Terms defined in this glossary appear in help topics in italics, like this: grid object archiving.
(ACL) A list of users and groups and the permissions (read, write, execute, delete, and owner) that control whether the users and groups can view, modify, invoke, and remove an object and edit the object’s ACL. Every object in the data catalog has an ACL.
See access control list.
A mechanism that lets you directly query a database in SQL. The query must run through an existing database connector. You can run an ad hoc query using either the CLI or a JDBC driver. Ad hoc queries can be thought of as single-use database operations.
A property of a Data Federation directory, file, service, or other object. Every object in the data catalog has attributes. Each attribute has a name, a type (string, integer, float, date, time, or timestamp), and a value. System attributes are read-only; you can change the values of other attributes. You can also create new attributes and add them to objects.
A service associated with a Data Federation domain that authenticates a Data Federation user’s identity and provides security credentials each time the user logs in. Data Federation can be configured to use third-party directory services as authentication services; for user accounts created in the Data Federation domain, Data Federation uses its own default authentication service.
A mechanism for classifying and organizing the contents of the data catalog. Like Data Federation directories, categories serve as containers for objects in the data catalog. Anything in the data catalog—views, data services, shared files, even Data Federation directories themselves—can be assigned to a category. Categories are hierarchical, they have attributes, and access control lists regulate access to them.
A machine that mounts files or directories from the data catalog by connecting to a CIFS share through a data grid access server. A CIFS client need not have Data Federation software installed. (CIFS—Common Internet File System—is a file-sharing protocol based on the file system implemented by Windows.) Compare NFS client.
A directory or file that has been exported (shared) from the data catalog. A CIFS share can be mapped into a Windows file system like a network drive. When you browse the Windows file system, CIFS shares look like—and can be accessed like—other files and directories. CIFS shares are created through a data grid access server. Contrast with Data Federation share.
Data Federation supports several types of client: WorkSpace Data Federation, CIFS clients, command clients, JDBC/ODBC clients, NFS clients, Web clients, and WS clients.
A machine that can issue Data Federation CLI commands but does not contribute resources to the Data Federation domain.
The connect port on a grid domain controller, grid server, data grid access server, proxy server, or share server accesses the JNDI naming service or RMI registry for the underlying application server. The connect port is one of many ports that a GDC or server uses to communicate with other Data Federation objects. You must supply the connect port number of a target grid server or GDC whenever you connect a new object (for example, another server, a copy of Sybase WorkSpace, or a command client) to a Data Federation domain. When you interconnect two Data Federation domains, you must supply each domain’s connect port number to the other one.
A configuration set used to access an endpoint. For example, the connection profile for a database endpoint defines the database name, server, user ID, and password parameters that facilitate the connection to the physical database. A server connection profile provides the information to connect directly to a specific server, such as a Data Federation grid domain controller.
A tool that lets you create and configure a data service based on your own data service plug-in (written in Java) and publish it in the data catalog. The deployer is part of WorkSpace Data Federation. (You can also use the Web UI to deploy data services based on your own plug-ins.)
A mechanism that enables one or more database operations, SQL views, or ad hoc queries to connect to a relational database.
A hierarchical structure similar to a file system that encompasses all objects in a Data Federation domain. The data catalog contains Data Federation directories and files, Data Federation shares, Data Federation servers, SQL views, database operations, data services, and other objects.
See DGAS.
Sybase Data Federation creates a single, unified namespace that is accessible (subject to Data Federation access control lists) to all users in the Data Federation domain. The namespace, called the data catalog, is arranged as a hierarchy of Data Federation directories (folders). The catalog directory structure is stored by the domain’s grid servers and its GDC, while the physical files remain in their original locations in your local file systems. It is important to distinguish between Data Federation directories, which are part of the data catalog, and local directories, which reside in your local file system. Compare with category.
The basic administrative unit of the Data Federation EII system. A Data Federation domain consists, at a minimum, of one grid domain controller and may also include one or more grid servers, share servers, proxy servers, data grid access servers, and command clients.
See also domain name.
A set of users who have the same permissions on one or more Data Federation objects. You can use the group name in place of a user name when you set permissions or create access control lists.
The directory in your local file system where Data Federation software is installed. This is not a data catalog directory.
A service that starts, stops, and monitors other Data Federation services on a particular computer. Every server is part of a Data Federation domain. A server is permanently attached to the computer where it is started. There are several types of server: data grid access servers, grid domain controllers, grid servers, proxy servers , and share servers.
(Also shared directory.) A pointer in the data catalog to a directory or file in the underlying local file system. When you browse the data catalog, Data Federation shares look like—and can be accessed like—other Data Federation directories. Contrast with CIFS share.
(DGAS) A Data Federation server that makes Data Federation directories and their contents available to CIFS clients and NFS clients.
The logic for a data service, written in Java, JavaScript, or XSLT. Data service plug-ins are modular—you can use the same plug-in for multiple data services. Use the Data Federation Plug-in Wizard to help create data service plug-ins. You can deploy plug-ins as data services using either the Web UI or the custom data service deployer (for Java plug-ins only) in WorkSpace Data Federation.
A relationship in which a Data Federation object requires input from other Data Federation objects. A data service might require input from one or more database operations or from other data services. A view generator might depend on a database operation for input. A database operation can serve as an input source for one or more data services or view generators. Generated SQL views depend on database operations, virtual database operations, or data services. You can use WorkSpace Data Federation, the Web UI, or the CLI to list input and output dependencies for any data service, database operation, or view.
See data grid access server.
A unique alphanumeric identifier for a Data Federation domain. The domain name is assigned by the Data Federation administrator when the Data Federation domain is initialized. The domain name has a maximum length of 30 characters.
See schedule exclusion.
Execution services run data services. There is an execution service on every grid server, and you can configure a pool of execution services for load-sharing. When a pool is in place, a data service can be run by any execution service in its grid server’s pool.
The transition of control from a failing or unreachable primary grid domain controller to a secondary grid domain controller.
A scheme that allows independently controlled elements to be shared into a single namespace. Files, user accounts, and other objects maintain their separate identities and remain under the control of their owners, but—subject to access controls—the objects can be accessed, managed, and viewed as if they were part of a single system.
See grid domain controller.
A file created by a view generator. It may contain data obtained from a database operation, a data service, a file, or an HTTP source. Like other files, generated views exist in a local file system and are shared into the data catalog.
See grid object archiving.
A heterogeneous group of networked resources that appears and functions as one operating environment. A data grid like the Data Federation Enterprise Information Integration (EII) system provides secure, shared access to data.
See Data Federation directory.
See Data Federation domain.
(GDC) The first server in a Data Federation domain is the grid domain controller. The GDC maintains a portion of the data catalog and provides authentication services. It can also run Data Federation commands, share data, and monitor other servers. (That is, the GDC functions as a grid server.) If the domain is configured for failover, it has both a primary GDC and a secondary GDC; the secondary is updated at regular intervals and takes over management of the domain if the primary fails. Any Data Federation shares managed by the primary are read-only on the secondary.
(GOA) A mechanism for packaging, storing, and redeploying grid objects such as data services, database operations, SQL views, and database connectors. GOA lets you copy services and data sources from one Data Federation domain to another, or make back-up copies of services and data sources that can be restored to their original servers if the need arises.
A Data Federation server that maintains a portion of the data catalog, runs Data Federation services such as shares, execution services, caches, and searches, and allows you to run Data Federation’s Web UI and execute Data Federation commands.
See Data Federation group.
Provides an alternate name for an item in the data catalog. Changes to the object’s other names have no effect on the hard link: you can move or change a file’s original name and the hard link still knows where to find the file. To delete a hard-linked object, you must remove its original name. Contrast with soft link.
To create a unidirectional link from one Data Federation domain to another. Interconnecting lets a Data Federation domain make its data catalog visible to users in another domain (subject to Data Federation access controls).
See hard link and soft link.
A cache service running on the same grid server as a database operation or a data service that generates cachable data. The local cache stores results produced by local database operations and data services so they do not have to execute for every new request. Compare remote cache.
A construct in WorkSpace Data Federation that expresses a schema by defining a set of tables. A table in a metadata model can be mapped (linked) to a Data Federation object such as a data service or a database operation, or to a table in a relational database. The mapping lets you address each mapped object by the name of the corresponding table in the metadata model. You can also derive a view model schema from a metadata model. When you do this, you ensure that the results of any data service deployed from the view model conform to the metadata model’s schema.
A machine that mounts the data catalog (or a portion of it) as a directory by connecting to a data grid access server. An NFS client need not have Data Federation software installed. (NFS—Network File System—allows you to add file systems located on a remote computer to the directory structure on your own computer.) Compare CIFS client.
Open DataBase Connectivity is an API for databases on Windows. The ODBC driver included with Sybase Adaptive Server® Enterprise allows Data Federation to communicate with Windows database applications.
A scheme by which an object is cached only if it is used—for example, results are cached when a database operation or a data service is executed, or a file is cached when a user or application reads it. On-demand caching uses a fixed expiration interval to determine data freshness. On-demand caching is suitable for objects that are rarely accessed or that change at irregular intervals. Contrast with scheduled caching.
To mark aData Federation directory or file for scheduled caching. See also cache service.
See data service plug-in.
See grid domain controller.
A Data Federation server that allows Data Federation domains on opposite sides of a firewall or a Network Address Translator (NAT) to communicate with one another.
See ad hoc query.
A Data Federation service that executes SQL queries against the SQL views (tables) that make up the Data Federation virtual database. A query engine analyzes queries, pushes as much of the work as possible down to the underlying relational database (if there is one), and performs the remaining operations (such as joins across tables from different databases) itself. There is a query engine on each grid server.
A cache service running on a grid server that is remote from a Data Federation service (a database operation or a data service) which generates cachable data. The remote cache stores results produced by distant services so the results need not be fetched over the network to satisfy every new request. Users and applications that access remote data through the cache may have access to cached copies even when the remote data source is unavailable. Compare local cache.
A scheme by which an object in the data catalog is cached according to a schedule that you create. The schedule specifies when the object is first cached and how often (or following what trigger event, such as a change to a file) the cache is refreshed. If the object is a data service or a database operation, the schedule runs it to put fresh results in the cache. Scheduled caching, which overrides other types of caching, is suitable for objects that are updated frequently or on a regular basis. Contrast with on-demand caching.
A named period of time during which scheduled activities can be prevented from running. You can apply an exclusion to as many schedules as you want. Scheduled activities include refreshing Data Federation shares and imported user accounts, and caching files, directories, and the results of database operations, data services, and generated views.
See grid domain controller.
A Data Federation object that performs a function in the domain (stores data or authenticates users, for example). Services provided in Data Federation software include Data Federation directories, Data Federation shares, Data Federation servers, authentication services, execution services, and user accounts.
A point of connection between the data catalog and a native file system or file system tool. Data Federation supports two kinds of shares: Data Federation shares and CIFS shares.
See Data Federation share.
A Data Federation server whose only task is to manage Data Federation shares—local directories that are exported (shared) into the data catalog. (Grid servers can also manage shares.)
A pointer to a particular location (name) in the data catalog. If the object at that location is moved, deleted, or renamed, the soft link leads nowhere. Soft links can be created only in the CLI. Contrast with hard link.
A unit of work that consists of several operations is transactional if the operations are treated as a single transaction. If all the operations cannot be completed, the entire transaction is rolled back. A transactional data service executes it own actions and all operations performed by its inputs (database operations and other data services, for example) as a single transaction. Data Federation supports XA-based distributed transactions and non-XA (nondistributed) transactions.
A message issued when a generated view is updated. A view that receives data from another view can be configured to regenerate itself (using the new data) upon receipt of an update notification. See generated view, SQL view, view generator, view model.
See generated view, SQL view,view generator, and view model.
A mechanism that does one of the following: extracts data from a file or an HTTP source, obtains data from a data service, or uses a database operation to extract data from a relational database. The view generator can display the data, perform an XSLT transform, save the data as a generated view file, and update a database. Contrast with data service.
The graphical representation of a data flow that you can build in WorkSpace Data Federation. A view model typically includes one or more input sources (such as database operations or data services), one or more operators to combine or transform the data, and an output target. When you deploy a view model, it becomes a Data Federation data service.
See virtual database.The set of all SQL views in a Data Federation domain, including those provisioned from external databases and those generated from data services and database operations. You can execute SQL queries on the SQL views in the virtual database as if they were tables in a single database.
A database operation whose source database is the Data Federation virtual database itself. Use virtual database operations to encapsulate and reuse SQL SELECT queries against SQL views (provisioned or generated).
(Also WS client.) A tool or a piece of code that is part of a customer application and that makes SOAP calls to Web services on a grid server. The SOAP calls can request data from files in the data catalog, from a database operation, or from a data service.
Web user interface. You can connect to Sybase Data Federation’s graphical Web UI by pointing a Web browser at a GDC or grid server. The Web UI provides most of the functionality of the CLI and WorkSpace Data Federation.
See Web services client.
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