Description
As opposed to AOB Connectors, CI Connectors are the old way for deploying and managing the lifecycle of a connector.
For CI process in OIM 12.2.1.4, here is the official Oracle documentation: https://docs.oracle.com/en/middleware/idm/identity-governance/12.2.1.4/omadm/managing-connector-lifecycle.html
For CI process in OIM 12.2.1.4, here is the official Oracle documentation: https://docs.oracle.com/en/middleware/idm/identity-governance/12.2.1.4/omadm/managing-connector-lifecycle.html
Advice & Recommendations
Oracle made the shift from CI Connectors to AOB Connectors with their 12c OIM releases.
All their latest 12c connectors are recommended to be installed via the AOB process. That's why all new Oracle-developed, out of the box (OOTB) connectors are always certified against an AOB implementation. To make sure your connector is certified for AOB or CI, see here: https://www.oracle.com/middleware/technologies/idm-certification.html
The reason that CI Connectors are still supported as well is because there are customers who are already using older versions of connectors (and customized them), and Oracle want to provide them with an upgrade path to the latest versions of OIM.
However, I actually often find that developers prefer the use of traditional CI Connectors to that of the AOB approach. Why? It's easier to develop/debug, export/import through the path to Production.
I often prefer to develop completely new and custom connectors in the CI approach, and I don't mind deploying Oracle-developed OOTB connectors via CI, as long as they are certified as a CI Connector (most of them are, but always check their certifications matrix tables).
The reason that CI Connectors are still supported as well is because there are customers who are already using older versions of connectors (and customized them), and Oracle want to provide them with an upgrade path to the latest versions of OIM.
However, I actually often find that developers prefer the use of traditional CI Connectors to that of the AOB approach. Why? It's easier to develop/debug, export/import through the path to Production.
I often prefer to develop completely new and custom connectors in the CI approach, and I don't mind deploying Oracle-developed OOTB connectors via CI, as long as they are certified as a CI Connector (most of them are, but always check their certifications matrix tables).