The Synchronization Cycle
The Synchronization Cycle is a fundamental process in eADM that runs multiple times daily. This automated cycle is responsible for importing data from source systems, maintaining user accounts, and exporting the updated information to various target systems.
The entire cycle is composed of individual Synchronization Steps, which are specific tasks executed in a predefined order.
Synchronization Steps
Synchronization Steps are the building blocks of the cycle, each performing a distinct function. The table below describes common steps.
Note: This list is not a complete list of all possible synchronization steps.
Step Name | Description |
|---|---|
Import Hierarchy | Imports organizational data structure. |
Import HR | Imports account, group, and department information from the primary source system (e.g., HR system). |
ImportHrFuture | Imports data for accounts scheduled for future creation (e.g., from Visma). |
Import samAccountName | Imports all existing |
Synchronization | Compares the newly imported source data with the previous data to generate a list of required changes. |
Export AD | Exports new or updated objects to the organization's Active Directory. |
Import AD Results | Imports the results from the Active Directory export to validate that the changes were successful. |
Export HR | Exports data back to the source HR system. |
The Synchronization Cycle Flow
The cycle follows a logical flow, starting with data import, followed by change analysis, and ending with data export to target systems.
Here is a detailed, step-by-step description of the process:
Start eADM automatically initiates the synchronization cycle. This typically occurs at a scheduled time each day, often in the morning.
Import eADM imports data from the primary source system, which is usually an XML file from a payroll or HR system. It may also import supplementary data, such as the AD organizational structure and any manually maintained data files. All this information is consolidated into a single source data file, which is stored in eADM for comparison later.
Analyze Change Requirements eADM compares the new source data file with the one from the previous cycle. The differences between these two files create a list of change requirements, which specifies which accounts, groups, and departments need to be created, modified, or deleted.
Apply Import Filter If an import filter is active, eADM validates the number of new, modified, and deleted objects against pre-configured thresholds. If the number of changes exceeds any of these thresholds, the synchronization cycle is automatically aborted to prevent unintended mass changes.
Export to Active Directory (AD) If AD is a configured target system, eADM exports the required changes to AD. Afterwards, it imports the results from AD to validate that the export was successful. If the result does not match the intended changes, the cycle is aborted and an error is reported.
Export to Other Target Systems eADM then exports changes to all other configured target systems, such as Azure AD, Google Workspace, or Public 360°. For each system, eADM exports the data, imports the result, and validates the outcome.
Warning: If any export fails or the validation shows a mismatch, the synchronization cycle will stop at that specific step and report an error. The cycle will not continue until the error has been resolved.
End The synchronization cycle concludes successfully after all steps are completed without errors.