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diff --git a/doc/70-Import-and-Sync.md b/doc/70-Import-and-Sync.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a413ab9 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/70-Import-and-Sync.md @@ -0,0 +1,88 @@ +<a id="Import-and-Sync"></a>Import and Synchronization +====================================================== + +Icinga Director offers very powerful mechanisms when it comes to fetching data +from external data sources. + +The following examples should give you a quick idea of what you might want to +use this feature for. Please note that Import Data Sources are implemented as +hooks in Director. This means that it is absolutely possible and probably very +easy to create custom data sources for whatever kind of data you have. And you +do not need to modify the Director source code for this, you can ship your very +own importer in your very own Icinga Web 2 module. + +Examples +-------- + +### Import Servers from MS Active Directory + +#### Create a new import source + +Importing data from LDAP sources is pretty easy. We use MS Active Directory +as an example source: + + + +You must formerly have configured a corresponding LDAP resource in your Icinga Web. +Then you choose your preferred object class, you might add custom filters, a search +base should always be set. + +The only tricky part here are the chosen Properties. You must know them and you +are required to fill them in, no way around this right now. Also please choose one +column as your key column. + +In case you want to avoid trouble please make this the column that corresponds to +your desired object name for the objects you are going to import. Rows duplicating +this property will be considered erroneous, the Import would fail. + +#### Property modifiers + +Data sources like SQL databases provide very powerful modifiers themselves. With a +handcrafted query you can solve lots of data conversion problems. Sometimes this is +not possible, and some sources (like LDAP) do not even have such features. + +This is where property modifiers jump in to the rescue. Your computer names are +uppercase and you hate this? Use the lowercase modifier: + + + +You want to have the object SID as a custom variable, but the data is stored +binary in your AD? There is a dedicated modifier: + + + +You do not agree with the way Microsoft represents its version numbers? Regular +expressions are able to fix everything: + + + +#### Preview + +A quick look at the preview confirms that we reached a good point, that's the data +we want: + + + +#### Synchronization + +The Import itself just fetches raw data, it does not yet try to modify any of your +Icinga objects. That's what the Sync rules have been designed for. This distinction +has a lot of advantages when it goes to automatic scheduling for various import and +sync jobs. + +When creating a Synchronization rule, you must decide which Icinga objects you want +to work with. You could decide to use the same import source in various rules with +different filters and properties. + + + +For every property you must decide whether and how it should be synchronized. You +can also define custom expressions, combine multiple source fields, set custom +properties based on custom conditions and so on. + + + +Now you are all done and ready to a) launch the Import and b) trigger your synchronization +run. + + |