Specifying a Datasource Catalog Storage Option

Go Up to Registering Datasources

A Datasource Catalog is a collection of defined datasources. On startup, a Datasource Catalog is loaded using one of three methods, specified using the Options editor:

• Windows Registry datasource catalog - The datasource catalog is stored and managed locally, in the Windows registry. This user can add and delete datasources and edit the registration details of existing resources. Any changes are retained across startups.

This method is compatible with other IDERA products using registry-based datasource definition storage. If more than one of those products is installed on the same machine, they can share the same Datasource Catalog.

• File based datasource catalog - The datasource catalog is stored locally and is file-based. Each datasource definition included in the catalog is stored in a single file (.dsd file suffix) in the %APPDATA%\IDERA\Data Sources\ folder, in a default installation. This user can add and delete datasources and edit the registration details of existing resources. Any changes are retained across startups.

This method is compatible with other IDERA products using file-based datasource definition storage. If more than one of those products is installed on the same machine with DBArtisan, all can share the same Datasource Catalog.

• Network shared datasource catalog - The datasource catalog is file-based, and obtained from a user-specified location such as a network share. At each startup, the definitions are imported from the network shared file (.etsds file suffix).

Changes such as new datasources, deleted datasources or edited datasource registrations are lost as soon as this user shuts down DBArtisan. This method allows centralized maintenance of the Datasource Catalog and sharing of a single catalog among multiple users across a network.

Note: The definition files used in both the File based datasource catalog and Network shared datasource catalog methods do not store user ID and password credentials. Credentials, links to definition files in the current user’s catalog, and folder structure are stored in the %APPDATA%\IDERA\Data Sources\metadata\dsuri.xml file.

Note: On individual computers, administrators can force use of the network shared option. For details, see Locking Down Features Using the Registry.

For information on choosing a method and specifying the network location of a Shared Datasource Management definition file, see Datasource Options.

Regardless of the catalog storage method, the Datasource Catalog can be built manually by explicitly registering datasources or using automated methods such as the Discover Datasources feature. For details, see Registering Datasources.

Keep in mind that changes made with Network shared datasource catalog in effect, are lost on shutdown.

In order to set up a Network shared datasource catalog scheme, you can build a catalog first using the File based datasource catalog or Windows Registry datasource catalog method. You can subsequently use the Manage Datasources facility to export your Network shared datasource catalog file to the location that others will use to load the file. For details, see Importing and Exporting Datasource Definitions.

More generally, the Manage Datasources facility’s import/export functions can be used to exchange datasource definitions between users employing the different storage methods. Even more simply, these functions save time in allowing datasource definitions to be defined once and then shared with multiple users.