Data ServicesConfigure a Link Data Service

A Data Service AdministratorClosed A local administrator who creates and configures data services for use by Designers who configure Database data sources and Alternate data sources. can use this procedure to configure a Link data service to centrally manage the connection URL and credentials to access a database. As a best practice, it is recommended that you configure the Link data service before configuring JDBC data services that will use it.

If multiple JDBC data services use the same connection URL and credentials to access a database, you can use a Link data service to simplify the management of the JDBC data services. If you need to change the connection URL, you can change it in the Link data service instead of having to manually change it in each JDBC data service.

If your environment includes more than one Loftware Application Server but a different connection URL and credentials are required for database access from each server, then using Link data services can eliminate the need for changes due to the move. On each server, you can create a Link data service with the same name but containing a different connection URL and credentials. The path within each Loftware Application Server to the Link data service must be the same. A label template will automatically refer to the Link data service within the same Loftware Application Server.

To configure a Link data service, use the following procedure.

Note: You do not have to stop a data service to make changes to its configuration or for those changes to take effect, but you must save your changes.

  1. In Data Services Data Services click , and select Link Data Service.
  2. Enter the URL and credentials for connecting to a database.
  3. In the Properties panel, enter a Description.
  4. In the ribbon, click SaveSave.

    5. The following characters are permitted in the name: letters, numbers, parentheses, square brackets, ampersands, plus signs, commas, semi-colons, and tildes. Additionally, the following characters are permitted but cannot begin or end the name: spaces, double quotation marks, single quotation marks, hyphens, underscores, periods, and grave accents. For letters, the case that you specify is displayed, but case is ignored when Loftware Enterprise SP interprets a name. If you will be installing the Loftware Enterprise SP application on a computer running Windows Server, and transferring data between Loftware Enterprise SP instances, see the "Transferring Data in a Compressed File" section of the Loftware Enterprise SP Data Transfer Guide.

  5. If the data service has not been started, from the Home tab, click Start Data Service.

The data service is updated with the connection information. You can view the status of the data service in the Properties pane. If the data service is stopped, you must start it to permit the connection information to be used by other data services.

Tip: To use a Link data service, a Data Service Administrator configuring a JDBC Data Service must select the Is Data Link option and for Data Link select the Link data service. For more information, see Configure a JDBC Data Service.

Important! Whenever you add a new device, data service, integration, or facility, you must ensure that the service is activated on all Loftware Application Servers on which it should be available to run and started on at least one. In an environment with only one Loftware Application Server, these types of services are automatically activated and started when they are created. For more information, see High Availability with Distributed Services.

Note: If you want to delete a data service, you must stop it before you can delete it.