Profiles

Practically every data processing in Lobster_data runs through so-called profiles (the add-on module MFT is an exception and the add-on modules ASM and Content Inspection are extensions that are based on profiles as well).

A profile consists of several phases in which data is received, processed and sent or stored. All this happens in graphical form. No programming is required.

Jobs

If a so-called Input Agent of a profile has received data, backup files and a job are created for this profile. The data can either be supplied by a partner (event-driven Input Agents), uploaded manually by a user, or actively fetched (time-driven Input Agents).

Further details can be found in the section Phase 1 (Introduction).

Note: Strictly speaking, data is received by a service (for example, the FTP service) of the Integration Server (see section Architecture). From there, the data is passed on to a suitable Input Agent of a profile (in this case, to an Input Agent of type FTP). Normally, however, you do not have to deal with services when developing profiles. If a specific service has to be licensed separately and/or activated in a configuration file, this is explicitly mentioned for relevant Input Agents.

Jobs and Logs in the Control Center

In the Control Center, you will find running jobs, successful jobs, and jobs that have failed (logs).

Profile Chains and Nested Profiles (Subprofiles)

Sometimes you are confronted with a problem that is not solvable in a single profile. For those cases, Lobster_data offers the possibility to create profile chains, in which a profile starts one or more subsequent profiles. It is also possible to use a profile in another profile and thus to nest profiles (subprofiles).

Working with Templates

In profiles, you can use templates in various places. See section Working with Templates (templates for profiles, templates for source and target structures, templates to format values in source and target structure fields, and templates for Integration Units)

Backups of Profiles

To learn how to back up profiles, see the section Backups of Profiles.

Transport of Profiles

Profiles can individually be exported and imported. Alternatively, you can use a tool for the mass migration of profiles from one Lobster_data instance to another. See section Transport of profiles.

Data Types and Data Structures in Profiles

See sections Data Types and Data Structures in Lobster_data.

Integrating Profiles at a Higher Level (Workflows)

Many of you will already have experience in dealing with profiles and will appreciate the advantages of this simple form of data processing. However, these days more and more business areas are being incorporated into the digital sphere. On the one hand, of course, this is an advantage because it offers opportunities to increase efficiency. On the other hand, it also increases the complexity of the processes that you have to model digitally. To accompany you on this path and make it as simple as usual, Lobster_data now offers a further abstraction level of data processing with the add-on module Workflow. With this module you can graphically model complex digital processes (without necessarily knowing technical details) and then fill them with technical life. These two steps can be performed by different people, providing a communication tool between your business departments and IT. This allows you to make existing processes clearer, but of course also to design new processes in a simple way, whereby you can easily integrate already existing and proven profiles, for example, but also more.