Update the Configuration File for Microsoft SQL Server Region and Cross-Region Databases

Attention: This feature is in Early Adopter Product (EAP) release status. We will continue the development of additional features and provide additional interfaces via patch updates and future releases. Please contact Micro Focus SupportLine if you require further clarification.

Use these steps to create or update a configuration file to include entries to one or more region databases, and a cross-region databases.

  1. If you do not already have a database configuration file (MFDBFH.cfg), in a text editor, create a simple text file and name it MFDBFH.cfg. If you already have a configuration file, open it and then skip to step 3.
  2. Code the base element:
    <datastores>
    </datastores>
  3. Add a <server> element for each database server instance you intend to connect to. Each <server> element contains 3 attributes:
    Note: If you are editing a configuration file that already contains entries to the required server instance, skip to step 5.
    • name - the name of the instance. An entry of (local) or localhost defaults to your machine name when the file is processed.
      Note: You can use an environment variable as the name of the data source: set a variable in your environment, and then use the following syntax:
      <server name=$(env-name) type="sqlserver" access="odbc"/>
    • type - the type of database; for Microsoft SQL Server databases this should be sqlserver
    • access - the type of protocol for the database connection. Currently only odbc is supported.

    For example, for a local Microsoft SQL Server instance:

    <datastores>
       <server name="(local)" type="sqlserver" access="odbc">
       </server>
    </datastores>

    Next you need to specify the databases within the instance.

  4. Firstly, you need to create a reference to the master database:
    Note: If the <server> element for your database server instance already exists, this reference should already exist.
    <datastores>
       <server name="(local)" type="sqlserver" access="odbc">
          <dsn name="<data-source>" type="database" dbname="master"/>
       </server>
    </datastores>
  5. Next, you need to add further <dsn> elements for each region and cross-region database. Each <dsn> element contains the following attributes:
    • name - the name of the data source.
    • type - the type of database. For region databases, this is type="region.cas", and for cross-region databases, this is type="crossregion.cas".
    • region - the name of an enterprise server region. This attribute is only applicable to region database types.
    • feature - the features of an enterprise server region that are stored in a database. This attribute is only applicable to region database types. See the table in Types of Database for a list of valid options.
    • userid and password - a set of valid credentials used to access the database.
    Note: On Windows, you may omit the userid and password attributes for local MSSQL installations that allow Windows (SSPI) authentication.
    <datastores>
       <server name="(local)" type="sqlserver" access="odbc">
          <dsn name=<data-source> type="database" dbname="master" userid=<user> password=<pass>/>
          <dsn name=<data-source> type="region.cas" region=<region-name> feature=<options> userid=<user> password=<pass>/>
          <dsn name=<data-source> type="crossregion.cas" userid=<user> password=<pass>/> 
       </server>
    </datastores>
  6. Save the configuration file, ensuring it is named MFDBFH.cfg.

Example MFDBFH.cfg

The following is an example of a configuration file that contains two datastores, a region database and a cross-region database. The MSSQL server instance is also configured for Windows authentication, hence the omission of the userid and password attributes.

<datastores>
   <server name="(local)" type="sqlserver" access="odbc">
      <dsn name="SS.MYMASTER" type="database" dbname="master"/>
      <dsn name="SS.VSAM" type="datastore" dsname="VSAM"/>
      <dsn name="SS.SEQ" type="datastore" dsname="SEQ" optio="all"/>
      <dsn name="SS.CAS.ESDEMO" type="region.cas" region="ESDEMO" feature="all"/>
      <dsn name="SS.CROSSREGION" type="crossregion.cas"/>
   </server>
</datastores>

Next, you must configure the enterprise server region to use the region and cross-region databases.