Informatica Product Overview
Informatica Product Overview
POWERCENTER 8.1.0
PRODUCT
OVERVIEW
Content
PowerCenter 8 Overview
Advantages Of PowerCenter 8
Informatica Powercenter 8
Informatica Powercentre 8 can access the following data sources and load the
data into the following targets .
Application
• Hyperion Essbase
Sources • IBM MQSeries
• PeopleSoft
• IBM DB2 OLAP Server • SAP NetWeaver
Relational • JMS • SAS
• Oracle • Microsoft Message Queue • Siebel
• Sybase ASE • TIBCO
Mainframe
• Informix • WebMethods
• Adabas
• IBM DB2 • Datacom
• Microsoft SQL Server • IBM DB2 OS/390 • IDMS
• Teradata • IBM DB2 OS/400 • IDMS-X
• IMS
Other • VSAM
File
Microsoft Excel
• Flat file
Microsoft Access
• COBOL file External web services
• XML file
• web log
Targets
Relational
Application • MY SAP
• Oracle
• Hyperion Essbase • PeopleSoft EPM
• Sybase ASE
• IBM MQSeries • SAP BW
• Informix
• IBM DB2 OLAP Server • SAS
• IBM DB2
• JMS • Siebel
• Microsoft SQL Server
• Microsoft Message Queue • TIBCO
• Teradata
• WebMethods
Mainframe
File
• IBM DB2 OS/390 • VSAM
• Flat file
• IBM DB2 OS/400
• XML file
Other
Microsoft Access
External web services
PowerCenter 8 also provides us the ability to view and analyze business information
and browse and analyze metadata from disparate metadata repositories.
PowerCenter 8 Components
PowerCenter domain
PowerCenter repository
Administration Console
PowerCenter Client
Repository Service
Integration Service
Web Services Hub
Data Analyzer
Metadata Manager
PowerCenter Repository Reports
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PowerCenter 8 Overview
PowerCenter 8 Domain
Service Manager
Service Manager is built in to the domain to support the domain and the
application services. The Service Manager runs on each node in the domain.
Service Manager performs the following functions
• Authentication
• Authorization
• Configuration
• Node configuration
• Licensing
• Logging
Application services
• Repository Service
• Integration Service
• Web Services Hub
• SAP BW Service
PowerCenter 8 Repository
Integration Service uses repository objects to extract, transform, and load data. The
repository also stores administrative information such as user names, passwords,
permissions, and privileges. we 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 Integration
Service reads metadata created through the Client application when you run a
workflow. It also creates metadata, such as start and finish times of a session or
session status.
We can administer the repository using the Repository Manager client tool and we can
also develop global and local repositories to share metadata.
• Global repository
Global repository is the hub of the repository 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
Local repository is any repository within the domain that is not the global
repository. Use local repositories for development. From a local repository, we
can create shortcuts to objects in shared folders in the global repository. These
objects include source definitions, common dimensions and lookups, and
enterprise standard transformations. we can also create copies of objects in non-
shared folders.
PowerCenter Client consists of the following applications that we use to manage the
repository, design mappings, mapplets, and create sessions to load the data.
Designer
Designer is used to create mappings that contain transformation instructions for the
Integration Service. The Designer has the following tools that we use to analyze
sources, design target schemas, and build source-to-target mappings
• Source Analyzer
• Target Designer
• Transformation Developer
• Mapplets Designer
• Mapping Designer
It Creates mappings that the Integration Service uses to extract, transform, and
load data.
Navigator
It connect to repositories, and open
folders within the Navigator. we can also
copy objects and create shortcuts within
the Navigator.
Workspace
It opens different tools in this window to
create and edit repository objects, such
as sources, targets, mapplets,
transformations, and mappings.
Output
View details about tasks you perform,
such as saving your work or validating a
mapping.
Designer Windows
Status bar
It Displays the status of the operation you
perform.
Overview
An optional window to simplify viewing a
workspace that contains a large mapping or
multiple objects. Outlines the visible area in
the workspace and highlights selected objects
in color.
Instance data
View transformation data while you run the
Debugger to debug a mapping.
Target data
View target data while you run the Debugger to
debug a mapping.
Designer Windows
Create, edit, and delete repository users and user groups. We can assign and
revoke repository privileges and folder permissions.
Create, edit, copy, and delete folders. Work you perform in the Designer and
Workflow Manager is stored in folders. If you want to share metadata, we can
configure a folder to be shared.
View metadata
Navigator
It displays all objects that you create in
the Repository Manager, the Designer,
and the Workflow Manager. It is
organized first by repository, then by
folder and folder version.
Main
It provides properties of the object
selected in the Navigator window. The
columns in this window change
depending on the object selected in the
Navigator window.
Output
It provides the output of tasks executed
within the Repository Manager, such as
creating a repository.
Repository Manager Windows
Repository Objects
We can create repository objects using the Designer and Workflow Manager client
tools. And we can view the following objects in the Navigator window of the
Repository Manager.
Source definitions
Target definitions
Mappings
Reusable transformations
Mapplets
Sessions and workflows store information about how and when the Integration
Service 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
In the Workflow Manager, we can define a set of instructions to execute tasks, such as
sessions, emails, and shell commands. This set of instructions is called a workflow. It
has the following tools to help you develop a workflow.
• Task Developer
It creates tasks that we want to accomplish in the
workflow.
• Worklet Designer
It creates a worklet in the Worklet Designer. A
worklet is an object that groups a set of tasks.
Worklet is similar to a workflow, but without
scheduling information. We can nest worklets inside
a workflow.
• Workflow Designer
It creates a workflow by connecting tasks with links
in the Workflow Designer. You can also create
tasks in the Workflow Designer as we develop the Workflow Manager Windows
workflow
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PowerCenter 8 Overview
Workflow Monitor
We can monitor workflows and tasks in the Workflow Monitor. View details about a
workflow or task in Gantt Chart view or Task view. We can run, stop, abort, and
resume workflows from the Workflow Monitor. We can view sessions and workflow log
events in the Workflow Monitor Log Viewer.
The Workflow Monitor displays workflows that have run at least once. The Workflow
Monitor continuously receives information from the Integration Service and Repository
Service. It also fetches information from the repository to display historic information.
The Workflow Monitor consists of the following windows.
• Navigator window
It displays monitored repositories, servers, and repositories
objects.
• Output window.
It displays messages from the Integration Service and
Repository Service.
• Time window
It displays progress of workflow runs.
• Task view
It displays details about workflow runs in a report format.
• Gantt Chart view
It displays details about workflow runs in chronological Workflow Monitor Windows
format. integration * intelligence * insight 21
PowerCenter 8 Overview
Repository Service
PowerCenter Client
Use the Designer and Workflow Manager to create and store mapping metadata
and connection object information in the repository. Use the Workflow Monitor to
retrieve workflow run status information and session logs written by the
Integration Service. Use the Repository Manager to organize and secure
metadata by creating folders, users, and groups.
Integration Service
When you start the Integration Service, it connects to the repository to schedule
workflows. When you run a workflow, the Integration Service retrieves workflow
task and mapping metadata from the repository. The Integration Service writes
workflow status to the repository.
When you start the Web Services Hub, it connects to the repository to access
web-enabled workflows. The Web Services Hub retrieves workflow task and
mapping metadata from the repository and writes workflow status to the
repository.
The Web Services Hub is a web service gateway for external clients. It processes SOAP
requests from web service clients that want to access PowerCenter functionality through web
services. Web service clients access the Integration Service and Repository Service through
the Web Services Hub. Web Services Hub hosts the following web services.
Data Analyzer
It extracts, filters, and presents information in easy-to-understand reports. We can use Data
Analyzer to design, develop, and deploy reports and set up dashboards and alerts to provide
the latest information to users at the time and in the manner most useful to them. It works with
a database repository to keep track of information about enterprise metrics, reports, and
report delivery. Once we install Data Analyzer, we can connect to it from any computer that
has a web browser and access to the Data Analyzer host.
Data Analyzer can access information from databases, web services, or XML documents. We
can set up reports to analyze information from multiple data sources. We can also set up
reports to analyze real-time data from message streams.
Web server
Data Analyzer uses an HTTP server to fetch and
transmit Data Analyzer pages to web browsers.
Data source
For analytic and operational schemas, Data
Analyzer reads data from a relational database. It
connects to the database through JDBC drivers.
For hierarchical schemas, Data Analyzer reads
data from an XML document. The XML document
may reside on a web server or be generated by a
web service operation. Data Analyzer connects to
the XML document or web service through an Data Analyzer Architecture
HTTP connection
PowerCenter Metadata Manager is a metadata management tool that we can use to browse and
analyze metadata from disparate metadata repositories. Metadata Manager helps you
understand and manage how information and processes are derived, the fundamental
relationships between them, and how they are used. It provides the following tools
Application server
Helps the Metadata Manager Server manage its
processes efficiently.
Metadata Manager Server
It manages the source repository metadata stored
in the Metadata Manager Warehouse.
Metadata Manager Warehouse
It stores the Metadata Manager metadata, such as
the Metadata Manager reporting schema, user
profiles, and reports. It also stores source
repository metadata and metamodels.
PowerCenter repository.
It stores the workflows, which are XConnect
components that extract source metadata and load
it into the Metadata Manager Warehouse.
Web server
It fetches and transmits Metadata Manager pages
to web browsers. Each supported application
server contains an integrated web server.
Metadata Manager Architecture
Configuration Management
With Configuration Management reports, we can analyze deployment groups and
PowerCenter repository object labels.
Operations
With Operations reports, we can analyze operational statistics for workflows, worklets,
and sessions.
PowerCenter Objects
With PowerCenter Object reports, we can identify PowerCenter objects, their properties,
and their interdependencies with other repository objects.
Security
With the Security report, we can analyze users, groups, and their association within the
repository.
Informatica power center 8 is having the following features which makes it more powerful,
easy to use and manage when compared to previous versions.