About Importing User Information with Profile Sources
Profile sources allow
you to import user information (such as name, address, or phone number)
that is already defined in your enterprise in existing user repositories,
such as Active Directory or LDAP servers. The imported user information
can be used to populate user profiles or can be passed to content
crawlers, remote portlets, or federated searches as user information.
Note:
- You must map the user information to portal properties on the
User Information — Property Map (in the User Profile Manager) before
you import the user information.
- You must import users through an authentication source before
you can import the associated user information.
- You must run a job associated with the profile source to import
the user information. You should continue to run the job periodically
to keep the user information in the portal synchronized with the information
in the source user repository.
Profile Providers
A profile provider is
a piece of software that tells the portal how to use the information
in the external user repository. Oracle provides profile providers
as part of the Oracle WebCenter Interaction Identity Services. The
Oracle WebCenter Interaction Identity Service - LDAP is used to import
user information from LDAP servers. The Oracle WebCenter Interaction
Identity Service - Active Directory is used to import user information
from Active Directory servers. If your user information resides in
a custom system, such as a custom database, you can import it by writing
your own profile provider using the IDK.
Note:
- Your portal administrator must install the profile provider before
you can create the associated profile web service. For information
on obtaining profile providers, refer to the Oracle Technology Network
at http://www.oracle.com/technology/index.html. For information on installing profile providers, refer to the Installation Guide for Oracle WebCenter Interaction (available
on the Oracle Technology Network at http://www.oracle.com/technology/documentation/bea.html) or the documentation that comes with your profile provider or contact
your portal administrator.
- To learn about developing your own profile provider, refer to
the Oracle WebCenter Interaction Web Service Development Guide, which is located on the Oracle Technology Network
at http://www.oracle.com/technology/documentation/bea.html.
Profile Web Services
Profile web services
enable you to specify general settings for your external user repository,
leaving the more detailed settings (like domain specification) to
be set in the associated remote profile sources. This allows you to
create different profile sources to import information each domain
without having to repeatedly specify all the settings.
- Viewing User ProfilesUser profiles provide information about users, such as address and position. You can view your information or information for other users.
- Associating User Information with Properties Using the User Information — Property MapThe User Information — Property Map enables you to map user information to user properties in the portal. The information in these user properties can then be displayed in the user's profile, or it can be sent to content crawlers, remote portlets, or federated searches so that users do not have to enter this information on a separate preference page.
- Creating a Profile Web ServiceProfile web services enable you to specify general settings for your external user repository, leaving the more detailed settings (like domain specification) to be set in the associated remote profile sources. This allows you to create different profile sources to import information each domain without having to repeatedly specify all the settings.
- Importing User Information from External Repositories with Remote Profile SourcesProfile sources allow you to import user information (such as name, address, or phone number) that is already defined in your enterprise in existing user repositories, such as Active Directory or LDAP servers. The imported user information can be used to populate user profiles or can be passed to content crawlers, remote portlets, or federated searches as user information.
- Clearing User Information Imported by a Profile SourceYou can delete all user information previously imported by a profile source. This is useful when you add a new user property and want to look it up and update it for all users, or when you change a property from read-write to read-only and want to overwrite previous user modifications.
