1. ® Tivoli Directory Integrator IBM Software Group Tivoli Directory Integrator Null Behavior handling missing/unwanted attributes Eddie Hartman eddie.hartman@no.ibm.com 2006.10.14 using TDI 6.1 FP1 eddie.hartman@no.ibm.com ®

2. Tivoli Directory Integrator IBM Software Group 2 Why use Null Behavior? Different systems handle null differently LDAP directory entries may have optional attributes RDBMS rows can have NULL column values Some protocols offer dynamic schemas e.g. HTTP: http.*, http.qs.*,... Placeholder values (e.g. “N/A”) that you want to ignore...and sometimes data is just missing...and sometimes data is just missing Null Behavior is an Attribute Map feature Built-in functionality that alleviates need for custom script Defines what a “null” value is And what to do about it

3. Tivoli Directory Integrator IBM Software Group 3 Null Behavior Can be set at several hierarchical levels: - Individual Attributes Null button in the details for an Attribute map - Attribute Map (for all Attributes specified) Null button at the top of any Input/Output Map or AttMap component - AssemblyLine Null Behavior button in AL Config tab - Config Property values in a Property Store for a Config - Solution Directory (if soldir in use) Property values in Solution-Properties - TDI Server Property values in Global-Properties

4. Tivoli Directory Integrator IBM Software Group 4 Null Behavior Properties Definition of Null: rsadmin.attribute.nullDefinition Default= use setting from level above AbsentAttribute = Attribute is missing EmptyAttribute= Attribute has no values EmptyString= Attribute value is an empty string Value= Attribute value is as specified in the rsadmin.attribute.nullDefinitionValue property which is case insensitive (e.g. abc = ABC = AbC) Handling for Null: rsadmin.attribute.nullBehavior Default Behavior= use setting from level above Delete = Do not map this Attribute (delete from map) Null= Return no value, but Attribute is present Empty String= Return an empty java.lang.String value Error= Throw an exception Value= Att value is as specified in the rsadmin.attribute.nullBehaviorValue property