Configuration Guide › Relational Database Management › How to Describe a Database in a Directory Configuration File › Managed Object Descriptions › How to Specify the Unique Identifier for a Managed Object

How to Specify the Unique Identifier for a Managed Object

Each object that CA Identity Manager manages must have a unique identifier. The unique identifier must be stored in a single column in the managed object’s primary table. Primary tables are described in Database Tables.

Use the UniqueIdentifier and UniqueIdentifierAttr elements to define the unique identifier as follows:

<UniqueIdentifier>
  <UniqueIdentifierAttr name="tablename.columnname" />
</UniqueIdentifier>

The UniqueIdentifierAttr element requires the name parameter. The value of the name parameter is the attribute in which the unique identifier is stored. The value can be a physical attribute or a well-known attribute.

When you specify a physical attribute, note the following:

• The attribute that you specify must exist in the database and be defined in the directory configuration file, as described in How to Modify Attribute Descriptions. In the attribute description, be sure to specify read-only or write-once permission to prevent the unique identifier from changing during a session.
• Use the following syntax to specify a physical attribute:

  tablename.columnname
  

  tablename

  Defines the name of the table where the attribute is located. The table you specify should be the primary table.

  columnname

  Defines the name of the column that stores the attribute.

• If the unique identifier is generated by the database, you must specify a custom operation for the attribute. For example, you may have to specify an operation that fetches the last generated identifier from the database.