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DCM - Server

Data Connection Manager (DCM) is a centralized storage for Database and Cloud interoperable connections (credentials linked to data sources) that facilitates workflow connection management and collaboration across Alteryx products. Use DCM to enter and use your connections and credentials among tools and workflows.

With DCM you can manage data sources, credentials, and connections:

  • Data source objects represent databases, cloud services, and more.

  • Credential objects represent username and password combinations, OAuth tokens.

  • Connection objects join data sources to credentials and are used by one or many tools in your workflows.

Important

If you migrate a workflow that uses a DCM Credential to another Server (such as, from Dev to Prod environment), the workflow continues to use this DCM Credential. The workflow owner must sync their DCM credentials to the destination Server to ensure the DCM Credential is available for the workflow. Failure to do so results in a "Selected Connection is not available." error.

Go to the DCM - Designer help page for Designer for more info.

Data Connection Manager Configuration

As an administrator, configure the DCM settings on the component in the DCM screens in System Settings.

Important

In Server-FIPS, DCM is enabled and can't be disabled. Also, the DCM Enforced mode is enabled and can't be changed in the FIPS-capable version of Server.

Enable DCM for your Organization

Check Enable DCM for your Organization to enable Data Connection Manager for your organization. This allows users to use the Connection Manager within Designer under File > Manage Connections. Go to the DCM - Designer help page for more info.

Note, if Enable DCM for your Organization is not checked, users can override the setting under Options > User Settings > Edit User Settings > DCM to gain access to the Connection Manager. If you want to prevent this, uncheck Allow Override by User.

DCM Mode

Select an option for default credential handling and storage.

  • DCM Optional: Connections (including passwords) are stored in a workflow by default. You can choose to store and manage connections in DCM.

  • DCM as Default: Connections (including passwords) are stored and managed in DCM by default. You can choose to store them in a workflow. 

  • DCM Only: You can't configure connections in a workflow. You can only select connections stored in DCM. Workflows with embedded passwords will run. 

  • DCM Enforced: Workflows with embedded passwords will not work.

SDK (Gallery) Tools Support

If you change the SDK Tools Support settings, restart Server to apply the change.

  • Deny:SDK Tools are not supported, the Allow Credential for SDK (Server) tools check box is not available in the credential UI.

  • Allow: SDK tools supported, the Allow Credential for SDK (Server) tools check box is available in the UI with manual selection of each credential.

  • Allow All: SDK tools supported, the Allow Credential for SDK (Server) tools check box is available in the UI and is checked by default for all credentials.

Allow Override by User

Check the Allow Override by User check box to allow users to override these organization-level settings. When checked, users can override any of the above settings under Options > User Settings > Edit User Settings > DCM. Uncheck Allow Override by User to enforce organization-level settings for all users.

Block DCM Connections Synchronization

Admins can choose to disable DCM connections syncing between Server and Designer and from Designer to Server. When enabled, it disables syncing of DCM connections for the entire environment.

This feature is useful when you want to ensure that DCM connections in production environments connected to production data sets are not used to create new workflows in Designer. With this feature, you can restrict access to DCM connections for data sets in production environments, and leave users with the flexibility to use DCM connections between Server and Designer in development or test environments.

To block the DCM connections synchronization from Server to Designer and from Designer to Server for the entire environment:

  1. Go to System Settings > DCM.

  2. Select the check box Block DCM Connections Synchronization between Server and Designer. To allow the synchronization, leave the check box unselected.

Note

Any old connections already synced from Server to Designer remain synced. Once you check this setting, synchronization is prevented only for newly added, updated, and removed connections. After you uncheck this setting again, synchronization resumes, and old connections that were not previously synced will be synced.

The same settings are applied to DCM Credentials and DCM Vaults. For more information about DCM, go to Data Connection Manager: Server UI.

Connect DCM Credentials to Workflows When the Sync Is Turned Off

If needed, you can connect DCM credentials to workflows even when the sync is turned off. To do so, follow the steps below in order to connect to DCM in Server UI.

  1. Block DCM Connections Synchronization between Server and Designer is enabled in Alteryx System Settings.

  2. In Server, create a new connection ID with valid credentials.

  3. From Server download the workflow as a YXZP file and load it in Designer.

  4. Open the YXZP file and replace it with the new connection ID created in step 2. Save it into a new file, then save it to Server from Designer.

  5. Run the workflow:

    1. Run this workflow in Designer: Workflow fails to run since the new connection ID is not known to Designer.

    2. Run newly saved workflow from Server: Workflow executes as expected.

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