Dataflow Instance Context (DFIC) 🚀

The Dataflow Instance Context (DFIC) is the set of information of a dataflow instance. Data Mover creates the DFIC when the dataflow instance starts.

The Dataflow Instance Context (DFIC) is an entity containing these fundamental elements:

• System attributes: set by the system, they can be read within the workflow templates used in the contract actions of a COA chain. They include:

  • Dataflow Instance Identifier (DFIID): the unique identifier assigned to every dataflow instance within Data Mover. It is the primary reference point for identifying and tracking all integration flows across the system. It can be read within the workflow templates used in the contract actions of a COA chain.

  • Log Correlation Identifier (LCID): unique identifier for a Data Mover work session.

  • <original> fields: additional information about the file and the dataflow.

• User attributes: they can be enriched by the user. They can be read within the workflow templates used in the contract actions of a COA chain.

The DFIC is enriched as the flow progresses through the contract actions of a COA chain.

System attributes

When a new dataflow instance is created, the DFIC is initialized with only the Dataflow Instance Identifier (DFIID) and Log Correlation ID (LCID) attributes.

As the dataflow proceeds through its lifecycle along the contract actions of a COA chain, other system attributes may be set automatically (e.g., file provenance information for pull and upload actions for SFTP, FTP, FTPS, HTTP and HTTPS).

System attributes are preserved with the republish action.

System attribute	Description
DFIID	Dataflow Instance ID. Unique identifier to identify all Data Mover integration flows.
LCID	Log Correlation ID. Unique identifier for a Data Mover work session.
original_action	The name of the Contract Action, when Data Mover role is client.
original_actor	The name of the Actor.
original_actor-filename	File name on the Actor's system this is the name of the file in the source system; it might differ from the original_filename. For example, when pulling a file "foo" from an SFTP server of an Actor and writing it into Data Mover with a different name "bar".
original_actor-path	Remote path on the Actor's system.
🚀 original_cd_external-path	Pathname of the folder shared between Data Mover and ConnectDirect. It is configured in the Shared folder with C:D server field. See the Server Connection: IBM Sterling Connect:Direct page.
original_client-connection	When Data Mover role is client, the name of the Client Connection.
original_cluster	Data Mover STENG cluster name.
original_connection-contract	When Data Mover role is server, the name of the Connection Contract used to upload the file.
original_contract	The name of the Contract, when Data Mover role is client.
original_corrid	Optional logical label associated to the file for correlation or identification.
original_filename	Name of the file.
🚀 original_ingestion-timestamp	Time when the file has been fully uploaded to the VFS. The timestamp follows the ISO 8601 standard format: YYYY-MM-DD'T'HH:mm:ss±HH:mm (e.g., 2025-12-13T14:35:42+01:00). In the current version of Data Mover, this attribute applies only to Connect:Direct server transfers.
original_peer	Data Mover STENG peer.
original_protocol	Transfer protocol, both for server and role scenarios.
original_role	Transfer mode, it can be either "CLIENT" or "SERVER" depending on the role of Data Mover in the transfer.
original_server	The server name.
original_size	Size of the file in bytes.
original_transferUser	Transfer user name, both for server and role scenarios.
original_vfs	Original Virtual File System where the file has been stored. This is the Virtual File System in Data Mover where the file first landed, representing the initial point of contact with Data Mover.
original_virtualpath	Original Virtual Path where the file has been stored. This is the Virtual Path in Data Mover where the file first landed, representing the initial point of contact with Data Mover.

User attributes

DFIC user attributes are contained in the usrAttrs attribute, which internally has a name/value pairs structure.

By default there are no user attributes. It is the user’s responsibility to define user attributes as needed and retrieve them from a workflow template within an action in a contract.

Since the DFIC lifecycle corresponds to the associated dataflow lifecycle, setting one or more user attributes in a contract and reading them in another contract executed later for the same dataflow, is an effective way of passing parameters between different contracts of the same COA chain.

For more information on how to read and write user attributes, please refer to the following chapter.

How to use DFIC

DFIC information can be read, and new user attributes can be written in Mediation workflows.

User attributes are user-defined attributes that enrich the DFIC and are contained in a structure that enables users to write and read custom attributes.

Both user-defined and system attributes can be used within workflows to create logic for decision-making automations applicable to specific situations.

Get and Set actions are listed below.

Reading system attributes

To read a system attribute, a specific function must be invoked:

System Attribute	Function
dfiid	DFIC.getDataFlowInstanceId();
lcid	DFIC.getLCID();
modelId	DFIC.getDataflowModelId();
modelName	DFIC.getDataflowModelName();
modelVersion	DFIC.getDataflowModelVersion();
originalTransferUser	DFIC.getOriginalTransferUser();
originalPeer	DFIC.getOriginalPeer();
originalProtocol	DFIC.getOriginalProtocol();
originalServer	DFIC.getOriginalServer();
originalFilename	DFIC.getOriginalFilename();
originalSize	DFIC.getOriginalSize();
originalActorFilename	DFIC.getOriginalActorFilename();
originalCluster	DFIC.getOriginalCluster();
originalCorrId	DFIC.getOriginalCorrId();
originalVirtualpath	DFIC.getOriginalVirtualpath();
originalVfs	DFIC.getOriginalVfs();
originalRole	DFIC.getOriginalRole();
originalActor	DFIC.getOriginalActor();
originalClientConnection	DFIC.getOriginalClientConnection();
originalActorPath	DFIC.getOriginalActorPath();
originalContract	DFIC.getOriginalContract();
originalContractAction	DFIC.getOriginalContractAction();
originalConnectionContract	DFIC.getOriginalConnectionContract();

Reading and writing user attributes

In order to create a new user attribute or update an existing user attribute you must set a workflow variable with the prefix "DFIC_userAttrs_" using this workflow script task function:

execution.setVariable("DFIC_userAttrs_<user_attribute_name>", "<user_attribute_value>");

Please notice that user attributes can only have a String data type.

Conversely, when you need to read a previously set user attribute, you must use this script task function:

${DFIC.getUserAttr("<user_attribute_name")}

Example

Let's suppose that you need to logically tag a dataflow with its owner department, early in the COA chain, and use this logical tag later in the chain.

This is how you would initially establish a dataflow_owner_department user attribute and set it to "ACCOUNTING"

execution.setVariable("DFIC_userAttrs_dataflow_owner_department", "ACCOUNTING");

and this is how you would retrieve its value when required:

${DFIC.getUserAttr("dataflow_owner_department")}

Accessing DFIC information

DFIC information is available in:

• Job Manager: among the attributes of a job execution instance, there is also a section related to the DFIC of the dataflow where the job was executed. A mediation job has its own attributes (ID, execution variables, etc.) as well as information related to the dataflow instance (including originals).

• Workflows: in various workflows, you can:

  • Insert user attributes to implement custom logic.

  • Access originals, which are set during the creation of the dataflow instance.