What is the System Store?

The System Store is a database that TDI uses to 'remember' stuff like:

• the last change read, when you use one of the Change Detection Connectors (also called CDCs);
• the snapshots of data used to compute changes when using the Delta Engine together with an Iterator Connector;
• data read using the System Store Connector, which writes and reads full Entry objects with any number of Attributes;
• objects (of any kind) saved using the system.setPersistenObject() call. These can further be retrieved with system.getPersistenObject(), and removed with system.deletePersistentObject();
• Sandbox data when you run an AL in Record or Replay modes;

Plus a few other things.

By default, TDI gives you the Derby database system, which is a fully functional open source RDBMS. You can change the System Store used by the TDI server at any time by simply right-clicking on that server in the Servers View and selecting the 'Edit system store settings' option.

This opens up the Server System Store page with its settings. At the top of the page, next to the title, is a drop-down arrow that lets you choose from a list of supported RDBMS's to use as the System Store.

When you select one of these options the various settings below are populated with default values for that system, including all the CREATE statements for standard TDI tables. Only the topmost settings on this page need to be edited to include the actual hostname for your database server,  as well as database name, port used and authentication credentials. Once this has been changed then the new System Store can be tested using the Test Connection button. When TDI is restarted then the server will use the new System Store settings.

Note also that you can define the System Store settings for a Project as well. The Project-specific setting is found in the 'Solution Logging and Settings' item under that Project.

The right-most tab labeled 'System Store' will give you access to the Config Instance System Store settings.

Now whenever an AL in this Config uses the System Store then it will be working with the database system assigned to the Project.

If you use the Browse Server Stores feature to view the contents of the System Store, then the 'last change' information saved by Change Detection Connectors will be easily read in the ID_PS_Default table. This is also where persistent objects that you save in your script is kept.

Each item here will have the key it was saved with - for example, the Iterator State Key value of a CDC, or the key used for a system.setPersistentObject() call - as well as a legible value. However, if you try to access this table using a JDBC or Database Connector then you will see that the value column (called 'Entry' in the table) is a BLOB. This column actually contains serialized Entry objects. If you still want to access this information directly using JDBC then you will have to deserialize the Entry value like this:

     // For example, in the After GetNext Hook you can grab 'Entry' from conn
     // and deserialize it to a new Attribute called 'Value'.
     entryObj = conn.getObject("Entry"); // get the actual Java object value
     conn.Value = com.ibm.di.store.StoreFactory.deserializeObject(entryObj);
     // Now 'Value' can be mapped into Work and is human readable

Finally, it's important to note that System Store settings are stored in the solution.properties file, where you will also find the setting to have the TDI Server automatically launch the Derby RDBMs when it starts up. This property is commented out by default as shown here.

        #com.ibm.di.store.start.mode=automatic

Simply remove the hash mark (#) to make startup automatic. This option is not used when other database systems are selected for the System Store.