Optimizing the Mapping

• Reduce the number of transformations in the mapping and delete unnecessary links between
transformations.
• Limiting the number of connected input/output or output ports reduces the amount of data the
transformations store in the data cache.

You can also perform the following tasks to optimize the mapping:

• Configure single-pass reading.

• Optimize data type conversions.
• Eliminate transformation errors.
• Optimize transformations.
• Optimize expressions.

Configuring Single-Pass Reading:

Single-pass reading allows you to populate multiple targets with one source qualifier. Separate
mappings and use only one source qualifier for each source, the Informatica Server then reads each
source only once, and then sends the data into separate data flows.
For example
You have the PURCHASING source table, and you use that source daily to perform an aggregation
and a ranking. If you place the Aggregator and Rank transformations in separate mappings and
sessions, you force the Informatica Server to read the same source table twice. However, if you join
the two mappings, using one source qualifier, the Informatica Server reads PURCHASING only once,
and then sends the appropriate data to the two separate data flows.

Optimizing Data type Conversions

Forcing the Informatica Server to make unnecessary data type conversions slows performance.
For example
Convert your zip code data to an Integer data type, the lookup database stores the zip code 94303-
1234 as 943031234.

Eliminating Transformation Errors

With each transformation error, the Informatica Server pauses to determine the cause of the error and
to remove the row causing the error from the data flow. Then the Informatica Server typically writes
the row into the session log file.
Optimizing Lookup Transformations
• Caching Lookups
• Reducing the Number of Cached Rows
• Optimizing the Lookup Condition
• Indexing the Lookup Table
• Optimizing Multiple Lookups

Optimizing Filter Transformations

• Move the Filter transformation as close to the source qualifier as possible to remove
unnecessary data early in the data flow.
• Instead of using a Filter transformation halfway through the mapping to remove a sizable
amount of data, use a source qualifier filter to remove those same rows at the source.

Optimizing Aggregator Transformations

We can optimize Aggregator transformations by performing the following tasks:
• Group by simple columns.
• Use sorted input.
• Use incremental aggregation.

Session Tuning
We can optimize session performance as follows:
• Dropping Indexes And Key constraints.
• Increasing Checkpoint Intervals.
• Bulk Loading On Sybase, Oracle, And Microsoft SQL Server.
• External Loading On DB2, Teradata, Oracle, and Sybase IQ.
• Increasing Database Network Packet Size.
• Optimizing Oracle Target Databases.
Joiner

You can use the following sources:

Two relational tables existing in separate databases

Two flat files in potentially different file systems
Two different ODBC sources
Two instances of the same XML source
A relational table and a flat file source
A relational table and an XML source
If two relational sources contain keys, then a Source Qualifier transformation can easily join the
sources on those keys. Joiner

Transformations typically combine information from two different sources that do not have matching
keys, such as flat file sources.

Configure the following settings in each Joiner transformation:

Master and detail source

Type of join
Condition of the join

The Joiner transformation supports the following join types, which you set in the Properties tab:

Normal (Default)
Master Outer
Detail Outer
Full Outer

The result of this join depends on the type of join. With a normal join, the result set of the
transformation discards any row of data

From the master source that does not match a row of data from the detail source based on the
condition. Any rows that has matching

Item numbers in the two sources appear in the result set.

Normal Join
With a normal join, the Informatica Server discards all rows of data from the master and detail source
that do not match, based on the

Condition.

Master Outer Join

A master outer join keeps all rows of data from the detail source and the matching rows from the
master source. It discards the

Unmatched rows from the master source.

Detail Outer Join

A detail outer join keeps all rows of data from the master source and the matching rows from the
detail source. It discards the

Unmatched rows from the detail source.

Full Outer Join

A full outer join keeps all rows of data from both the master and detail sources.

Table 7-3. Lookup Transformation Properties

Option Description
Lookup SQL Overrides the default SQL statement to query the lookup table.
Override Specifies the SQL statement you want the Informatica Server to use for querying
lookup values. Use only with the lookup cache enabled.
Enter only the SELECT, FROM, and WHERE clauses when you enter the SQL
override.
 Do not enter an ORDER BY clause unless you follow the tip found in Lookup
Transformation Tips. The Informatica Server always generates an ORDER BY
clause, even if you enter one in the override.
Specifies the name of the table from which the transformation looks up and caches
values. You can import a table, view, or synonym from another database by selecting
Lookup Table
the Import button on the dialog box that displays when you first create a Lookup
Name
transformation.
If you enter a lookup SQL override, you do not need to add an entry for this option.
Indicates whether the Informatica Server caches lookup values during the session.
When you enable lookup caching, the Informatica Server queries the lookup table
Lookup Caching once, caches the values, and looks up values in the cache during the session. This
Enabled can improve session performance.
When you disable caching, each time a row passes into the transformation, the
Informatica Server issues a select statement to the lookup table for lookup values.
Available for Lookup transformations that are uncached or use a static cache.
Determines what happens when the Lookup transformation finds multiple rows that
Lookup Policy
match the lookup condition. You can select the first or last row returned from the
on Multiple
cache or lookup table, or report an error.
Match
The Informatica Server fails a session when it encounters a multiple match while
processing a Lookup transformation with a dynamic cache.
Lookup
Displays the lookup condition you set in the Condition tab.
Condition
Specifies the database containing the lookup table. You can select the exact database
connection or you can use the $Source or $Target variable. If you use one of these
variables, the lookup table must reside in the source or target database you specify
when you configure the session.
If you select the exact database connection, you can also specify what type of
Location database connection it is. Type Application: before the connection name if it is
Information an Application connection. Type Relational: before the connection name if it is
a relational connection.
If you do not specify the type of database connection, the Informatica Server fails
the session if it cannot determine the type of database connection.
For more information on using $Source and $Target, see Using $Source and $Target
Variables.
Source Type Indicates that the Lookup transformation reads values from a relational database.
The Recache from Database option replaces the Recache if Stale and Lookup Cache
Recache if Stale Initialize options. For more information about Recache if Stale, see “Upgrading a
Repository” in the Installation and Configuration Guide.
Sets the amount of detail included in the session log when you run a workflow
Tracing Level
containing this transformation.
Lookup Cache Specifies the directory used to build the lookup cache files when you configure the
Directory Name Lookup transformation to cache the lookup table. Also used to save the persistent
 lookup cache files when you select the Lookup Persistent option.
By default, the Informatica Server uses the $PMCacheDir directory configured for
the Informatica Server.
The Recache from Database option replaces the Lookup Cache Initialize and
Lookup Cache
Recache if Stale options. For more information about Lookup Cache Initialize, see
Initialize
“Upgrading a Repository” in the Installation and Configuration Guide.
Indicates whether the Informatica Server uses a persistent lookup cache, which
consists of at least two cache files. If a Lookup transformation is configured for a
Lookup Cache
persistent lookup cache and persistent lookup cache files do not exist, the
Persistent
Informatica Server creates the files during the session. You can use this only when
you enable lookup caching.
Indicates the maximum size the Informatica Server allocates to the data cache in
memory. If the Informatica Server cannot allocate the configured amount of memory
Lookup Data when initializing the session, it fails the session. When the Informatica Server
Cache Size cannot store all the data cache data in memory, it pages to disk as necessary.
The Lookup Data Cache Size is 2,000,000 bytes by default. The minimum size is
1,024 bytes. Use only with the lookup cache enabled.
Indicates the maximum size the Informatica Server allocates to the index cache in
memory. If the Informatica Server cannot allocate the configured amount of memory
Lookup Index when initializing the session, it fails the session. When the Informatica Server
Cache Size cannot store all the index cache data in memory, it pages to disk as necessary.
The Lookup Index Cache Size is 1,000,000 bytes by default. The minimum size is
1,024 bytes. Use only with the lookup cache enabled.
Indicates to use a dynamic lookup cache. Inserts or updates rows in the lookup
Dynamic
cache as it passes rows to the target table. You can use this only when you enable
Lookup Cache
lookup caching.
Use only with persistent lookup cache. Specifies the file name prefix to use with
persistent lookup cache files. The Informatica Server uses the file name prefix as the
file name for the persistent cache files it saves to disk. Only enter the prefix. Do not
Cache File
enter .idx or .dat.
Name Prefix
If the named persistent cache files exist, the Informatica Server builds the memory
cache from the files. If the named persistent cache files do not exist, the Informatica
Server rebuilds the persistent cache files.
Use only with the lookup cache enabled. When selected, the Informatica Server
rebuilds the lookup cache from the lookup table when it first calls the Lookup
transformation instance.
Recache From
If you use a persistent lookup cache, it rebuilds the persistent cache files before
Database
using the cache. If you do not use a persistent lookup cache, it rebuilds the lookup
cache in memory before using the cache.
.
Insert Else Use only with dynamic caching enabled.
Update Applies to rows entering the Lookup transformation with the row type of insert.
When you select this property and the row type entering the Lookup transformation
 is insert, the Informatica Server inserts the row into the cache if it is new, and
updates the row if it exists. If you do not select this property, the Informatica Server
only inserts new rows into the cache when the row type entering the Lookup
transformation is insert.
For more information on defining the row type, see Using Update Strategy
Transformations with a Dynamic Cache.
Use only with dynamic caching enabled.
Applies to rows entering the Lookup transformation with the row type of update.
When you select this property and the row type entering the Lookup transformation
is update, the Informatica Server updates the row in the cache if it exists, and inserts
Update Else
the row if it is new. If you do not select this property, the Informatica Server only
Insert
updates existing rows in the cache when the row type entering the Lookup
transformation is update.
For more information on defining the row type, see Using Update Strategy
Transformations with a Dynamic