InterSystems Cache

The InterSystems Cache connector connects to the InterSystems Cache database, which lets users perform read, write, and load functions based on their privileges. It allows for the seamless transfer of data and metadata between InterSystems Caché databases and other databases, data warehouses, and applications.

OvalEdge uses a JDBC driver to connect to the data source, which allows the user to crawl and profile data objects (Tables, Table Columns, etc.) and build lineage.

Connector Capabilities

The connector capabilities are shown below:

Crawling

Profiling

Lineage Building

 Prerequisites

JDBC driver is provided by default over the OvalEdge installation. If it needs to be changed, add InterSystems Cache drivers into the OvalEdge Jar path (/home/ovaledge/jarpath) to communicate with the InterSystems Cache database.

Drivers

The APIs/drivers used by the connector are given below:

Configuring Environment Variables

Configuring environment names enables you to select the appropriate environment from the drop-down list when adding a connector. This allows for consistent crawling of schemas across different environments, such as production (PROD), staging (STG), or temporary environments. It also facilitates schema comparisons and assists in application upgrades by providing a temporary environment that can later be deleted.

Before establishing a connection, it is important to configure the environment names for the specific connector. If your environments have been configured, skip this step. 

Steps to Configure the Environment

1. Log into the OvalEdge application.
2. Navigate to Administration >  System Settings.
3. Select the Connector tab.
4. Find the key name “connector.environment”.
   
5. Enter the desired environment values (PROD, STG) in the Value column.
6. Click ✔ to Save.

Service Account Permissions

A service account is required for crawling and profiling. By default, the service account provided for the connector will be used for any query operations. If the service account has a write privilege, insert, update, and delete queries can be executed. The minimum privileges required are listed below.

Establish a Connection

To connect to InterSystems Cache using the OvalEdge application, complete the following steps:

1. Log in to the OvalEdge application.
2. Navigate to Administration >  Connectors.
3. Click on the + (New Connector) icon.
   
4. The Add Connector pop-up window is displayed, and you can search for the Intersystems Cache connector.
   
5. The Add Connector with Connector Type specific details pop-up window is displayed. Enter the relevant information to configure the Intersystems Cache connection.
   Note: An asterisk (*) denotes a mandatory field for establishing a connection
   
   

   Field Name		Description
   Connector Type		This field allows you to select the connector from the drop-down list provided. By default, 'Intersystems Cache' is displayed as the selected connector type.
   Credential Manager*		Select the option from the drop-down menu where you want to save your credentials: OE Credential Manager: The Intersystems Cache connection is configured with the basic Username and Password of the service account in real time when OvalEdge establishes a connection to the  Intersystems Cache database. Users must manually add the credentials if the OE Credential Manager option is selected. HashiCorp: The credentials are stored in the HashiCorp database server and fetched from HashiCorp to OvalEdge.   AWS Secrets Manager: The credentials are stored in the AWS Secrets Manager database server and fetched from the AWS Secrets Manager to OvalEdge. For more information on Azure Key Vault, refer to Azure Key Vault. For more information on Credential Manager, refer to Credential Manager.
   License Add Ons		By default, all the connectors will have a Base Connector License, which allows you to crawl and profile to obtain metadata and statistical information from a data source.  OvalEdge supports various License Add-Ons based on the connector’s functionality requirements. Select the Auto Lineage Add-On license that enables the automatic construction of the Lineage of data objects for a connector with the Lineage feature.  Select the Data Quality Add-On license to identify, report, and resolve the data quality issues for a connector whose data supports data quality using DQ Rules/functions, Anomaly detection, Reports, and more.
   Connector Name*		The connection name refers to the  InterSystems Cache database connection in the OvalEdge application.
   Connector Environment		The Connector Environment drop-down list allows you to select the environment configured for the connector from the drop-down list.  For example, you can select PROD or STG (based on the items configured in the OvalEdge configuration for the connector environment). The purpose of the environment field is to help you identify which connector is connecting what type of system environment (Production, STG, or QA).  Note: The Configuring Environment Variables section explains setting up environment variables.
   Server*		Specify the name of the InterSystems Cache database instance server IP/URL, which is accessible via the OvalEdge application. Example:  IP: 190.x1.x3.xx90 Server: ovalintersystemsdbms.com
   Port*		Port number 1972, related to the InterSystems Cache database, is displayed by default. If needed, a new port number can be provided.
   Database*		Enter the source database name for crawling.
   Driver*		A JDBC driver is a Java library file with the extension .jar that connects to a database. By default, the driver details associated with the InterSystems Cache database will be auto-populated.
   Username*		Enter the Service Account username of the  InterSystems Cache server.
   Password*		Enter the password of the InterSystems Cache server.
   Connection String		Set the Connection string toggle button to get the details from the credentials provided automatically. Alternatively, you can manually enter the string. Format: jdbc:Cache://{server}:1972/{sid}
   Plugin Server		Enter the server name if you are running this as a plugin.
   Plugin Port		The port number on which the plugin is running.
   Default Governance Roles
   Steward*		Select the Steward from the drop-down list options.
   Custodian*		Select the Custodian from the drop-down list options.
   Owner*		Select the Owner from the drop-down list options.
   Governance Roles 4, 5, 6*		Select the respective user from the drop-down options. Note: The drop-down list displays all the configurable roles (for a single user or a team) according to the configurations made in the OvalEdge Security > Governance Roles section.
   Admin Roles
   Integration Admins*		To add Integration Admin Roles, search for or select one or more roles from the Integration Admin options, then click the Apply button. The Integration Admin's responsibilities include configuring the connector's crawling and profiling settings and deleting connectors, schemas, or data objects.
   Security and Governance Admins*		To add Security and Governance Admin roles, search for or select one or more roles from the list and click the Apply button. The Security and Governance Admin is responsible for: Configuring role permissions for the connector and its associated data objects. Adding admins to set permissions for the connector's roles and associated data objects. Updating governance roles. Creating custom fields. Developing Service Request templates for the connector. Creating approval workflows for  Service Request templates.
   No. of Archive Objects*		The number of archive objects indicates the number of recent metadata modifications made to a dataset at a remote/source location. By default, the archive objects feature is deactivated. However, users may enable it by clicking the Archive toggle button and specifying the number of objects they wish to archive.
   Select Bridge*		With the OvalEdge Bridge component, any cloud-hosted server can connect with any on-premise or public cloud data source(s) without modifying firewall rules. A bridge provides real-time control, making data movement between source and destination easy. For more information, refer to Bridge Overview.

6. After entering all the required connection details, select the appropriate option based on your preferences:
   1. Validate: Click the Validate button to verify the connection details. This ensures that the provided information is accurate and enables successful connection establishment.
   2. Save: Click on the Save button to store the connection details. Once saved, the connection will be added to the Connectors home page for easy access.
   3. Save & Configure: For certain Connectors requiring additional configuration settings, click the Save & Configure button. This will open the Connection Settings pop-up window, allowing you to configure the necessary settings before saving the connection.
7. Once the connection is validated and saved, it will be displayed on the Connectors home page.
   Note: You can either save the connection details first or validate the connection first and then save it.

Connection Validation Details

Note: If you have issues creating a connection, please contact your assigned OvalEdge Customer Success Management (CSM) team.

Connector Settings

Once the connection is successfully established, various settings are provided to fetch and analyze the information from the data source.

The connection settings include Crawler, Profiler, Access Instruction, Business Glossary Settings, Anomaly Detection Settings, and Others.

To view the Connector Settings page,

1. Go to the Connectors page.
2. From the 9- dots, select the Settings option.
   
3. This will display the Connector Settings page, where you can view all the connector settings.
   
4. When you have finished making your desired changes, click on Save Changes. All setting changes will be applied to the metadata.
5. The following is a list of connection settings and their corresponding descriptions.
   
   

   Connection Settings	Description
   Crawler	Crawler settings are configured to connect to a data source and collect and catalog all the data elements in metadata.
   Profiler	Profiler settings govern the gathering of statistics and informative summaries about the connected data source(s). These statistics can help assess the quality of data sources before using them for analysis. Profiling is always optional; crawling can be run without profiling.
   Access Instruction	Access Instruction allows the data owner to instruct others on using the objects in the application.
   Business Glossary Settings	The Business Glossary Settings provide flexibility and control over how users view and manage term association within a business glossary at the connector level.
   Anomaly Detection Settings	Anomaly Detection Settings enable users to configure anomaly detection preferences at the connector level. By default, the configuration aligns with the global settings in System Settings and cannot be modified.
   Others	The Enable/Disable Metadata Change Notifications option sets the change notification about metadata changes of the data objects. You can use the toggle button to set the Default Governance Roles (e.g., Steward, Owner Custodian, etc.).  Using the Roles and Teams, you can select the role and team to receive the notification of metadata changes.

   
   Note: For more information, refer to the Connector Settings.

Crawling of Schema(s)

The Crawl/Profile option allows you to select the schema for the following operations:      

Crawl, Crawl & Profile, Profile, or Profile Unprofiled. Under the Action section, the defined run date and time are displayed for any scheduled crawlers and profilers.

1. Navigate to the Connectors page and click on the Crawl/Profile button.
   Select Schemas to Crawl, and a Profile pop-up window is displayed.
2. Select the schema.
3. The list of actions below is displayed in the Action section.
   1. Crawl:  This allows the selected schema(s) metadata to be crawled.
   2. Crawl & Profile: This allows the metadata of the selected schema(s) and profiles of the sample data to be crawled.
   3. Profile: This allows the collection of table column statistics.
   4. Profile Unprofiled: This allows data that has not been profiled to be profiled.
   5. Schedule: Connectors can also be scheduled in advance to run crawling and/or profiling at prescribed times and selected intervals.
      Note: For more information on Scheduling, refer to Scheduling Connector.
4. Click on the Run button. This gathers all metadata from the connected source and puts it into the OvalEdge Data Catalog.

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