Microsoft Identity Integration Server 2003 graphic

Rules extensions

While you can configure most rules by using Identity Manager, Microsoft Identity Integration Server 2003 administrators can customize the way that management agents and the metaverse work by creating rules extensions. You create rules extensions by using a programming language such as Microsoft Visual Basic .NET or C#. Rules extensions are implemented as a Microsoft .NET Framework class library or as a dynamic-link library (DLL), and they are stored in the Extensions folder of the Microsoft Identity Integration Server 2003 root directory.

The following table lists and describes the types of rules extensions that Microsoft Identity Integration Server 2003 supports.

Rules extension type Description
Management agent A management agent rules extension is applied to data as it flows from the connector space to the metaverse. Each management agent can have only one rules extension. Management agent rules are:
  • Connector filter rules
  • Join rules
  • Projection rules
  • Attribute flow rules
  • Deprovisioning rules
Metaverse A metaverse rules extension is applied to data as it flows from the metaverse to the connector space. The metaverse can have only one rules extension. Metaverse rules are:
  • Provisioning rules
  • Object deletion rules

Some of the common tasks that you can perform using a rules extension are:

Password extensions

For file-based, database, and extensible connectivity management agents, which do not support password change and set operations by default, you can create a .NET password extension dynamic-link library (DLL), which is called whenever a password change or set call is invoked for any of these management agents. Password extension settings are configured for these management agents in Identity Manager.

Password management is supported by default in the management agents for: By using a password extension, password management is also supported in the management agents for:
Active Directory
Active Directory Application Mode (ADAM)
Lotus Notes
Novell eDirectory
Windows NT 4.0
Sun and Netscape directory servers
Attribute-value pair text files
Delimited text files
Directory Services Markup Language (DSML)
Extensible Connectivity
Fixed-width text files
IBM DB2 Universal Database
IBM Directory Server
LDAP Data Interchange Format (LDIF)
Microsoft SQL Server
Oracle Database
For more information about creating and using rules extensions and password extensions, open the Microsoft Identity Integration Server 2003 Developer Reference.