The Add DB Link Table Form

In some circumstances (particularly Table-To-Table Syncronization) it is necessary to operate on a table in a different schema. If the schema containing the table is not in the same database then the remote table must be accessed via a database link. The Add DB Link Table form enables the configuration of a remote table, accessed via a database link, into the masking set. This enables the various masking rules to use it as the target of masking operations.

The Add DB Link Table form is launched from the Create/Edit Rule Controller form. The top field is the name of the schema to which the rule controller will connect. The DB Link Name field must be entered by the user. This database link must be accessible to the schema to which the Rule Controller connects. The database link can be tested using the Test Link button.

It is important to be sure that you know exactly which schema the specified link connects to. This includes checking the accuracy of the TNSNames entry. If you do not get this right you could be performing masking operations on a completely different schema and database.

Once the database link information has been provided, the name of the remote table can be specified. A list of tables in the remote schema can be viewed by clicking on the Browse button.

After both the database link and table name have been entered, the Fetch Remote Table Structure button can be pressed to download the column information for the remote table. This information is necessary in order for the masking rules to operate properly on the remote table.

The Add Table button can be pressed to add the remote table (accessed via a DBLink) to the Rule Controllers schema. DBLink tables are readily identifiable by the @DBLink appended to the table name. For example, a table named SUPPLIER in the remote PURCHASING schema accessed via the PURCHLINK database link would appear in the table name list as SUPPLIER@PURCHLINK. The various masking rules will automatically detect the fact that the table is remotely accessed via a database link and optimize their masking algorythms and code.

It is not possible to use DBLink Tables with Shuffle or Table-Internal Sync. rules. All other masking rule types support the use of DBLink Tables.