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The Cisco Tidal Transporter application copies scheduling objects from one database (source) to another database (destination). The primary strength of Cisco Tidal Transporter is its ability to automate the copying of job data, although it can copy other data types as well. The following discussion refers to job transports.
Each database is designed with its own unique needs and purposes. While job data in each database may be comprised of many of the same objects, each also uses different objects in defining jobs, such as calendar, variable, agent, etc. Ideally, the databases would use the same objects to define a job so a one-to-one relationship will exist between the job data in the two databases. Unfortunately, this one-to-one relationship rarely exists in the real world. For example, a test environment may refer to a different set of agents than the production environment. Using mapping rules, the process of promoting jobs from development to test or production databases is highly automated.
Transporter compares the various objects of one database against the other database. Differences between the databases are noted and a job rule object from the source database can be matched to a different object in the destination database. When copying job rules to another database, Cisco Tidal Transporter provides a list of possible values in the destination database that can be selected to make a match for the source object without a mate. By mapping out which objects from the source database should match which objects in the destination database, subsequent job rules using the same objects can be copied without manual interaction.
While Cisco Tidal Transporter is primarily designed to promote jobs between databases, it can also be used for synchronizing actions, events, variables, calendars, business views, resources, and job classes between two databases. An interactive mode and a batch mode are available for job transports.
Cisco Tidal Transporter has menu options and a toolbar to provide a convenient and easy-to-use interface to enhance the object copying process between two databases. The multi-step process is simplified by the toolbar mirroring the sequence of steps that comprise the object rule copying procedure.
Copying objects from one source to another requires copying and/or mapping different types of data objects referenced by the objects as much as copying the objects themselves. The process of transferring object data between designated source and destination consists of the following steps, though not all of the steps may be necessary each time:
1. Connect to the selected source and destination – Select a source to copy the object information from and a destination to copy the information to and connect to.
2. Select the type of data – After connecting to the source and destination, select the type of data to work with.
3. Use a filter to eliminate unwanted job data (applies only to job transports) – The list of jobs can be very extensive and difficult to work with without filtering the displayed list. While optional, it is recommended to use filtering to reduce the amount of job data displayed from the source. Jobs may be filtered by various criteria or wildcards via the Filter dialog.
Use Server Filtering large scale databases, to limit the number of records returned to Transporter, which will have a direct performance benefit. Select Include Dependencies when using Server Filtering, to ensure the set of jobs returned also include its dependent jobs.
4. Load the selected data objects – Once the desired data type is within view, load their object information by clicking the Read Data button or selecting the Read Data option from the File main menu.
5. Specify the data objects to copy – Select the source objects to be copied. Search for specific source objects via the search text box and the Find and Next buttons.
6. Resolve differences between the data objects – Map the data objects in the source with corresponding destination objects so that objects can easily be copied between the source and destination. Mapping is accomplished given the Mappings dialog initiated via the Mappings button.
7. Start copying the selected objects to the destination – When object differences have been resolved between the source and destination, objects can be easily copied. Job Transports have an interactive copying mode where existing differences between source and destination jobs can be resolved on the fly. Interactive mode does not exist for other object transport types.