Access External Data Using Business Connectivity Services in SharePoint 2010

To Create Secure Store Target Application

Secure Store Target Application is used to control authentication to the external data system, in order that the end user in SharePoint is not continually prompted for authentication credentials. This component will be used when configuring an External Content Type.

1.       In our requirement we need to access Central admin for configure Secure Service ID.

Central Administration -> Application Management ->Service Application -> Manage Service Applications -> Secure Store Service

2.       Select Secure Store Service to create new secure store target applications and click on “Generate New Key” icon.

At this point, you are able to create a new target application for the secure store. This passphrase is used if you need to edit the target application.

3.       Then click on the “New” icon in the ribbon.
- The first screen allows you to enter information such as the Target Application ID, Display Name, Contact E-mail, Target Application Type, and whether the target application has a page that redirects users when they incorrectly enter credentials. Target Application Type should be set to Group, as this allows configuration of a group of users for the target application.

4.       Clicking on the Next button takes you to the following screen, which allows configuration of authentication fields.

 

5.       Enter the administrative user(s) for Target Application Administrators, as these users will be the ones managing the Secure Store Target Application.

6.       Now that your Secure Store Target Application is created and configured, you need to set the credentials that will be used. This will be the account that has access to the external data system.

7.       Selecting the “Target Application” and clicking on the Set button in the ribbon (under Credentials)

8.       This will allow entry of the username and password you wish to use with this Secure Store Target Application.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To Create External Content Type

Creating an ECT is done with the Microsoft SharePoint Designer tool.

1.       To create a new ‘External Content Type’, click on ‘External Content Type’ in the Top left corner of the Ribbon as below:

2.       Click on the ‘Click Here to discover external Data sources and define operations.

3.       Click on ‘Add Connection’. You will see a window using which you can select ‘External Data Source type’ > Select Sql Server.

4.       Then you will be asked to enter Database information.  You are prompted to enter the database server name, database name, and how the ECT will connect to the database. We are connecting to this database with impersonated Windows identities, so select the Connect with Impersonated Windows Identity selection. Selecting this option will enable the Secure Store Application ID entry box, which allows you to specify what Secure Store Application is used (for credentials) when accessing the data source.

5.       You will be prompted to enter the administrator credentials for the Secure Store application as part of this validation. Enter the credentials you configured when you configured the secure store application.

6.       Once the system is finished, you will be returned to the Operation Designer page for your ECT in SharePoint Designer. You will now notice that there is a data connection in the Data Source Explorer tab that corresponds to the connection you just created.

7.       So now you can define possible operations on the Data Source. So right click on the Database table and select all Operations from the Context menu as shown below and go through the process.

8.       Now to create the List, click on ‘Create List & Form’ button on the Ribbon and create external list.

9.       We need to set permission.(BCS is an external web service which is hosted on IIS and to establish connectivity between the Service Hosted on IIS and a database, an explicit authorization is required. So now we need to do some configuration here)

SharePoint 2010 Central Administration -> Application Management ->Service Applications -> Manage Service Applications ->Business Data Connectivity Service

 -> you will get ‘Service Application Information’

10.   Select the Service application you created and click on ‘Set Object Permissions’ from the Ribbon. You will get a window for Setting Object Permissions. Add the user info there.

11.   Now go back to your site and click on the External content type from Quick Launch. You will get the result.