General Functions > Counters > Linking a Counter to a Secure File Transfer Job

A counter may be linked to a Secure File Transfer (SFT) job. When this is done, the SFT client must be set to issue a direct SQL query. The results of the query, as a number, is then written directly back to the most recently calculated value of the counter as follows:

If the SQL statement defined at the client contains one of the following: COUNT(), SUM(), MIN(), MAX(), AVG(), then the value returned by the query in the first column of the first row is forwarded to the counter.

Otherwise, the count of records returned by the query is forwarded to the counter.

When would this be used?

One example of using the SFT client's direct SQL query capability to update a counter is for automating the capture and reporting of deployed software counts that reside in other databases. For example, say a software package is licensed by user count and that count can easily be obtained by running a query against the software package's SQL-based database. The MIE can use the SFT client as its agent to perform the query, obtain the count, and then forward the results to a counter. That counter, in turn, can be linked to the actual MSL authorization record, which is then updated as the counter is updated. The result is a completely automated capture, reporting, and recording of deployed position information for the given title.

How should the counter be set up?

The retrieving of the count is actually done by the SFT client on its defined schedule - so for counters linked to an SFT job, there is no need to set up a sample frequency. Set the counter's sample frequency to some number that will never be sampled - such as 100 years. Otherwise, the counter is set up as any other counter would be. The main difference is that the SFT job will be populating the current value.