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1 -novice-file-based-connectivity-archiving
1 +Volume Mapping (On-premise)
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1 +en
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1 1  {{container}}{{container layoutStyle="columns"}}(((
2 -n some cases, the input you receive or the output that you need to send to an external party cannot handle all characters or the input or output is written with the help of a character set. In this microlearning, we will learn how you can define the character set for file-based connectivity to ensure that you can process and deliver files according to the specifications.
3 3  
4 -Should you have any questions, please contact [[academy@emagiz.com>>mailto:academy@emagiz.com]].
3 +{{warning}}
4 +Please note that this microlearning is for the new monitoring stack only.
5 +{{/warning}}
5 5  
6 -* Last update: May 31th, 2021
7 -* Required reading time: 7 minutes
7 +When you need to read and write files from an on-premise disk, you need to know the path in which the data is stored and ensure that the docker container in your runtime(s) running has access to this path. There are several ways of dealing with this challenge. This microlearning will discuss the various alternatives and best approaches in these scenarios.
8 8  
9 +Should you have any questions, please contact [[academy@emagiz.com>>mailto:academy@emagiz.com]].
10 +
9 9  == 1. Prerequisites ==
10 10  
11 11  * Basic knowledge of the eMagiz platform
... ... @@ -12,56 +12,131 @@
12 12  
13 13  == 2. Key concepts ==
14 14  
15 -This microlearning centers around learning how to define the character set to ensure that eMagiz processes the information correctly.
17 +This microlearning centers around learning how to correctly set up your volume mapping so you can exchange file-based data on-premise.
16 16  
17 -By character set, we mean: The composite number of different characters that are being used and supported by computer software and hardware. It consists of codes, bit patterns, or natural numbers used in defining some particular character.
19 +By volume mapping, we mean Creating a configuration through which the docker container can read and write data on a specific path on an on-premise machine. Note that the data can also be stored inside the docker container when the other party writing or reading the data can access this path or when the data is only relevant within the context of eMagiz.
18 18  
19 -* Some external system talk in a different character set
20 -* eMagiz talks in default UTF-8 as a character set and assumes everyone else also does this
21 -* In cases of mismatch correct is at the point where you talk with the other system (i.e. entry or exit)
21 +There are several options for volume mapping for your on-premise machine.
22 +* Volume
23 +* Bind mount
24 +* Temporary file system
25 +* Named pipe
22 22  
23 -== 3. Character set ==
27 +== 3. Volume Mapping (On-premise) ==
24 24  
25 -In some cases, the input you receive or the output that you need to send to an external party cannot handle all characters or the input or output is written with the help of a character set. In this microlearning, we will learn how you can define the character set for file-based connectivity to ensure that you can process and deliver files according to the specifications.
29 +When you need to read and write files from an on-premise disk, you need to know the path in which the data is stored and ensure that the docker container in your runtime(s) running has access to this path. There are several ways of dealing with this challenge. This microlearning will discuss the various alternatives and best approaches in these scenarios.
26 26  
27 -Sometimes external systems only talk in a specific character set. To ensure that all the data is properly communicated between eMagiz and the other system we need to make sure that we define which character set that is so we can tell it to eMagiz via a component. That way eMagiz will deviate from its default (i.e. UTF-8) and will process the file according to that different character set. In practice, we mainly see windows-1252 as an alternative that pops up once in a while. In various components that deal with file handling, you can define the character set on which eMagiz should act. Examples of such components are:
31 +There are several options for volume mapping for your on-premise machine.
32 +* Machine volume
33 +* Bind mount
34 +* Network volume
35 +* Temporary file system
36 +* Named pipe
28 28  
29 -- File to string transformer
30 -- Flat file to XML transformer
31 -- File outbound channel adapter
38 +Below, we will explain the differences between the various options available for your volume mapping. But before we do, we explain how to set up this configuration within eMagiz. Then, you must navigate to Deploy -> Architecture on the model level. This overview lets you access the Volume mapping per runtime deployed on-premise. To do so, you can right-click on the runtime to access the context menu.
32 32  
33 -In all these components you have the option to define the character set within the Advanced tab of the component. In this microlearning, we will use the File to string transformer to illustrate how that will look.
40 +[[image:Main.Images.Microlearning.WebHome@novice-file-based-connectivity-volume-mapping-on-premise--volume-option-context-menu.png]]
34 34  
35 -[[image:Main.Images.Microlearning.WebHome@novice-file-based-connectivity-characterset--characterset-configuration.png]]
42 +When you click this option, you will see the following pop-up. In this pop-up, you can define the machine-level, runtime-level, and network-level volumes. More on that later. This is the starting point for configuring your volume mapping. We will walk through each available option and explain how they work and should be configured.
36 36  
37 -In this field, you can define the character set of your choice. To make this work in eMagiz you need to navigate to the Create phase of eMagiz and open the entry flow in which you want to retrieve the file to a certain location. Within the context of this flow, we need to add functionality that will ensure that the correct character set is used. To do so first enter "Start Editing" mode on flow level. After that open, the File to string transformer, navigate to the Advanced tab, and fill in the correct character set. After you have defined the correct character set the only thing left to do is to Save the component. See the suggested additional readings section on the complete list of character sets that are supported by Java 8.
44 +[[image:Main.Images.Microlearning.WebHome@novice-file-based-connectivity-volume-mapping-on-premise--volume-mapping-pop-up.png]]
38 38  
39 -Congratulations you have successfully learned how to specify the character set.
46 +{{info}}Note that you should be in "Start editing" mode to make any changes to the configuration of your volume mapping.{{/info}}
40 40  
41 -== 4. Assignment ==
48 +=== 3.1 Volume ===
42 42  
43 -Configure an entry in which you define the component and configuration needed to process a file on a per-line basis.
44 -This assignment can be completed with the help of the (Academy) project that you have created/used in the previous assignment.
50 +The first Type available to you is volume. With this option, you create one or more folders on Docker relevant to that runtime to read and write **persistent** data. To configure this Type, you need to link the runtime volume to a machine volume (or network volume) you can create within the same pop-up. This means you can re-use a "Machine volume" or a "Network volume" over multiple runtimes (i.e., containers). We first need to define a machine (or network) volume to do so. Once we have done that, we can learn how to link the volume to the machine or network volume.
45 45  
46 -== 5. Key takeaways ==
52 +==== 3.1.1 Define Machine Volume ====
47 47  
48 -* Some external system talk in a different character set
49 -* eMagiz talks in default UTF-8 as a character set and assumes everyone else also does this
50 -* In cases of mismatch correct is at the point where you talk with the other system (i.e. entry or exit)
51 -* eMagiz provides several components within which you can define the character set
54 +So, we first open the tab called "Machine volume." Then, by pressing the "New" button, we can define a new "Machine volume." In the following pop-up, we can specify the name of a machine volume and tell whether the volume already exists on your docker installation.
52 52  
53 -== 6. Suggested Additional Readings ==
56 +[[image:Main.Images.Microlearning.WebHome@novice-file-based-connectivity-volume-mapping-on-premise--machine-volumes-configuration.png]]
54 54  
55 -If you are interested in this topic and want more information on it please read the help text provided by eMagiz and read the following links:
58 +Once you have done so, we press "Save" and switch back to the "Runtime volumes" tab.
56 56  
57 -* https://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/technotes/guides/intl/encoding.doc.html
58 -* https://www.techopedia.com/definition/941/character-set
59 -* https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2012/06/all-about-unicode-utf8-character-sets/
60 +{{info}}When stating that the machine volume already exists, you can re-use the same machine volume across multiple runtimes (i.e., containers). This is especially useful when archiving data. You can create a central volume in which the data is stored, and through the linkage of the volume to the machine volume, you can subsequently structure your archiving folder. The paths will then look as follows, "/archive/runtimename"{{/info}}
60 60  
61 -== 7. Silent demonstration video ==
62 +==== 3.1.2 Define Network Volume ====
62 62  
63 -This video demonstrates how you could have handled the assignment and gives you some context on what you have just learned.
64 +So, we first open the tab called "Network volume." Then, by pressing the "New" button, we can define a new "Network volume." In the following pop-up, we can specify the name of a machine volume and configure the relevant information for a network volume. In most cases, a CIFS is used, and the only pertinent options that need to be filled in are the host, path, username, and password.
64 64  
65 -{{video attachment="novice-file-based-connectivity-characterset.mp4" reference="Main.Videos.Microlearning.WebHome"/}}
66 +[[image:Main.Images.Microlearning.WebHome@novice-file-based-connectivity-volume-mapping-on-premise--network-volumes-configuration.png]]
66 66  
68 +Once you have done so, we press "Save" and switch back to the "Runtime volumes" tab.
69 +
70 +{{info}}When configuring a network volume, the following information is relevant to know:
71 +* When you create a network volume to a folder that contains sub-folders, all sub-folders are shared automatically and can be accessed from the flow level
72 +* When dealing with multiple hosts, you must create a specific entry per host, as this follows the guiding security principles of the underlying infrastructure.{{/info}}
73 +
74 +==== 3.1.3 Link Volume ====
75 +
76 +In the "Runtime volumes" tab, we push the "New" button to create a new "Runtime volume." In the following pop-up, we must select the Type we want to use. For this example, we use the Type called "Volume."
77 +
78 +{{info}} The relevant input fields will change based on your selection. {{/info}}
79 +
80 +[[image:Main.Images.Microlearning.WebHome@novice-file-based-connectivity-volume-mapping-on-premise--runtime-volumes-configuration-type-volume.png]]
81 +
82 +The first thing we need to select is the "Volume." Once we have chosen our "Volume," we must set the Target specific for this runtime. This target defines the second part of the path to which the runtime will gain access. For example, when you fill in "/target", we can combine this with the "Volume" name to arrive at the correct directory from which eMagiz needs to read data (or write data to). So, in our case, in which we link the volume to the machine volume we created earlier, this would be "/file-directory/target."
83 +
84 +The last setting we need to configure is to define the rights we will grant our runtime on the volume we create. The default setting is read/write rights for the runtime, which is usually sufficient. The result of following these steps will be the following.
85 +
86 +[[image:Main.Images.Microlearning.WebHome@novice-file-based-connectivity-volume-mapping-on-premise--runtime-volumes-configuration-type-volume-filled-in.png]]
87 +
88 +{{warning}}Note the following when considering using the Volume option:
89 +* In the case of using the Volume option in combination with a Machine volume, the external system with which you exchange data on-premise via a file-based method needs to be able to write or read the data from the volume (i.e., directory) you have configured. Should this be a problem, the Bind mount alternative discussed below should be considered.
90 +* The Volume option and Machine volume combination can also be used for eMagiz-only information that needs to be persistable, such as archiving.
91 +* In the case of using the Volume option in combination with a Network volume, the path to read and write from becomes what you define in the target field.
92 +{{/warning}}
93 +
94 +=== 3.2 Bind mount ===
95 +
96 +An alternative option to read and write **persistent** data is the "Bind mount" option. We generally advise using the "Volume" option because they perform better, and bind mounts depend on the host machine's directory structure and OS. However, only some external systems can adapt to this that easily. For example, the "Bind mount" option can interest your use case.
97 +
98 +[[image:Main.Images.Microlearning.WebHome@novice-file-based-connectivity-volume-mapping-on-premise--runtime-volumes-configuration-type-bind-mount.png]]
99 +
100 +To configure a "Bind mount," you need to define a source and a target directory linked to each other. The source directory represents the directory on your local system (that might already be used currently to exchange files). The target directory defines a directory on your docker installation that the runtime can access.
101 +
102 +[[image:Main.Images.Microlearning.WebHome@novice-file-based-connectivity-volume-mapping-on-premise--runtime-volumes-configuration-type-bind-mount-filled-in.png]]
103 +
104 +{{info}}Note that when you use this option, your directory reference in your flow should refer to the "target" directory configured here.{{/info}}
105 +
106 +=== 3.3 Temporary file system ===
107 +
108 +The temporary file system option is for you if you do not want to work with **persistent** data but require **non-persistent** data. This way, you can increase the container's performance by avoiding writing into the container's writable layer.
109 +
110 +[[image:Main.Images.Microlearning.WebHome@novice-file-based-connectivity-volume-mapping-on-premise--runtime-volumes-configuration-type-temp-file-storage.png]]
111 +
112 +To configure this option, you need a target location. On top of that, you can define the maximum size of the temporary file system.
113 +
114 +[[image:Main.Images.Microlearning.WebHome@novice-file-based-connectivity-volume-mapping-on-premise--runtime-volumes-configuration-type-temp-file-storage-filled-in.png]]
115 +
116 +{{warning}}We strongly advise you to define this number so that you can limit the potential impact this solution can have on the stability of your machine.{{/warning}}
117 +
118 +=== 3.4 Named pipe ===
119 +
120 +The named pipe option can be selected, but we yet have to see a valid use case within the context of eMagiz for using this option. Therefore, we won't discuss this option further in this microlearning.
121 +
122 +=== 3.5 Deployment consequences ===
123 +
124 +{{warning}}
125 +* Note that the runtimes cannot be deployed correctly when the source directory **does not exist**. Consequently, no runtime on that machine will start up. One of the following two configurations displayed below are needed to find the source directory:
126 +** /mnt/host/{local-directory}
127 +** /run/desktop/mnt/host/{local-directory}
128 +* When the source directory can be found but the user has no access, the deployment will **fail** for the specific runtime in question with the volume mapping configured. All other runtimes (i.e., containers) will start up (pending other configuration issues).{{/warning}}
129 +
130 +== 4. Key takeaways ==
131 +
132 +* File-based communication on-premise changes in the new runtime architecture
133 +* There are two ways to store **persistent** data
134 + ** Volume
135 + ** Bind mount
136 +* The Volume option is considered the best alternative because they have better performance, and bind mounts are dependent on the directory structure and OS of the host machine
137 +* Before deploying, ensure that the various sources in your configuration exist and that access is granted to avoid problems while deploying.
138 +* The Temporary file storage option is the way to go when dealing with **non-persistent** data.
139 +
140 +== 5. Suggested Additional Readings ==
141 +
142 +If you are interested in this topic and want more information, please read the help text provided by eMagiz.
143 +
67 67  )))((({{toc/}}))){{/container}}{{/container}}