Informatica Certified Designer

For PowerCenter Tranformation, mapping and mapplet developers

Requirements - attain a passing score on three exams:

• Architecture and Administration

• Mapping Design

• Advanced Mapping Design

Syllabus for Informatica PowerCenter 7 Architecture and

Administration Exam

The PowerCenter 7 Architecture and Administration examination

is composed of the twelve sections listed below. In order to
ensure that you are prepared for the test, review the subtopics
associated with each section. The Informatica documentation is
an excellent source of information on the material that will be
covered in the examination. If you are thoroughly knowledgeable
in the areas mentioned in this Skill Set Inventory, you will do well
on the examination.

The examination is designed to test for "expert level"

knowledge. Informatica strongly urges you to attain a
complete understanding of these topics before you
attempt to take the examination. Hands-on experience
with the software is the best way to gain this
understanding.

1. Application components

• Know what operations can be performed with each client tool

(Repository Manager, Designer, Workflow Manager, Workflow
Monitor).
• Know the purpose and uses for each of the windows in the
client tools (Output window, Details window, Navigator
window, Task View, Gantt Chart View, etc).
 • Be able to specify which components are necessary to
perform various development and maintenance operations.

2. Nomenclature

• Be able to define all object types and properties used by the

client and server tools.
• Be familiar with the properties of the Repository server and
the Informatica server.
• Know the meaning of the terms used to describe
development and maintenance operations.
• Know how to work with server variables.
• Understand the relationships between all PowerCenter object
types.
• Know which tools are used to create and modify all objects.

3. Repository server

• Know how each client and server component communicates

with relational databases.
• Be familiar with the connectivity options that are available
for the different tools.
• Understand how the client and server tools access flat files,
COBOL files, and XML files.
• Know the requirements for using various types of ODBC
drivers with the client tools.
• Know the meaning of all database connection properties.
• Be familiar with the sequence of events involving starting
the Repository server.
• Know which repository operations can be preformed from
the command line.

4. Installation
  Understand the basic procedure for
installing the client and server
software.
 Know what non-Informatica
hardware and software is required for
installation.
 Be familiar with network related
requirements and limitations.
 Know which components are
needed to perform a repository
upgrade.
 Be familiar with the data movement
mode options.

5. Security

• Be familiar with the security permissions for application

users.
• Be familiar with the meaning of the various user types for an
Informatica system.
• Know the basic steps for creating and configuring application
users.
• Understand how user security affects folder operations.
• Know what passwords are needed to install new client
software.

6. Object sharing

• Understand the differences between copies and shortcuts.

• Know which object properties are inherited in shortcuts.
• Know the rules associated with transferring and sharing
objects between folders.
• Know the rules associated with transferring and sharing
objects between repositories.

7. Repository organization and migration

  Understand the various options for
organizing a repository.
 Be familiar with how a repository
stores information about its own
properties.
 Be familiar with metadata
extensions.
 Know the capabilities and
limitations of folders and other
repository objects.
 Know what type of information is
stored in the repository.

8. Database connections

• Understand the purpose and relationships between the

different types of code pages.
• Know the differences between using native and ODBC
server-side database connections.
• Understand how and why the client tools use database
connectivity.
• Know the differences between client and server connectivity.

9. Workflow Manager configuration

• Know what permissions are needed to perform various

operations with the Workflow Manager.
• Be able to identify which interface features in the Workflow
Manager are userconfigurable.
• Know how to register a server to the repository and the
reason why this is necessary.
• Be familiar with database, external loader, and FTP
configuration using the Workflow Manager

10. Workflow properties

  Be familiar with all user-
configurable Workflow properties.
 Know what permissions are required
to make all possible changes to
Workflow properties.
 Know the reasons why a Workflow
may fail and how these reasons relate
to the Workflow properties.
 Know the rules for linking Tasks
within a Workflow.
 Be familiar with the properties and
rules of all types of Workflow Tasks.
 Know how to use a Workflow to read
a parameter file.

11. Running and monitoring Workflows

• Know what types of permissions are needed to run and

schedule Workflows.
• Understand how and why target rows may be rejected for
loading.
• Be familiar with the rules associated with Workflow links.
• Understand how Tasks behave when run outside of a
Workflow.
• Know which mapping properties can be overridden on a
Session Task level.
• Know how to work with reusable Workflow schedules.

12. Workflow and Task errors

• Know how to abort or stop a Workflow or Task.

• Understand how to work with Workflow and Session Task log
files.
• Understand how to work with reject files.
• Know how to use the Workflow Monitor to quickly determine
the status of any Workflow or Task.
Syllabus for Informatica PowerCenter 7 Mapping Design
Exam

The PowerCenter 7 Mapping Design examination is composed of

the thirteen sections listed below. In order to ensure that you are
prepared for the test, review the subtopics associated with each
section. The Informatica documentation is an excellent source of
information on the material that will be covered in the
examination. If you are thoroughly knowledgeable in the areas
mentioned in this Skill Set Inventory, you will do well on the
examination.

The examination is designed to test for "expert level"

knowledge. Informatica strongly urges you to attain a
complete understanding of these topics before you
attempt to take the examination. Hands-on experience
with the software is the best way to gain this
understanding.

1. Designer configuration

• Be familiar with the rules for using shared and non-shared

folders.
• Understand the meaning of each of the Designer
configuration options.
• Know what Designer options can be configured separately
for each client machine.
• Be familiar with the Designer toolbar functions, such as Find.

2. Transformation ports

• Know the rules for linking transformation ports together.

• Know the rules for using and converting the Informatica data
types.
 • Know what types of transformation ports are supported and
the uses for each.
• Be familiar with the types of data operations that can be
performed on a port level.

3. Source and Target definitions

• Understand how editing source and target definitions affects

associated objects such as Mappings and Mapplets.
• Understand how the repository stores referential integrity.
• Know how to edit flat file definitions at any time.
• Know the types of source and target definitions supported.
• Know how to determine if a Session Task is considered to
have heterogeneous targets.
• Understand the rules and limitations of overriding target
types.

4. Validation

• Know all the possible reasons why

an expression may be invalid.
• Understand how to use strings
correctly in Informatica
expressions.
• Know the rules regarding
connecting transformations to
other transformations.

• Know the rules for Mapping and

Mapplet validation.

5. Transformation language

• Be familiar with all transformation language functions and

key words.
 • Know how the Informatica server evaluates expressions.
• Be able to predict the output or result of a given expression.

6. Source Qualifier transformation

• Understand how the Source

Qualifier uses data types.
• Know how the default query is
generated and the rules for
modifying it.

• Understand how to use the Source

Qualifier to perform various types
of joins.

7. Aggregator transformation

• Know how to use Informatica aggregate functions.

• Understand how to be able to use a variable port in an
Aggregator transformation.
• Be able to predict the output of a given Aggregator.
• Know the rules associated with defining and using aggregate
caches.
• Know how to calculate an optimum cache size.

8. Sorter and Sequence Generator transformations

• Know the capabilities and limitations of the Sorter

transformation.
• Know when a Sorter transformation does the data sort with
respect to the parent Workflow.
• Understand how the Sorter transformation uses hardware
resources.
• Understand the meaning and use of the Distinct Output
Rows property.
 • Understand the difference in the ports used in the Sequence
Generator and how each can be used.

9. Lookup transformation

• Know the advantages and

disadvantages of connected and
unconnected Lookups.
• Know the ways a Lookup
transformation may cause a
session to fail.
• Be familiar with the meaning of all
Lookup properties.
• Understand how a dynamic
Lookup cache works and what it
accomplishes.

• Know what types of Lookups are

supported under various
configurations.

10. Joiner transformation

• Know what types of sources can be joined with the Joiner

transformation.
• Be familiar with the limitations of the Joiner transformation.
• Understand the supported join types and options available
for controlling the join.

11. Update Strategy transformation

• Know how the Update Strategy transformation works in

conjunction with session properties.
• Understand how transformations that are "downstream" of
the Update Strategy are affected.
 • Be familiar with the Update Strategy properties and options.
• Know what can happen to a given row for each different type
of row operation.

12. Filter and Router transformations

A. Understand how to work with the Router and Filter

Transformations.

13. Reusable logic

• Be familiar with the rules and limitations regarding Mapplets.

• Know how to use Mapplet Output transformations and
Output groups.
• Know the rules regarding active and passive Mapplets.

Syllabus for Informatica PowerCenter 7 Advanced Mapping

Design Exam

The PowerCenter 7 Mapping Design examination is composed of

the twelve sections listed below. In order to ensure that you are
prepared for the test, review the subtopics associated with each
section. The Informatica documentation is an excellent source of
information on the material that will be covered in the
examination. If you are thoroughly knowledgeable in the areas
mentioned in this Skill Set Inventory, you will do well on the
examination.

The examination is designed to test for "expert level"

knowledge. Informatica strongly urges you to attain a
complete understanding of these topics before you
attempt to take the examination. Hands-on experience
with the software is the best way to gain this
understanding.

1. XML sources and targets

• Be familiar with the procedures and methods involved in

defining an XML source definition.
• Know how to define and use an XML target definition.
• Know the limitations associated with using XML targets.
• Understand how XML definitions are related to code pages.
• Know how to edit existing XML definitions.
• Understand how the Designer validates XML sources.

2. Data type formats and conversions

• Understand the date / time formats available in the

transformation language.
• Be familiar with how transformation functions handle null
values.
• Know the valid input data types for the various conversion
functions.
• Know how transformation functions behave when given
incorrectly formatted arguments.
• Know how to extract a desired subset of data from a given
input (the hour from a date / time, for example).

3. The Debugger

 Be familiar with the procedure to

run a debug session.
 Know the rules for working with
breakpoints.
 Know how to test expressions in a
debug session.
 Be familiar with the options
available while using the debugger.
  Know how debugger session
properties and breakpoints can be
saved.

4. Custom and Union transformations

• Understand how the Custom transformation works and what

makes it Passive vs. Active.
• Understand the limitations of the Custom and Union
transformations; modes, Input/Output groups, scope, etc.
• Know the purpose of the Union transformation.

5. Designer enhancements

• New functions of PowerCenter 7 and how they work.

• Know how validation within PowerCenter 7 works in regards
to child and parent relationships in a versioned and/or non-
versioned repository.
• Be familiar with Copy/Paste ability.

6. Normalizer transformation

 Be familiar with the possible uses of

the Normalizer transformation.
 Understand how to read a COBOL
data source in a mapping.
 Be familiar with the rules regarding
reusable Normalizer transformations.
 Know how the OCCURS COBOL
keyword affects the Normalizer
transformation.

7. Dynamic and shared lookup caches

• Know the difference between static and dynamic Lookup

caches.
• Know the default cache properties.
 • Know the advantages and disadvantages of dynamic Lookup
caches.
• Be familiar with the rules regarding Lookup SQL overrides.

8. Mapping parameters and variables

• Understand the purposes of mapping parameters and

variables.
• Know the parameter order of precedence.
• Know how to view pre-defined parameters and variables.
• Understand how to use the property mapping variable
aggregation type.
• Be familiar with the rules affecting parameters used with
mapplets and reusable transformations

9. Data Previewer

 Know the connectivity requirements

and options for the Previewer.
 Know the limitations of the
Previewer.
 Know where you can use the
Previewer.

10. Advanced expressions

• Be familiar with all special functions, such as ABORT and

ERROR.
• Know the allowable input data types for the Informatica
functions.
• Understand how to use expressions to set variables.
• Know the details behind the meaning and use of expression
time stamps.
• Be familiar with the use of conditional aggregate functions.

11. Mapping optimization

 • Know how to obtain performance data for individual
transformations.
• Know when is the best time in the development cycle to
optimize mappings.
• Be familiar with specific mapping optimization techniques
described in the documentation.

12. Version control

• Know the difference between a deleted object and a purged

object.
• Understand parent/child relationships in a versioned
repository.
• Understand Object History and how/when objects get
versioned.