Q. How to obtain performance data for individual transformations?

Q. Can a port in expression transf be given the name DISTINCT?

Answer-1:

Yes, it can be used. Port name is just a name and

informatica do not validate the port name as long as it is

unique among all the ports in one particular expression.

Q. What is the difference between Informatica7.1 & informatica 8.1?

Answer-1:

1)powercenter connect for SAP NetWeaver BW Option

2)SQL Transformation is added

3)Service Oriented Architecture

4)Grid concept is additional feature

5) Random file name can genaratation in target

6) Command line programms: Infacmd and infasetup new

commands were added.

7) Java Transformation is added feature

8)concurrent cache creation and faster index building are

additional feature in lookup transformation

Answer-2:

caches or automatic u dont need to allocate at

transformation level,

push down optimization techniques,some new java

transformations,changes in parameter file

and intigration services rather than powercentre server

Q. Task is running successfully but data is not loaded, Why?

Answer-1:

Either your SQL Override is not reading any records, or

your update stregy is not using the correct condition or

 check the task SQL Override and check the properties and

make sure "Enable Test Load" is turned off.

Q. What is galaxy repository?

Q. What is mean by grouping of condition column in lookup transformation?

Answer-1:

grouping of condition colum means- the columns which we

have included in lookup conditions, the lookup source

should data should be grouped on that column.

this is mandatory for flatfiles, otherwise the session will

fail

Q. In reporting we add some new objects,how we get the count of the newly added
objects to the report?

What is mapping parameter and mapping variable? how do you set that in a mapping?

Answer-1:

A mapping parameter represents a constant value that you

can define before running a session. A mapping parameter

retains the same value throughout the entire session.

Unlike a mapping parameter, a mapping variable represents a

value that can change through the session. The PowerCenter

Server saves the value of a mapping variable to the

repository at the end of each successful session run and

uses that value the next time you run the session.

Answer-2:

mapping parameter represents a constant value ,u decleare

these values at a file and store at a location ,the path

will be declared at session properties and the parameter

name is declered at designer->parameters&variables ----

naming convention is $$-----.when u run the session then it

will take the values from the file

 variables ---declearing as same above but for parmeter we

wil declear it as parameter n 4 variable we decler it as

variable ---functionality if u declare it as last updated

date for first run it will take as intial value which u

declare and it wil save that date and for next it wil date

that previous run value

Q. How can u generate sequence of values in which target has more than 2billion of
records.(but with sequence generator u can generate upto 2 biliion only)?

Answer-1:

by using unconnected lookup transformation u can check

condtion ie counter >0 it will be allways true,

or you can use oracle sequence or stored procedure

Answer-2:

generate a sequance values through sequesnce generator and

connet it to the target get the max value of it every time

from unconnected lookup and set this value(maxvalue) to

mapping variable so that the last max value will be stored

in repository. Once the sequance generator is reached its

max value say 2billion , set the property reset to 1 so

that sequence generator will start again to produce

sequance numbers .

and in experession write the logic like

new_seq=max(mapping_variable+sequence_generator (value)

then it is like 2million+1...2......(seq_gen)

every time sequance generator will reset to 1 after

reaching its max value

Q. How can u connect client to ur informatica sever iff server is located at different
place( not local to the client)
 Answer-1: Through IP Address

What is upstream and downstream transformation?

Answer-1:

Say a Transformation1 accepts input from transformation 2

and passes the output to a transformation 3 , then

transformation 2 is called an upstream transformation.

transformation 3 is called a downstream transformation.

Q. What are testing in a mapping level please give brif eplanation?

Answer-1:

Verify Mapping is Available

Verify parameters are defined properly with proper

datatypes

Verify whether the shorcut to source table is used as

source in the mapping from replica connection

Verify whether WHERE clause in the SQ has used properly to

implement delta condition

Verify whether the primary key is selected properly in the

target table

Verify whether versioning is maintained

Verify Source name used in the mapping

Verify Target name used in the mapping

Changes made to the existing mapping(if applicable)

Verify whether the new fields handled for NULL values(if it

is a NOT NULL column in the Target table)

Verify whether lookup is added to the mapping(if applicable)

Verify whether the Lookup override used is proper

Vefify whether the condition for Insert/Update is used in

UPDATE STATERGY transformation

Verify Whether the Filter condition used is proper

What are the differences between Connected and Unconnected
Lookup?

Connected Lookup Unconnected Lookup

Connected lookup participates in Unconnected lookup receives input

dataflow and receives input directly values from the result of a LKP:
from the pipeline expression in another transformation

Connected lookup can use both Unconnected Lookup cache can NOT
dynamic and static cache be dynamic

Connected lookup can return more Unconnected Lookup can return only
than one column value ( output port ) one column value i.e. output port

Unconnected lookup caches only the

Connected lookup caches all lookup
lookup output ports in the lookup
columns
conditions and the return port

Supports user-defined default values

Does not support user defined default
(i.e. value to return when lookup
values
conditions are not satisfied)

What is the difference between Router and Filter?

Router Filter
 Router transformation divides the
incoming records into multiple
Filter transformation restricts or
groups based on some condition.
blocks the incoming record set based
Such groups can be mutually
on one given condition.
inclusive (Different groups may
contain same record)

Router transformation itself does not

Filter transformation does not have a
block any record. If a certain record
default group. If one record does not
does not match any of the routing
match filter condition, the record is
conditions, the record is routed to
blocked
default group

Router acts like CASE.. WHEN

Filter acts like WHERE condition is
statement in SQL (Or Switch()..
SQL.
Case statement in C)

What can we do to improve the performance of Informatica

Aggregator Transformation?

Aggregator performance improves dramatically if records are sorted before

passing to the aggregator and "sorted input" option under aggregator
properties is checked. The record set should be sorted on those columns
that are used in Group By operation.

It is often a good idea to sort the record set in database level (why?) e.g.
inside a source qualifier transformation, unless there is a chance that already
sorted records from source qualifier can again become unsorted before
reaching aggregator

What are the different lookup cache?

Lookups can be cached or uncached (No cache). Cached lookup can be

either static or dynamic. A static cache is one which does not modify the
 cache once it is built and it remains same during the session run. On the
other hand, A dynamic cache is refreshed during the session run by
inserting or updating the records in cache based on the incoming source
data.

A lookup cache can also be divided as persistent or non-persistent based

on whether Informatica retains the cache even after session run is complete
or not respectively

How can we update a record in target table without using Update

strategy?

A target table can be updated without using 'Update Strategy'. For this, we
need to define the key in the target table in Informatica level and then we
need to connect the key and the field we want to update in the mapping
Target. In the session level, we should set the target property as "Update as
Update" and check the "Update" check-box.

Let's assume we have a target table "Customer" with fields as "Customer

ID", "Customer Name" and "Customer Address". Suppose we want to update
"Customer Address" without an Update Strategy. Then we have to define
"Customer ID" as primary key in Informatica level and we will have to
connect Customer ID and Customer Address fields in the mapping. If the
session properties are set correctly as described above, then the mapping
will only update the customer address field for all matching customer IDs.

Q1. Suppose we have Duplicate records in Source System and we want to load
only the unique records in the Target System eliminating the duplicate rows.
What will be the approach?
Ans.
Let us assume that the source system is a Relational Database . The source
table is having duplicate rows. Now to eliminate duplicate records, we can check
the Distinct option of the Source Qualifier of the source table and load the
target accordingly.

Source Qualifier Transformation DISTINCT clause