard can also be accessed from the Metadata Explorer by selecting the connection, then choosing Connection Properties from the right mouse button menu. Set the Transactional Setup field to Enable to open the wizard.

Launch the Target Connection wizard

Opens the Target Connection wizard to create a connection to the target database for replication

Summary

Database name

The name of the database server

Database version

The database server version

Provider type

The description of the provider that you selected in the Select provider screen.

Provider name

Whatever connection information is available for the provider you have chosen. In some cases, this field will be blank. In other cases, the provider DLL may be displayed.

Proceed with the definition of a target connection

When checked, the Target Connection wizard is displayed on completion of the Source Connection wizard. Use the Target Connection wizard to define a connection to the database that will contains the replicated data.

Opening the Source Connection Wizard

  1. In the Management Center Metadata Explorer, select the label Sources.

  2. From the right mouse button menu, choose Add New Connection.