The configuration process creates an Optim™ Directory, establishes connectivity to the databases accessed by Optim, and supports other maintenance tasks. The Optim Directory is a set of tables that store all the Optim-specific object definitions you create. Typically, a site uses one shared Optim Directory, regardless of the number of database instances to be accessed or the number of workstations using Optim. However, you may create as many Optim Directories as needed to satisfy your site requirements.
The configuration phase consists of configuring the first workstation, configuring each additional workstation and, if licensed, configuring the Server component.
Several steps are involved in configuring the first workstation. Each step is briefly described in the following paragraphs.
The 30-character Product License Key determines the Optim features your company is allowed to use. This key is unique to your company and is sent to you by email when Optim is shipped. You must use this key when you configure the first workstation and any additional workstations.
Although you may use any number of database instances with Optim, only one is designated to hold the Optim Directory. Typically, the Directory will share an instance used for other tables. While the Optim Directory is rarely so large or so heavily accessed as to justify a dedicated database instance, you can dedicate a database instance solely to the Optim Directory, if desired.
When you create the Optim Directory, you are prompted for the following information:
Optim requires a DB Alias for each database instance it accesses. You may define one or more DB Aliases at installation or use the Configuration program to add DB Aliases later.
The same information specified for the Optim Directory is needed for each DB Alias; that is, DBMS Type and Version, User ID, Password, Connection String, and Identifier for the packages, plans, or procedures to be included as part of the DB Alias definition. Meaningful DB Alias names are desirable because Optim references tables using a three-part name (dbalias.ownerid.tablename).
Many Optim processes require primary keys. Often, database tables do not have DBMS primary keys. In this step, you can create Optim Primary Keys for any table that does not have one, but does have a unique index. You may choose this option for each DB Alias.
Optim is distributed with a sample database, consisting of several tables (CUSTOMERS, ORDERS, etc.). These sample tables allow you to experiment while learning how to use Optim and serve as the basis for training.
Data privacy data tables are available to clients who have an Optim Data Privacy License. These tables allow you to mask company and personal data — such as employee names, customer names, social security numbers, credit card numbers, and email addresses — to generate transformed data that is both valid and unique.
Optim Security allows you to secure objects in an Optim Directory, to control access to data in Archive Files, and to limit the ability of users to create objects or perform functions by assigning access permissions. To use Optim Security, you must first initialize and enable security for the Optim Directory and assign a Security Administrator. The Security Administrator can enable or disable security and establish default security settings for the Optim Directory.
Most installations create and use one Product Configuration File that establishes Product Options for your site. As part of this step, you can modify the Product Options maintained in the file and edit Personal Options for the workstation.
You can edit Product and Personal Options from within Optim, although it is a good idea to establish the directories to store work and temporary files during the configuration process. These directories are personal in nature and most users specify a directory on their workstation.
When you configure the first workstation, you create the Optim Directory, and the Configuration program creates a registry entry that allows Optim to connect to the Optim Directory from that workstation. If you are planning to configure one or more additional workstations, you can export the Optim Directory registry entries and the Product License information to a file. You can save time by importing this file when you configure each additional workstation.
After you complete the full installation and configuration for the first workstation, you must configure any other workstations that are to use Optim.
Even if you decide to install Optim on a file server, you can run Setup before configuring each additional workstation to create application shortcuts. Next, select the Configure Additional Workstation option for each workstation.
If you exported registry settings to a file when you configured the first workstation, you can import these settings to configure each additional workstation. However, if you do not choose to export and import Optim Directory registry data, you must follow the flow in the configuration process to create a registry entry.
When you configure an additional workstation and do not import registry data, you must provide the Product License Key and information needed to create a new Windows registry entry for the additional workstation. The registry entry allows Optim to connect to the Optim Directory from the workstation.
The last step in configuring each additional workstation is to identify an existing Product Configuration File (created when you configured the first workstation). You may modify Product and Personal Options, if desired.
After you complete the installation and configuration for a Windows workstation that is to use Optim, you can choose to configure the Server on it. Alternatively, you can install the Server from a console and use the Command Line Interface to configure the Server in the appropriate UNIX or Linux environment.
(See Install and Configure the Server under UNIX or Linux for complete information.)
On a Windows machine, the Optim Server Settings dialog, available from the Windows Control Panel, allows you to configure and establish network connectivity between delegating workstations and machines hosting the Server. In addition, the workstations and any machine hosting the Server must have connectivity to the database containing the Optim Directory as well as the database containing data to be processed.
A Server must have Language Settings for each workstation that accesses it. In a purely Windows environment, you can use Regional Settings from the Windows Control Panel on the machine hosting the Server to ensure that all needed locales are installed. Installations that include one or more UNIX or Linux-based Servers translate locales between environments, using a file (locale.conf) that is installed with Optim. Depending upon the environment, the locale.conf file is located in .../IBM Optim/RT/BIN or $(PSTHOME)\etc. You may review the list of locale translations in locale.conf and, if needed, add translations for nonstandard locales. See Character Formats for more information.
When the installation is complete, select Optim from the Windows Control Panel to configure the Server. You can provide settings unique to the server, such as the path and executable file name for each database loader, connection strings for all defined DB Aliases, and protocols for access to the server.
If desired, you can click Merge Current User to copy the Personal Options settings from the registry of the current user to the Server configuration.
The Configuration Tasks menu offers a number of commands that allow you to maintain the Optim environment. Some tasks are also used to configure the first and additional workstations.