Configure data sources

Last update: May 3, 2023

CREATED FOR:

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CAUTION
AEM 6.4 has reached the end of extended support and this documentation is no longer updated. For further details, see our technical support periods. Find the supported versions here.

Learn how to configure different types of data sources and leverage to create form data models.

AEM Forms Data Integration allows you to configure and connect to disparate data sources. The following types are supported out-of-the-box. However, with little customization, you can integrate other data sources as well.

  • Relational databases - MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server, IBM DB2, and Oracle RDBMS
  • AEM user profile
  • RESTful web services
  • SOAP-based web services
  • OData services

Data integration supports OAuth2.0, Basic Authentication, and API Key authentication types out-of-the-box, and allows implementing custom authentication for accessing web services. While RESTful, SOAP-based, and OData services are configured in AEM Cloud Services, JDBC for relational databases and connector for AEM user profile are configured in AEM web console.

Configure relational database

You can configure relational databases using AEM Web Console Configuration. Do the following:

  1. Go to AEM web console at https://[server]:[host]/system/console/configMgr.

  2. Look for Apache Sling Connection Pooled DataSource configuration. Tap to open the configuration in edit mode.

  3. In the configuration dialog, specify the details for the database you want to configure, such as:

    • Name of the data source
    • Data source service property that stores the data source name
    • Java class name for the JDBC driver
    • JDBC connection URI
    • Username and password to establish connection with the JDBC driver
    NOTE
    Ensure that you encrypt sensitive information like passwords before configuring the data source. To encrypt:
    1. Go to https://[server]:[port]/system/console/crypto.
    2. In the Plain Text field, specify the password or any string to encrypt and click Protect.
    The encrypted text appears in the Protected Text field that you can specify in the configuration.

  4. Enable Test on Borrow or Test on Return to specify that the objects are validated before being borrowed or returned from and to the pool, respectively.

  5. Specify a SQL SELECT query in the Validation Query field to validate connections from the pool. The query must return at least one row. Based on your database, specify one of the following:

    • SELECT 1 (MySQL and MS SQL)
    • SELECT 1 from dual (Oracle)

  6. Tap Save to save the configuration.

Configure AEM user profile

You can configure AEM user profile using User Profile Connector configuration in AEM Web Console. Do the following:

  1. Go to AEM web console at https://[server]:[host]/system/console/configMgr.

  2. Look for AEM Forms Data Integrations - User Profile Connector Configuration and tap to open the configuration in edit mode.

  3. In the User Profile Connector Configuration dialog, you can add, remove, or update user profile properties. The specified properties will be available for use in form data model. Use the following format to specify user profile properties:

    name=[property_name_with_location_in_user_profile],type=[property_type]

    Examples:

    • name=profile/phoneNumber,type=string
    • name=profile/empLocation/*/city,type=string
    NOTE
    The * in the above example denotes all nodes under the profile/empLocation/ node in AEM user profile in CRXDE structure. It means that the form data model can access the city property of type string present in any node under the profile/empLocation/ node. However, the nodes that contain the specified property must follow a consistent structure.

  4. Tap Save to save the configuration.

Configure folder for cloud service configurations

NOTE
Configuration for cloud services folder is required for configuring cloud services for RESTful, SOAP, and OData services.

All cloud service configurations in AEM are consolidated in the /conf folder in AEM repository. By default, the conf folder contains the global folder where you can create cloud service configurations. However, you need to manually enable it for cloud configurations. You can also create additional folders in conf to create and organize cloud service configurations.

To configure the folder for cloud service configurations:

  1. Go to Tools > General > Configuration Browser.

  2. Do the following to enable the global folder for cloud configurations or skip this step to create and configure another folder for cloud service configurations.

    1. In the Configuration Browser, select the global folder and tap Properties.
    2. In the Configuration Properties dialog, enable Cloud Configurations.
    3. Tap Save & Close to save the configuration and exit the dialog.

  3. In the Configuration Browser, tap Create.

  4. In the Create Configuration dialog, specify a title for the folder and enable Cloud Configurations.

  5. Tap Create to create the folder enabled for cloud service configurations.

Configure RESTful web services

RESTful web service can be described using Swagger specifications in JSON or YAML format in a Swagger definition file. To configure RESTful web service in AEM cloud services, ensure that you have either the Swagger file on your files ystem or the URL where the file is hosted.

Do the following to configure RESTful services:

  1. Go to Tools > Cloud Services > Data Sources. Tap to select the folder where you want to create a cloud configuration.

    See Configure folder for cloud service configurations for information about creating and configuring a folder for cloud service configurations.

  2. Tap Create to open the Create Data Source Configuration dialog. Specify a name and optionally a title for the configuration, select RESTful Service from the Service Type drop-down, optionally browse and select a thumbnail image for the configuration, and tap Next.

  3. Specify the following details for the RESTful service:

    • Select URL or File from the Swagger Source drop-down, and accordingly specify the Swagger URL to the Swagger definition file or upload the Swagger file from your local filesystem.
    • Select the authentication type — None, OAuth2.0, Basic Authentication, API Key, or Custom Authentication — to access the RESTful service, and accordingly provide details for authentication.

  4. Tap Create to create the cloud configuration for the RESTful service.

Configure SOAP web services

SOAP-based web services are described using Web Services Description Language (WSDL) specifications. To configure SOAP-based web service in AEM cloud services, ensure that you have the WSDL URL for the web service, and do the following:

  1. Go to Tools > Cloud Services > Data Sources. Tap to select the folder where you want to create a cloud configuration.

    See Configure folder for cloud service configurations for information about creating and configuring a folder for cloud service configurations.

  2. Tap Create to open the Create Data Source Configuration dialog. Specify a name and optionally a title for the configuration, select SOAP Web Service from the Service Type drop-down, optionally browse and select a thumbnail image for the configuration, and tap Next.

  3. Specify the following for the SOAP web service:

    • WSDL URL for the web service.

    • Service Endpoint. Specify a value in this field to override the service endpoint mentioned in WSDL.

    • Select the authentication type — None, OAuth2.0, Basic Authentication, Custom Authentication, or X509 Token — to access the SOAP service, and accordingly provide the details for authentication.

      If you select X509 Token as the Authentication type, configure the X509 certificate. For more information, see Set up certificates.
      Specify the KeyStore alias for the X509 certificate in the Key Alias field. Specify the time, in seconds, until the authentication request remains valid, in the Time To Live field. Optionally, select to sign the message body or timestamp header or both.

  4. Tap Create to create the cloud configuration for the SOAP web service.

Configure OData services

An OData service is identified by its service root URL. To configure an OData service in AEM cloud services, ensure that you have service root URL for the service, and do the following:

NOTE
For step-by-step guide to configure Microsoft Dynamics 365, online or on-premises, see Microsoft Dynamics OData Configuration.

  1. Go to Tools > Cloud Services > Data Sources. Tap to select the folder where you want to create a cloud configuration.

    See Configure folder for cloud service configurations for information about creating and configuring a folder for cloud service configurations.

  2. Tap Create to open the Create Data Source Configuration dialog. Specify a name and optionally a title for the configuration, select OData Service from the Service Type drop-down, optionally browse and select a thumbnail image for the configuration, and tap Next.

  3. Specify the following details for the OData service:

    • Service Root URL for the OData service to be configured.
    • Select the authentication type — None, OAuth2.0, Basic Authentication, or Custom Authentication — to access the OData service, and accordingly provide the details for authentication.
    NOTE
    You must select OAuth 2.0 authentication type to connect with Microsoft Dynamics services using OData endpoint as the service root.

  4. Tap Create to create the cloud configuration for the OData service.

Next steps

You have configured the data sources. Next you can create a form data model or if you have already created a form data model without a data source, you can associate it with the data sources you just configured. See Create form data model for details.

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