Configuration Guide › Relational Database Management › Connection to the User Directory › Description of a Database Connection › Data Source Name (DSN)

Data Source Name (DSN)

The DSN element in the directory.xml file has one parameter—the name of the ODBC data source that CA IdentityMinder uses to connect to the database. The value of the name parameter must match the name of an existing data source.

Note: This element applies only when CA IdentityMinder integrates with SiteMinder. If CA IdentityMinder does not integrate with SiteMinder, this element is ignored.

If the value of the name parameter is @SmDirDSN, you do not have to specify a DSN name in the directory.xml file. CA IdentityMinder prompts you to supply the DSN name when you import the directory.xml file.

To configure a failover, define multiple DSN elements. If the primary data source fails to respond to a request, the next data source that is defined responds to the request.

For example, assume that you have configured the failover in the following way:

<DSN name="DSN1">
<DSN name="DSN2">

CA IdentityMinder uses the data source DSN1 to connect to the database. If there is a problem with DSN1, CA IdentityMinder tries to connect to the database using DSN2.

Note: The credentials you specify in the Credentials element must apply to all the DSNs that you define.