The API Services Business Services Tier

Architecture 2-7

2.2.2.2 Integration Services

A scalable and flexible integration architecture is critical for the successful deployment of provisioning solutions. Oracle Identity Manager offers an integration architecture for fast and low-cost deployments. Oracle Identity Manager integration services provide all the components required to support the development, deployment, and maintenance of connectors. The integration services includes: ■ Connector Framework ■ Adapter Factory ■ Generic Technology Connector ■ Remote Manager

2.2.2.2.1 Connector Framework

Oracle Identity Manager connectors are packaged solutions that are used to integrate with target applications for the purposes of managing identities in those applications. Examples of such target applications are Microsoft Active Directory or Oracle E-Business Suite. A connector can be predefined by Oracle for particular target systems or can be custom developed. Because a predefined connector is designed specifically for the target application, it offers the quickest integration method. These connectors support popular business applications such as Oracle eBusiness Suite, PeopleSoft, Siebel, JD Edward and SAP, as well as technology applications such as Active Directory, Java Directory Server, UNIX, databases, and RSA ClearTrust. Predefined connectors offer the quickest integration alternative because they are designed specifically for the target application. They use integration technologies recommended by target and are preconfigured with application specific attributes. If predefined connectors does not use integration technologies recommended by target, then a custom connector can be developed. The Adapter Factory tool in Oracle Identity Manager Design Console provides a definitional user interface that facilitates such custom development efforts without coding or scripting. A connector contains: ■ Multiple connector-specific Oracle Identity Manager entities such as resource objects, data forms, provisioning workflows, and adapters ■ Target-specific Java libraries that provide the underlying functions such as connectivity, authentication and user account management ■ Event triggers that wire provisioning operations to both identity profile changes and policy operations The connector framework combines all of these components together into a functional connector that is run at appropriate times, either manually based on user interaction or based on system triggering. It defines the various operational triggers, policy triggers, and hooks that allow the connector operation to be tailored to specific requirements.

2.2.2.2.2 Identity Connectors

Connectors are deployed with Oracle Identity Manager, which affects the portability of the connectors across various Oracle Identity Manager releases. The Identity See Also: Integration Solutions on page 5-1 for details about how to define adapters by using the Adapter Factory. 2-8 Oracle Fusion Middleware Users Guide for Oracle Identity Manager Connector Framework ICF decouples the connectors from Oracle Identity Manager. As a result, connectors can be used with any product. Identity connectors are designed to separate the implementation of an application from the dependencies of the system that the application is attempting to connect to. Identity connectors have the following components: ■ The identity connector framework: Provides a container that separates the connector bundle from the application. The framework provides many common features that developers would otherwise need to implement on their own. For example, the framework can provide connection pooling, buffering, timeouts, and filtering. The identity connector framework is separated into two parts: – The API: Applications use the API to call connectors – The SPI: Developers can create connectors by implementing the SPI ■ Identity connector bundle: The specific implementation for a given resource target ■ The connector server optional: Allows an application to remotely run one or more connector bundles that are deployed on another system. Connector servers are available in both Java™ and .NET. The .NET connector server is needed only if you are using .NET connector bundles, whereas the Java connector server is available for connector bundles written in Java. Figure 2–2 shows the ICF architecture: Figure 2–2 ICF Architecture Connector SPI Connector SPI interfaces represent operations supported on a connector. A connector developer can choose to implement one or more operation interfaces for framing target system calls. Extension on existing interfaces or creating new interfaces is not