Synchronizing Analytics

Analytics synchronization is a process by which object dimension data is sent from the remote database to the dimension tables of the Analytics database, where the data is stored. The Automation Service runs the synchronization process using the Analytics sync jobs that are delivered with Analytics. Dimension data is transferred through a JDBC connection.

An Analytics sync job exists for each object. The Analytics Jobs subfolder exists within the Analytics subfolder of the Admin Objects directory. For a complete list of synchronized objects and their associated products and Automation Service jobs, see Synchronized Dimension Data and Associated Jobs.

The Automation Service automatically runs all Analytics sync jobs after you have installed or upgraded Analytics (including having added Analytics jobs to the Automation Service). The first synchronization is a full synchronization, in which the sync jobs transfer dimension data about all of the products’ reported objects and populate the Analytics database’s job records.

After this initial synchronization, the Automation Service automatically and regularly runs partial synchronizations, in which all Analytics sync jobs transfer only dimension data about objects that are new or have been changed since the previous synchronization. Note that if an object is removed from the application on which Analytics is reporting, the record for that object’s dimension data remains in the Analytics database. For this reason, Analytics continues to report the events that occurred on this object before it was removed from the application.

By default, the Automation Service performs a partial synchronization once per day. You can, however, edit each sync job’s schedule to better suit your environment and its usage patterns. For synchronization scheduling guidelines, see Strategizing Synchronization Scheduling.

You can find details of sync jobs in the portal's job history log or in Analytics's sync.log file. For the location of the Analytics sync.log file, see Overview of Logs.

Synchronized Dimension Data and Associated Jobs

The following table lists the products that are synchronized with Analytics, the objects whose dimension data is synchronized, and the Analytics job that triggers synchronization of that dimension data. The Analytics Jobs subfolder exists within the Analytics subfolder of the Admin Objects directory.

Table 6-1 Analytics Synchronization - List of Objects and Associated Sync Jobs

Product

Object

Analytics Job

BEA AquaLogic Interaction (“portal”)

Communities

Community Sync Job

Community Pages

Community Page Sync Job

Portlets

Portlet Sync Job

Auth Sources

Auth Source Sync Job

Community to Portlet Relationships

Community Portlet Map Sync Job

Directory Folders

Directory Folder Sync Job

Document Data Sources

Document Data Source Sync Job

KD Documents

Document Sync Job

KD Document to Directory Folder Relationships

Document Folder Map Sync Job

User Properties

Property Sync Job

User Property Values

User Property Sync Job

Note:

User property values that are over 255 characters in length are truncated to 255 characters in the Analytics database. The user property values are not altered in the portal database.

Users

User Sync Job

BEA AquaLogic Interaction Collaboration

Collaboration Message Post Data

Message Post Sync Job

Collaboration Document Upload Data

Document Upload Sync Job

BEA AquaLogic Interaction Publisher

Content Items

Content Item Sync Job

Content Folders

Content Folder Sync Job

User Status Update Job: Uses the Active User Timeout setting to calculate user activity/inactivity. You configure the Active User Timeout setting in Analytics Administration’s Runtime Settings page. For details, see Configuring Runtime Settings.
Host Resolution Job: Resolves the IP addresses that are sent with events that are delivered with Analytics. This job does not resolve the IP addresses that are sent with custom events.

Performing Force Synchronizations

A force synchronization populates the Analytics database with the dimension data of objects that are synchronized by Analytics jobs. These jobs are listed in Synchronized Dimension Data and Associated Jobs.

Performing a Force Synchronization of All Dimension Data

Execute the following SQL command on the Analytics database:

TRUNCATE TABLE ASSYS_JOBLOGS

The command deletes all records from the ASSYS_JOBLOG.

Schedule the Automation Service to run all Analytics jobs.

The Analytics jobs populate the Analytics database with current dimension data.

Performing a Force Synchronization of a Single Object’s Dimension Data

Delete the log records for the object’s associated sync job.

The log records are located in the ASSYS_JOBLOGS table.

Schedule the Automation Service to run the object’s associated sync job.

The Analytics job populates the Analytics database with the object’s dimension data.

Strategizing Synchronization Scheduling

Because some dimension data in your environment might change more frequently than other dimension data, we recommend that you adopt a job scheduling strategy that reflects your environment’s unique circumstances.

If your portal contains objects that rarely change, run the appropriate Analytics sync job manually. For example, if your portal’s authentication sources rarely change, run the Auth Source Sync Job manually.
If your portal contains objects that change only once per week, schedule the appropriate Analytics sync job to run once per week. For example, if new portlets and communities are added to your production portal once per week, schedule the Portlet Sync Job and Community Sync Job to run once per week.
If your portal contains data that changes on a constant basis, schedule the appropriate Analytics sync job to run frequently. For example, if your registration Web site creates portal user accounts throughout the day, schedule the User Sync Job to run once per hour.

For complete details on how to schedule Automation Service jobs, see Administrator Guide for BEA AquaLogic Interaction.

Administrator Guide