Recovery Mode In Informatica

If your workflow gets failed and the integration service is still able to access the workflow then we can easily recover the workflow. When you recover a workflow it starts from the point where it got interruption

The best way to explain recovery mode is by an example. Suppose that a session fails after loading of one million  records in to the target then on recovery it will start from the records after one millionth record(Note: Target load type should be normal)

New features of INFORMATICA 9 compared to INFORMATICA 8.6

Informatica 9 empowers line-of-business managers and business analysts to identify bad data and fix it faster. Architecture wise there are no differences between Informatica 8 and 9 but there are some new features added in powercenter 9.

New Client tools

Informatica 9 includes the Informatica Developer and Informatica Analystclient tools.

The Informatica Developer tool is eclipse-based and supports both data integration and data quality for enhanced productivity.From here you can update/refine those same rules, and create composite data objects - e.g. Get customer details from a number of different sources and aggregate these up to a Customer Data Object.

The Informatica Analyst tool is a browser-based tool for analysts, stewards and line of business managers.  This tool supports data profiling, specifying and validating rules (Scorecards), and monitoring data quality.

Informatica Administrator

The powercenter Administration Console has been renamed the Informatica Administrator.

The Informatica Administrator is now a core service in the Informatica Domain that is used to configure and manage all Informatica Services, Security and other domain objects (such as connections) used by the new services.

The Informatica Administrator has a new interface. Some of the properties and configuration tasks from the powercenter Administration Console have been moved to different locations in Informatica Administrator. The Informatica Administrator is expanded to include new services and objects.

Cache Update in Lookup Transformation

You can update the lookup cache based on the results of an expression. When an expression is true, you can add to or update the lookup cache. You can update the dynamic lookup cache with the results of an expression.

Database deadlock resilience

In previous releases, when the Integration Service encountered a database deadlock during a lookup, the session failed. Effective in 9.0, the session will not fail. When a deadlock occurs, the Integration Service attempts to run the last statement in a lookup. You can configure the number of retry attempts and time period between attempts.

Multiple rows return

Lookups can now be configured as an Active transformation to return Multiple Rows.We can configure the Lookup transformation to return all rows that match a lookup condition. A Lookup transformation is an active transformation when it can return more than one row for any given input row.

Limit the Session Log 

You can limit the size of session logs for real-time sessions. You can limit the size by time or by file size. You can also limit the number of log files for a session.

Auto-commit

We can enable auto-commit for each database connection. Each SQL statement in a query defines a transaction. A commit occurs when the SQL statement completes or the next statement is executed, whichever comes first. 

Passive transformation

We can configure the SQL transformation to run in passive mode instead of active mode. When the SQL transformation runs in passive mode, the SQL transformation returns one output row for each input row.

Connection management

Database connections are centralized in the domain. We can create and view database connections in Informatica Administrator, Informatica Developer, or Informatica Analyst. Create, view, edit, and grant permissions on database connections in Informatica Administrator.

Monitoring

We can monitor profile jobs, scorecard jobs, preview jobs, mapping jobs, and SQL Data Services for each Data Integration Service. View the status of each monitored object on the Monitoring tab of Informatica Administrator.

Deployment

We can deploy, enable, and configure deployment units in the Informatica Administrator. Deploy Deployment units to one or more Data Integration Services. Create deployment units in Informatica Developer.

Model Repository Service

Application service that manages the Model repository. The Model repository is a relational database that stores the metadata for projects created in Informatica Analyst and Informatica Designer. The Model repository also stores run-time and configuration information for applications deployed to a Data.

Data Integration Service

Application service that processes requests from Informatica Analyst and Informatica Developer to preview or run data profiles and mappings. It also generates data previews for SQL data services and runs SQL queries against the virtual views in an SQL data service. Create and enable a Data Integration Service on the Domain tab of Informatica Administrator.

XML Parser

The XML Parser transformation can validate an XML document against a schema. The XML Parser transformation routes invalid XML to an error port. When the XML is not valid, the XML Parser transformation routes the XML and the error messages to a separate output group that We can connect to a target.

Enforcement of licensing restrictions

Powercenter will enforce the licensing restrictions based on the number of CPUs and repositories.

Also Informatica 9 supports data integration for the cloud as well as on premise. You can integrate the data in cloud applications, as well as run Informatica 9 on cloud infrastructure.

Repository Objects

Repository Objects

You create repository objects using the Repository Manager, Designer, and Workflow Manager client tools. You can view the following objects in the Navigator window of the 

Repository Manager:

Source definitions. Definitions of database objects (tables, views, synonyms) or files that provide source data.

Target definitions. Definitions of database objects or files that contain the target data.

Multi-dimensional metadata. Target definitions that are configured as cubes and dimensions.

Mappings. A set of source and target definitions along with transformations containing business logic that you build into the transformation. These are the instructions that the Power Center Server uses to transform and move data.

Reusable transformations. Transformations that you can use in multiple mappings.

Mapplets. A set of transformations that you can use in multiple mappings.

Sessions and workflows. Sessions and workflows store information about how and when the Power Center Server moves data. 

           A workflow is a set of instructions that describes how and when to run tasks related to extracting, transforming, and loading data. A session is a type of task that you can put in a workflow. Each session corresponds to a single mapping. 

Informatica Design Process

Informatica Design Process

                The goal of the design process is to create mappings that depict the flow of data between sources and targets, including changes made to the data before it reaches the targets. However, before you can create a mapping, you must first create or import source and target definitions. You might also want to create reusable objects, such as reusable transformations or mapplets. For a list of objects you create in the Design process, see Repository Objects.

Perform the following design tasks in the Designer:

• Import source definitions. Use the Source Analyzer to connect to the sources and import the source definitions.

• Create or import target definitions. Use the Warehouse Designer to define relational, flat file, or XML targets to receive data from sources. You can import target definitions from a relational database or a flat file, or you can manually create a target definition.

• Create the target tables. If you add a target definition to the repository that does not exist in a relational database, you need to create target tables in your target database. You do this by generating and executing the necessary SQL code within the Warehouse Designer.

• Design mappings. Once you have source and target definitions in the repository, you can create mappings in the Mapping Designer. A mapping is a set of source and target definitions linked by transformation objects that define the rules for data transformation. A transformation is an object that performs a specific function in a mapping, such as looking up data or performing aggregation.

• Create mapping objects. Optionally, you can create reusable objects for use in multiple mappings. Use the Transformation Developer to create reusable transformations. Use the Mapplet Designer to create mapplets. A mapplet is a set of transformations that may contain sources and transformations.

• Debug mappings. Use the Mapping Designer to debug a valid mapping to gain troubleshooting information about data and error conditions.

• Import and export repository objects. You can import and export repository objects, such as sources, targets, transformations, mapplets, and mappings to archive or share metadata. 

Properties of Administration Console

Using the Repository Server Administration Console -

                 Use the Repository Server Administration Console to administer your Repository Servers and repositories. A Repository Server can manage multiple repositories. You use the Repository Server Administration Console to create and administer the repository through the Repository Server.

You can use the Administration Console to perform the following tasks:

• Add, edit, and remove repository configurations.

• Export and import repository configurations.

• Create a repository.

• Promote a local repository to a global repository.

• Copy a repository.

• Delete a repository from the database.

• Back up and restore a repository.

• Start, stop, enable, and disable repositories.

• Send repository notification messages.

• Register and unregister a repository.

• Propagate domain connection information for a repository.

• View repository connections and locks.

• Close repository connections.

• Register and remove repository plug-ins.

• Upgrade a repository. 

Power Center Client

Power Center Client - 

                       The PowerCenter Client consists of the following applications that you use to manage the repository, design mappings, mapplets, and create sessions to load the data:

Repository Server Administration Console. Use the Repository Server Administration console to administer the Repository Servers and repositories.

Repository Manager. Use the Repository Manager to administer the metadata repository. You can create repository users and groups, assign privileges and permissions, and manage folders and locks.

Designer. Use the Designer to create mappings that contain transformation instructions for the PowerCenter Server. Before you can create mappings, you must add source and target definitions to the repository. 

The Designer has five tools that you use to analyze sources, design target schemas, and build source-to-target mappings:

• Source Analyzer. Import or create source definitions.

• Warehouse Designer. Import or create target definitions.

• Transformation Developer. Develop reusable transformations to use in mappings.

• Mapplet Designer. Create sets of transformations to use in mappings.

• Mapping Designer. Create mappings that the Power Center Server uses to extract, transform, and load data.

Workflow Manager. Use the Workflow Manager to create, schedule, and run workflows. A workflow is a set of instructions that describes how and when to run tasks related to extracting, transforming, and loading data. 

                The Power Center Server runs workflow tasks according to the links connecting the tasks. You can run a task by placing it in a workflow.

Workflow Monitor. Use the Workflow Monitor to monitor scheduled and running workflows for each Power Center Server. You can choose a Gantt Chart or Task view. You can also access details about those workflow runs.

              Install the client tools on a Microsoft Windows machine. For more information about installation requirements, see Minimum System Requirements.

Power Center repository & Repository Server

                The Power Center repository resides on a relational database. The repository database tables contain the instructions required to extract, transform, and load data. Power Center Client applications access the repository database tables through the Repository Server.

            You add metadata to the repository tables when you perform tasks in the PowerCenter Client application, such as creating users, analyzing sources, developing mappings or mapplets, or creating workflows. The PowerCenter Server reads metadata created in the Client application when you run a workflow. The PowerCenter Server also creates metadata, such as start and finish times of a session or session status.

You can develop global and local repositories to share metadata:

Global repository. The global repository is the hub of the domain. Use the global repository to store common objects that multiple developers can use through shortcuts. These objects may include operational or Application source definitions, reusable transformations, mapplets, and mappings.

Local repositories. A local repository is within a domain that is not the global repository. Use local repositories for development. From a local repository, you can create shortcuts to objects in shared folders in the global repository. These objects typically include source definitions, common dimensions and lookups, and enterprise standard transformations. You can also create copies of objects in non-shared folders.

Version control. A versioned repository can store multiple copies, or versions, of an object. Each version is a separate object with unique properties. PowerCenter version control features allow you to efficiently develop, test, and deploy metadata into production.

You can connect to a repository, back up, delete, or restore repositories using pmrep, a command line program. For more information on pmrep, see “Using pmrep”.

Repository Server -

                   The Repository Server manages repository connection requests from client applications. For each repository database registered with the Repository Server, it configures and manages a Repository Agent process. The Repository Server also monitors the status of running Repository Agents, and sends repository object notification messages to client applications.

                 The Repository Agent is a separate, multi-threaded process that retrieves, inserts, and updates metadata in the repository database tables. The Repository Agent ensures the consistency of metadata in the repository by employing object locking.