Manage Servers

In order to harvest metadata (model import) from a tool (e.g. database, DI/ETL, BI tool, etc.), the local TDC (Default) Server may not be able to support that tool and therefore require a remote harvesting server (agent) in the following cases:

• a bridge running on Microsoft Windows only (such as COM based tools like SAP BusinessObjects, MicroStrategy), while the TDC Server is running on Linux (on Prem or on Cloud)

• a bridge requiring the tool (often the client) to be installed in order to access its SDK. (such as Oracle DI or Talend DI), while the TDC server is running on the cloud (with no local file system access)

• a bridge requiring access to local files / drivers (such as Database JDBC bridges), while the TDC server is running on the cloud (with no local file system access)

• a bridge connected to a tool running on a different network (such as a TDC server on cloud harvesting from sources on prem).

Go to supported tools for more details on the above requirements:

Installing a remote bridge server is equivalent to installing TDC on an application server, except that one specifies Metadata Harvesting Server Only in the Application Server tab in the setup.bat utility and no license is required and thus it will not have an available web based UI. Please refer to the installation instructions for more details and special instructions for TDC installations in the cloud.

Once such a remote harvesting server is installed and working, one must add it to the list of servers in TDC.

To add a remote harvesting server to TDC.

Steps

1. Sign in as a user with at least the Application Administrator capability global role assignment.

2. Go to MANAGE > Servers in the banner.

3. Specify the HEARTBEAT FREQUENCY.

4. Click +Add to add a server or click on the line in the list for an existing server.

5. Specify tThe Name to refer to this remote server by

6. The Type of remote harvesting server to create

7. Local Network – Remote harvesting server that is within the same domain as the TDC server. In such case, the TDC Server is requesting operations to be performed (in real time when needed) to its registered Agent. E.g., where the TDC Server is on Linux and needs to import metadata from a Agent on Windows (for Windows only bridges like Erwin DM, or SAP BusinessObjects).

8. Over the Web (Cloud) – Remote harvesting server that is local to the organization but the TDC server is Cloud-based. In such case, the Agent is requesting operation to do on regular basis (every 40s) from its registered TDC Server. E.g., where the TDC Server is on the cloud and needs to import metadata from another Server on prem.

9. The URL for this remote server (generally one only need update the machine name inside the URL signature suggested) applies only for Local Network remote harvesting servers. It is of the form

   http://<hostname>:<port>/WebServices

   where <hostname> and <port> is the hostname or IP address and port that the remote harvesting server runs on.

10. The SHARED SECRET is used to ensure proper authentication of the remote server by the application server for Over the Web (Cloud) remote harvesting servers. It is a string and must match the M_AGENT_SHARED_SECRET assigned to the remote harvesting server as defined in the agent.properties configuration file. Details about web based configuration is below in the Cloud-based Application Server and Shared Secret section.

11. A DEFINITION

12. You may also specify:

13. MAX MISSED HEARTBEATS – to specify the number of missed hearbeats or regular contract from a remote agent before it is considered disconnected

14. COMPRESS DATA – to use data compression for the communication between the servers

15. Set as Default – To make this remote harvesting server the default when creating models.

16. You may click SHOW USAGE to see the operations which executed on the selected server.

17. Click Save.

Examples

Sign in as Administrator and go to MANAGE > Servers.

Now, select the line for the Default Server and click Show Usage.

You may now pick this remote agent when creating or updating an imported model.

Upgrade

The Upgrade operation allows you to apply a software patch to the server from the UI. Each patch is in the ZIP format and is a collection of files and directories organized in the same manner as the home directory of the application server.

The most critical patches are officially delivered as cumulative patches.

OEM Cumulative Patch Upgrade

Contains patches for all import/export bridges, in the format:

OEM-CumulativePatch-1010-20200422.zip

These cumulative patches include updated import/export bridge components which will be automatically deployed in the local MM server, as well as in any connected remote harvesting servers.

Steps

1. Sign in as a user with at least the Application Administrator capability global role assignment.

2. Go to MANAGE > Servers in the banner.

3. Confirm that all the remote harvesting agents are properly connected.

4. Click on Upgrade.

5. Browse for the patch package.

754. Click UPGRADE.

Examples

Sign in as Administrator and go to MANAGE > Servers.

Confirm that all the remote agents are properly configured.

Click on Upgrade.

Browse for the patch package.

Click Upgrade.

Third-Party Download

Please refer to the Downloaded Third-Party Software section in the MIMM Deployment Guide.

Cloud-based Application Server and Shared Secret

When placing the TDC Application Server on the cloud, you will generally need to place remote harvesting servers on premises in order to harvest metadata locally that are not accessible from the cloud. Obviously, an organization would not want servers outside the organization's on premises network to be able to invoke a harvesting server on premises. Thus, in the Over the Web (Cloud) mode, the harvesting is invoked according to a schedule on the harvesting server (not by the cloud-based Application Server) and the result is pushed up to the cloud.

Now, to ensure that no one may launch an attack on the Application Server in the cloud and pushing invalid metadata requests, both the application server and the on premises harvesting server use a shared secret between the cloud-based application server and the on premises harvesting server. In this scenario, both the URL in the UI and Server M_AGENT_SHARED_SECRET= in the agent.properties file of the on premises harvesting server must match before such a push of metadata is recognized or allowed.

Example

1. Specify the Type of on premises harvesting server to be Over the Web (Cloud).

2. Enter a meaningful name in the Name field. Note, this name is what will appear when one is selecting the server to harvest from.

3. Update the SHARED SECRET with the shared secret, in this case SharedSecretLKDFLK*(L.

4. More details may be found in the deployment guide to update the agent.properties file of the on premises harvesting server with the same shared secret:

M_AGENT_SHARED_SECRET = SharedSecretLKDFLK*(L

As well as the URL of the application server.