Contents Overview 1 Introduction to Templates 2 Template Groups 3 Control Metadirectory Templates 5 Control Connected Directory Templates 8 The Template Language 11 Modifying Existing Templates 15 Lab A: Modifying Existing Templates 17 Creating Templates 18 Lab B: Creating Templates to Import Data Into the Metadirectory 29 Best Practices 30 Review 31 Module 5: Modifying and Creating Templates BETA MATERIALS FOR MICROSOFT CERTIFIED TRAINER PREPARATION PURPOSES ONLY Information in this document is subject to change without notice. The names of companies, products, people, characters, and/or data mentioned herein are fictitious and are in no way intended to represent any real individual, company, product, or event, unless otherwise noted. Complying with all applicable copyright laws is the responsibility of the user. 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Microsoft is listed first, followed by all other Microsoft trademarks in alphabetical order. > are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S.A. and/or other countries. <The publications specialist inserts mention of specific, contractually obligated to, third-party trademarks, provided by the copy editor> Other product and company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. Module 5: Modifying and Creating Templates i BETA MATERIALS FOR MICROSOFT CERTIFIED TRAINER PREPARATION PURPOSES ONLY Instructor Notes Instructor_notes.doc Presentation: xx Minutes Lab: 45 Minutes Module 5: Modifying and Creating Templates 1 BETA MATERIALS FOR MICROSOFT CERTIFIED TRAINER PREPARATION PURPOSES ONLY Overview ! Introduction to Templates ! Template Groups ! Control Metadirectory Templates ! Control Connected Directory Templates ! The Template Language ! Modifying Existing Templates ! Creating Templates ! Best Practices Management agents use templates to import directory update files from their connected directories and export update files back to them. Modifying or creating templates involves working with languages and functions. The template language is used to create templates that are interpreted by management agents when importing or exporting directory data. The template language’s basic purpose is to assign values to attributes. An understanding about how to create and use templates is essential to manage the flow of identity information between the metadirectory and the connected directories in Microsoft ® Metadirectory Services version 2.2 (MMS). At the end of this module, you will be able to: ! Describe the purpose and function of templates. ! Identify the different types of template groups used in the functioning of management agents. ! Describe the purpose of the different types of Control Metadirectory templates. ! Describe purpose of the different types of Control Connected Directory templates. ! Describe the template language used to modify and create templates. ! Modify existing templates by editing the Parsing template and the Metaverse Construction template. ! Create Parsing and Construction templates. ! Describe best practices for creating and modifying templates. Topic Objective To provide an overview of the module topics and objectives. Lead-in In this module, you will learn about restructuring data between a connected directory and the metadirectory by modifying the Parsing and Construction templates. 2 Module 5: Modifying and Creating Templates BETA MATERIALS FOR MICROSOFT CERTIFIED TRAINER PREPARATION PURPOSES ONLY Introduction to Templates Create File(s) Create File(s) Connected Directory Connected Connected Directory Directory Metadirectory Update Update Metaverse Namespace Metaverse Namespace MA’s Connector Namespace MA’s Connector Namespace Templates Templates Templates Templates Templates Templates Import File(s) Import File(s) Discovery Discovery Discovery Synchronization Synchronization Synchronization A management agent reads import file(s) and updates metadirectory entries. But how does the management agent know the format and contents of the file, and how does it know what to do with those contents? The management agent templates provide this information. Though the management agents import directory update files from their connected directories and send update files back to them. However, the management agent templates are the programs that read or write those files. Templates are written in a high-level, interpreted language that the management agent, in particular the Importt program, interprets and acts upon when importing or exporting directory data. Templates ultimately define the import and create files in terms of directory attributes. Templates not only specify how the data in the input file(s) is to be placed in the metadirectory; but they also specify what attribute information from the metadirectory is to be placed in the create files to update connected directory attributes. Templates are the mechanism that MMS uses to map the attributes from different connected directories to the attributes of the metadirectory. In other words, map the schema of the connected directory to the MMS schema. Topic Objective To identify the purpose templates. Lead-in Delivery Tip Use the graphic on the slide to show that it actually the templates and not the management agent that import directory update files from connected directories and send update files back to them. Module 5: Modifying and Creating Templates 3 BETA MATERIALS FOR MICROSOFT CERTIFIED TRAINER PREPARATION PURPOSES ONLY Template Groups IMPORTT.EXE Connected Directory Connected Connected Directory Directory Import Files (located in MA working directory) Import Files (located in MA working directory) Create Files Create Files CDIR_XX.EXE CDIR_XX.EXE Control Connected Directory Templates Control Connected Directory Templates Control Metadirectory Templates Control Metadirectory Templates Metaverse Namespace Entry Metaverse Metaverse Namespace Namespace Entry Entry Control Metadirectory Templates Control Metadirectory Templates Connector Namespace Entry Connector Connector Namespace Namespace Entry Entry Templates enable the management agent to read an import file extracted from a connected directory and use the information to create or update entries in the metadirectory. When constructing a metadirectory entry, it may not be necessary to export all the attribute information; therefore, you may need additional information. The additional information may include values for all the attributes that make up the entry’s distinguished name, as well as the entry’s object class. These attributes must be constructed from information in the input record of the import file and other information that is known to the management agent. Each management agent has different types of templates to move information in and out of metadirectory. Control Metadirectory Templates These templates control the metadirectory data flow into the connector namespace and the metaverse namespace. A program called Importt uses these templates to process one or more import files discovered from a connected directory resulting first in modifications to the connector namespace and then in modifications to the metaverse namespace. Control Connected Directory Templates These templates control connected directory data by affecting the connector namespace entries associated with a connected directory. Importt uses these templates to process metaverse namespace data resulting first in modification to the connector namespace data and then create files, which represent the modifications to the connected directory. Topic Objective To identify the different types of template groups used in the functioning of management agents. Lead-in 4 Module 5: Modifying and Creating Templates BETA MATERIALS FOR MICROSOFT CERTIFIED TRAINER PREPARATION PURPOSES ONLY Control Management Agent Operations The script and template definitions control operations to and from a connected directory, and the import and create files. The script, called the management agent Control script is processed by a script engine called Zscript. The management agent Control script is responsible for getting data from the connected directory and creating one or more import files. The management agent Control script also uses the create file to transfer modifications to the connected directory. This Control script calls a program called Cdir_xx to perform the actual communication to the connected directory. The Cdir_xx Program The management agent Control script invokes the Cdir_xx program during the discovery and update phases. The Cdir_xx process, when running in the discovery phase, produces a text file. The text file contains information, such as name, address and mailbox from the connected directory. The _xx represents an abbreviation for the type of management agent. For example, Cdir_ln represents Lotus Notes. The Importt Program The management agent control script invokes the Importt program during the synchronization phase. The Importt program reviews the text file data produced by Cdir_xx, interprets templates, evaluates attribute flow rules, and then updates the metadirectory. The Importt program also flow attributes from the metadirectory back to the connected directory, through create files, which Cdir_xx will send back to the connected directory. Module 5: Modifying and Creating Templates 5 BETA MATERIALS FOR MICROSOFT CERTIFIED TRAINER PREPARATION PURPOSES ONLY # ## # Control Metadirectory Templates Output Template Connected Directory Create Files CDIR_XX.EXE CDIR_XX.EXE Import Files Import Files IMPORTT.EXE Construction Template Construction Template Construction Template Construction Template Connector Namespace Entry Connector Connector Namespace Namespace Entry Entry Metaverse Namespace Entry Metaverse Metaverse Namespace Namespace Entry Entry Parsing Template Parsing Template Control Metadirectory Templates The Control Metadirectory templates are used to build an entry, whether in the metaverse namespace or the connector namespace. Each management agent has a set of templates that operate as mediators between the metadirectory and the connected directory. The following are the two types of Control Metadirectory templates. ! Parsing templates. Parsing templates enable the Importt program to understand the data format in the import file, how to handle the data, and identify the attributes. ! Construction templates. The Construction templates act as a blueprint for the management agent on how to use the attributes from the connected directory to construct entries in the connector namespace and the metaverse namespace. Each management agent has a set of Construction templates to supplement the Parsing templates. Topic Objective To identify the Control Metadirectory templates. Lead-in 6 Module 5: Modifying and Creating Templates BETA MATERIALS FOR MICROSOFT CERTIFIED TRAINER PREPARATION PURPOSES ONLY What Are Parsing Templates? Connected Directory Create Files CDIR_XX.EXE CDIR_XX.EXE Parsing Template Parsing Template Import Files Import Files Parsing Template Parsing Template IMPORTT.EXE Control MA Operations Control Connected Directory Connected Directory Foreign Entries Overview of Controlling Metadirectory Parsing Templates Construction Templates Design MA Control Metadirectory Header Add Modify Delete Trailer Parsing templates describe records in the one or more import files discovered from the connected directory. Different types of Parsing templates help the management agent interpret different types of records in import files. The following list describes the different types of Parsing template: ! Add. The Add template describes a record representing a complete connected directory entry. ! Modify. The Modify template is similar to the Add template for those connected directories that output a modify record format. When processing a Modify template, the management agent does not presume that the record contains a complete set of attributes. ! Delete. The Delete template describes a deletion record in the import file. A deletion record is only processed if the management agent is in reflector mode. If the Delete template is applied to an entry in a connector namespace, the ConnectedDirectoryId (which is an attribute on the connector) value is removed from the joined metaverse namespace entry, and results in a disconnector. If there are no other connectors pointing to the metaverse namespace entry, the metaverse namespace entry is deleted. ! Header/Trailer. The Header and Trailer templates describe the header and trailer records. The Header and Trailer templates also allow the management agent to ignore information that is not relevant to the update phase. Template types are matched to record types by the starting text string or label in the record. If a management agent cannot positively identify a record type, the management agent rejects it, displaying an error in the operator's log. Topic Objective To identify the purpose of the Parsing templates in MMS. Lead-in Delivery Tip Display the Design MA tab and show the students the different types of Parsing templates. [...]... PURPOSES ONLY 18 Module 5: Modifying and Creating Templates # Creating Templates Topic Objective To introduce the topics related to creating templates ! Defining the Template Definitions and Conditional Control Structures ! Defining Functions, Variables and Constants for Templates ! Creating Parsing Templates ! Creating Construction Templates ! Testing Templates Lead-in Sometimes the existing templates are... ONLY Module 5: Modifying and Creating Templates 31 Review Topic Objective To reinforce module objectives by reviewing key points Lead-in The review questions cover some of the key concepts taught in the module ! Introduction to Templates ! Template Groups ! Control Metadirectory Templates ! Control Connected Directory Templates ! The Template Language ! Modifying Existing Templates ! Creating Templates. .. customized templates When you create a customized template, you first create the Parsing templates that describe and interpret the connected directory file’s records, and then the Construction templates that construct the metadirectory entries are created BETA MATERIALS FOR MICROSOFT CERTIFIED TRAINER PREPARATION PURPOSES ONLY Module 5: Modifying and Creating Templates 19 Defining the Template Definitions and. .. FOR MICROSOFT CERTIFIED TRAINER PREPARATION PURPOSES ONLY Module 5: Modifying and Creating Templates 17 Lab A: Modifying Existing Templates Topic Objective To introduce the lab Lead-in In this lab, you will be able to map an additional attribute from the connected directory to the metaverse namespace by modifying the Parsing and Construction templates Explain the lab objectives Lab.doc BETA MATERIALS... FOR MICROSOFT CERTIFIED TRAINER PREPARATION PURPOSES ONLY 8 Module 5: Modifying and Creating Templates # Control Connected Directory Templates Topic Objective CDIR_XX.EXE To identify the Control Connected Directory templates Connected Directory CDIR_XX.EXE Create Create Files Files Control Connected Directory Templates Output Output Templates Templates Metaverse Metaverse Namespace Namespace Entry Entry... attributes, and attributes and variables created by the Output Construction templates, to describe the format and contents of records in the create file BETA MATERIALS FOR MICROSOFT CERTIFIED TRAINER PREPARATION PURPOSES ONLY Module 5: Modifying and Creating Templates 9 What Are Output Construction Templates? Topic Objective CDIR_XX.EXE To identify the purpose of the Output Construction templates in MMS Connected... template language to create Parsing and Construction templates to import the connected directory data into the metadirectory Explain the lab objectives Lab.doc BETA MATERIALS FOR MICROSOFT CERTIFIED TRAINER PREPARATION PURPOSES ONLY 30 Module 5: Modifying and Creating Templates Best Practices Topic Objective To identify best practices for modifying and creating templates Only Parsing Template Should Assign... BETA MATERIALS FOR MICROSOFT CERTIFIED TRAINER PREPARATION PURPOSES ONLY 14 Module 5: Modifying and Creating Templates Standard Operators The standard operators of the template language are the assignment and conditional operators Assignment and conditional operators are defined in the management agent template definitions The standard operators in the following table are used to express conditions in... are only for display and the entire template represents a single line Comma-Delimited Field $cd.uid,$cd.sn,$cd.telephoneNumber The input record is usually single-lined BETA MATERIALS FOR MICROSOFT CERTIFIED TRAINER PREPARATION PURPOSES ONLY Module 5: Modifying and Creating Templates 25 Creating Construction Templates Topic Objective ! The Minimum Attributes Required in Construction Templates $ $cs.dn... PURPOSES ONLY Module 5: Modifying and Creating Templates 27 Testing Templates Topic Objective To illustrate how to test templates ! Test Templates by: $ Obtaining a file from the connected directory $ Placing it in the management agent’s working directory $ Lead-in Running management agent File File MA MA Working Working Directory Directory Run MA Run MA CD CD To verify whether or not the import templates . connected directory and the metadirectory by modifying the Parsing and Construction templates. 2 Module 5: Modifying and Creating Templates BETA MATERIALS. used for creating templates. Topic Objective To introduce the topics related to the template language. Lead-in 12 Module 5: Modifying and Creating Templates