The Data Masker Create/Edit Rule Controller Form

This form is used to create and edit a Data Masker Rule Controller. Rule Controllers contain the login information which other masking rules will use to connect to a remote database and schema. The title text and button label on the form will change as is appropriate to the create or edit mode. In the example screen shot above, the form is editing an existing Rule Controller.

A masking set must have a Rule Controller and may have several Rule Controllers. Rule Controllers are designed to offer connectivity to a single DB2 schema. If a masking set requires connections to multiple schemas (which can be in different DB2 databases and instances), then it will be necessary to create a new Rule Controller for each schema. A masking set can have an unlimited number of Rule Controllers and they can connect to the same DB2 schema if required.

The Rule Controller form has two tabs on the left hand side. The Target DB Login tab contains connection details for the Rule Controllers dependent rules. The Options tab contains additional configuration options and also tools which can refresh various components such as the database structure.

What the items in the Target DB Login tab do

The login panel on the left hand side of the form is used to configure the DB2 login for the Rule Controller. Rule Controllers can be configured to use implicit or explicit credentials and standard IBM ADO connection technologies are used to connect to the DB2 instance.

Use Implicit or Explicit Credentials

These two options determine the authentication method the Rule Controller will use when connecting to the target database. If Explicit Credentials mode is used, a valid login name and password must be supplied.

Login Name and Password

This is the login name of the DB2 instance to which the Rule Controllers dependent rules will connect and when they execute. This information is only necessary if Explicit Credentials mode is enabled.

Hostname, IP Address and Port

This is the TCP/IP host name of the computer running the target DB2 UDB instance. The Port value is the TCP/IP port on which the target instance is configured.

Database Name

This is the name of the database inside the target DB2 instance to which the Rule Controller should connect. Rule Controllers are designed to offer connectivity to a single schema within a database. If a masking set requires connections to multiple schemas, then it will be necessary to create a new Rule Controller for each database and schema.

Database Name

The name of the schema inside the target database which contains the tables to be modified. If the tables to be modified exist in more than one schema then a new Rule Controller must be defined for each schema.

What the items in the Options tab do

Target Database Version

The Data Masker software will adjust its masking algorithms so as to be as efficient as possible. For some rules, higher DB2 database versions offer the opportunity for speed improvements.

Audit Table Configuration

A small table named DM2_AUDITTAB, used for auditing purposes, is required to be located in the target database. The Data Masker software will use this audit table to record the actions of each rule. The audit table is also used to determine which rules need to be executed in the event of a re-start. More information on the server side audit table can be found in the Audit Table help file.

Refresh Tables and Indexes

The Rule Controller maintains the table and index structure information for the target database as well as the login information. This button will activate a wizard (a series of walk through panels) which will refresh the database structure held by the Rule Controller.

Refresh Foreign Keys

This button connects to the target database and refreshes the foreign key information held by the Rule Controller.

Refresh Row Counts

The Data Masker software does not need to know the number of rows in the target database tables. However, it is very useful to have such information when developing masking rules. This button offers the ability refresh the row count values held by the Rule Controller with the current target table row counts. It is possible to use the estimated row counts provided by the DB2 statistics if desired.