When you run a management agent, you can specify that a join rule be applied to each object in the connector space. By specifying a join rule, Microsoft Identity Integration Server 2003 searches the metaverse and attempts to find a corresponding object to which the connector space object can be joined. When a search returns any results, the resolution rules determine whether:

☛ None of the objects satisfies the join criteria, in which case the next search criteria are evaluated.

☛ Exactly one of the objects satisfies the join criteria, in which case it is joined with the connector object.

☛ More than one of the objects satisfies the join criteria, in which case the join operation fails.