Preventing Damage to the Metaverse and Connected Data Source

The MIIS_ManagementAgent Class class has a several methods that you can use to ensure that you are changing the Forefront Identity Manager Synchronization Service (FIM Synchronization Service) database (metaverse) and the connector space according to your business rules. We recommend that you use the results of these methods to check the effects of importing and exporting objects before you apply the changes to the metaverse or connected data source.

For example, you can set a limit on the number of objects to be deleted during each management agent run. You can express this limit either as a specified number of objects, such as “delete up to 50 objects,” or as a ratio of deleted objects to the total number of connector space objects, such as “delete up to 20% of the connector space objects.”

You perform a synchronization run profile step only if the suggested methods return a number less than the specified limits. If the number that is returned exceeds the specified limit, you do not perform a synchronization run profile step.

Before Synchronizing the Metaverse

When you are importing objects into the metaverse, you should stage the imports by running a management agent with a Full Import (Stage Only) or Delta Import (Stage Only) run profile step before a synchronization run profile. By staging the imports, you can then verify that the results of the following method do not exceed your specified limits:

  • The NumImportDelete Method method returns the number of connector and explicit connector objects that are potentially disconnected from the metaverse and can cause a deletion of the metaverse object.

  • The NumImportAdd Method method returns the number of objects that are candidates to join or project to the metaverse.

  • The NumImportUpdate Method method returns the number of connector objects that contain attribute changes that will be applied to the joined metaverse object.

Note

These methods return zero if you do not stage your imports before you run these methods. You must stage the imports in order for these methods to return useful values.

For an example in Microsoft Visual Basic Scripting Edition (VBScript) of how to use these methods, see How to: Prevent Metaverse Damage.

Preventing Connected Data Source Damage

For objects that will be exported to other connected directories, check the results of the following methods before you run a management agent with a full export run profile step.

  • The NumExportAdd Method method returns the number of connector space objects that will be added to the connected directory on the next export.

  • The NumExportDelete Method method returns the number of objects that will be deleted from the connected directory on the next export.

  • The NumExportUpdate Method method returns the number of objects that will be updated in the connected directory on the next export.

For an example in VBScript of using these methods, see How to: Prevent Connected Data Source Damage.

See Also

Reference

MIIS_ManagementAgent Class

Concepts

Script Examples
How to: Prevent Metaverse Damage
How to: Prevent Connected Data Source Damage