Implementation Guide › Implementing Enterprise Reporting › How to Set Up Reporting Service Server Components › Create a Snapshot Definition

Create a Snapshot Definition

Reports are based on data snapshots that are collected from CA Access Control and UNAB endpoints and stored in the central database, on PUPM data from CA Access Control Enterprise Management, and on data from the user store.

You create a snapshot definition and capture snapshot data before you can run and view CA Access Control reports. A snapshot definition specifies the report data that CA Access Control collects and the schedule for data collection.

The snapshot parameter XML file specifies the report data that CA Access Control collects. By default, this file specifies to include all CA Access Control and UNAB endpoints, PUPM data, and data from the user store in the report snapshot. You can customize the snapshot parameter XML file to limit the scope of the report snapshot.

To help ensure that the reports contain the most up-to-date data, do not schedule the snapshot to run more often than the endpoint snapshots. For example, if you configure your endpoints to send a snapshot each week and configure CA Access Control Enterprise Management to capture a snapshot each day, report data is collected weekly from the endpoints but daily from PUPM and the user store, and out-of-date endpoint data appears in the reports.

Important! Do not enable more than one snapshot definition. CA Access Control Enterprise Management cannot successfully run all reports if more than one snapshot definition is enabled.

Note: By default, you must have the System Manager role to create a snapshot definition.

To create a snapshot definition

1. In CA Access Control Enterprise Management, do as follows:
   1. Click Reports.
   2. Click the Tasks subtab.
   3. Expand the Manage Snapshot Definition tree in the task menu on the left.

      The Create Snapshot Definition task appears in the list of available tasks.

2. Click Create Snapshot Definition.

   The Create Snapshot Definition: Select Snapshot Definition page appears.

3. Click OK.

   The Create Snapshot Definition page appears.

4. Complete the following fields in the Profile tab:

   Snapshot Definition Name

   Defines the name of the snapshot definition.

   Snapshot Definition Description

   Specifies any additional information to describe the snapshot definition.

   Enabled

   Specifies that CA Access Control Enterprise Management enables the snapshot definition.

   Note: If you do not select this checkbox, CA Access Control Enterprise Management does not capture snapshots and you cannot view reports. You can enable only one snapshot at a time.

   Identifier

   Specifies the snapshot parameter XML file that defines the scope of the report snapshot.

   Default: PPM_ALL.xml

   Keep Last

   Specifies the number of successful snapshots stored in the central database. CA Access Control deletes old snapshots when the number of snapshots in the database reaches the number that you specify.

   Note: The number of snapshots should be greater than zero. If you do not specify a value for this field, CA Access Control stores unlimited snapshots. We recommend that you store a maximum of three successful snapshots.

5. Click the Recurrence tab and select Schedule.

   The schedule options appear.

6. Specify the snapshot execution time and recurrence pattern, and click Submit.

   Note: We recommend that you schedule the snapshot to run less frequently than the snapshots from CA Access Control and UNAB endpoints.

   CA Access Control is configured to capture snapshots at the scheduled time and frequency.

Note: After you create a snapshot definition, you can choose to capture snapshots on demand and capture snapshots at the scheduled time and frequency. For more information about capturing snapshot data, see the Enterprise Administration Guide.

More information:

Capture Snapshot Data