1) what is a server?

The power center server moves data from source to targets based on a
workflow and mapping Metadata stored in a repository.

2) what is a work flow?

A workflow is a set of instructions that describe how and when to run

tasks related to extracting,transformation and loading data.

3) what is session?

A session is a set of instructions that describes how to move data from

source to target using a mapping.

4) What is workflow monitor?

Use the work flow monitor work flows and stop the power center server.

5) Explain a work flow process?

The power center server uses both process memory and system shared
memory to perform these tasks.

Load manager process: stores and locks the workflow tasks and start
the DTM run the sessions.

Data Transformation Process DTM: Perform session validations,create

threads to initialize the session,read,write and transform data, and
handle pre and post session operations.

The default memory allocation is 12,000,000 bytes.

6) What are types of threads in DTM?

The main DTM thread is called the master thread.

Mapping thread.

Transformation thread.

Reader thread.

Writer thread.

Pre-and-post session thread

7) Explain work flow manager tools?

1) Task developer.

2) Work flow designer.

3) Worklet designer.

8) Explain work flow schedule?

You can sehedule a work flow to run continuously, repeat at given time
or interval or you manually start a work flow.By default the workflow
runs on demand.

9) Explain stopping or aborting a session task?

If the power center is executing a session task when you issue the stop
the command the power center stop reading data. If continuous
processing and writing data and committing data to targets.

If the power center can’t finish processing and committing data you
issue the abort command.

You can also abort a session by using the Abort() function in the mapping
logic.

10) What is a worklet?

A worklet is an object that represents a set of taske.It can contain any

task available in the work flow manager. You can run worklets inside a
workflow. You can also nest a worklet in another worklet.The worklet
manager does not provide a parameter file for worklets.

The power center server writes information about worklet execution in

the workflow log.

11) what is a commit interval and explain the types?

A commit interval is the interval at which power center server commits

data to targets during a session. The commit interval the number of rows
you want to use as a basis for the commit point.

Target Based commit: The power center server commits data based on
the number of target rows and the key constraints on the target table.
The commit point also depends on the buffer block size and the commit
interval.
 Source-based commit:---------------------------------------------

User-defined commit:----------------------------------------------

12) Explain bulk loading?

You can use bulk loading to improve performance of a session that

inserts a large amount of data to a db2,sysbase,oracle or MS SQL server
database.

When bulk loading the power center server by passes the database
log,which speeds performance.

With out writing to the database log, however the target database can’t
perform
What is a constraint based loading?

When you select this option the power center server orders the target load on a
row-by-row basis only.

Edit tasks->properties->select treat source rows as insert.

Edit tasks->config object tab->select constraint based.

If session is configured constraint absed loading when target table receive rows
from different sources.The power center server revert the normal loading for
those tables but loads all other targets in the session using constraint based
loading when possible loading the primary key table first then the foreign key
table.

Use the constraint based loading only when the session option treat rows as set
to insert.

Constraint based load ordering functionality which allows developers to read

the source once and populate parent and child tables in a single process.

2) Explain incremental aggregation?

When using incremental aggregation you apply captured changes in the source
to aggregate calculations in a session.If the source changes only incrementally
and you can capture changes you can configure the session to process only
those changes. This allows the power center server to update your target
incrementally rather than forcing it to process the entire source and
recalculate the same data each time you run the session.

You can capture new source data.use incremental aggregation when you can
capture new source data much time you run the session.Use a stored procedure
on filter transformation only new data.

Incremental changes do not significantly change the target.Use incremental

aggregation when the changes do not significantly change the target.If
processing the incrementally changed source alters more than half the existing
target, the session may not benefit from using incremental aggregation. In this
case drop the table and recreate the target with complete source data.

3) Processing of incremental aggregation?

The first time u run an incremental aggregation session the power center
server process the entire source.At the end of the session the power center
server stores aggregate data from the session runs in two files, the index file
and the data file .The power center server creates the files in a local directory.
Transformations

Q. what is transformation?

Transformation is repository object that generates modifies or passes data.

Transformation is an object which is used for processing or trasforming the

data or converting the data into the required business format.

4) what are the type of transformations?

The Transformation which has developed will be stored in the Repository.

There are types of trasformations:

1) active 2) passive.

Active transformation can change the number of rows that pass through it.No
of output rows less than or equal to no of input rows.

The Following are the Active Transformations--

1) source qualifier Transformation 2) Filter Transformation

3) Joiner Transformation
5) Router Transformation
7) Normalizer Transformation
9) Sortor Transformation
11) Transaction Control Transformation
4) Rank Transformation
6) Aggregator Transformation
8) UpdateStrategy Transformation
10) Union Transformation

Passive transformation does not change the number of rows.Always no of

output rows equal to no of input rows.
The Following are the Passive Transformations---

1) Expression Transformation
2) Sequence Generator Transformation
3) Stored Procedure Transformation
4) XML Source Qualifier Transformation
5) LookUp Transformation

5) Difference filter and router transformation.

Filter transformation to filter the data only one condition and drop the rows
don’t meet the condition.

Drop rows does not store anywhere like session log file..

Router transformation to filter the data based on multiple conditions and give
yiou the option to route rows that don’t match to a default group.

6) what r the types of groups in router transformation?

Router transformation 2 groups ---

1. Input group

2. output groups.

Output groups in 2 types. ---

1. user defined group

2. default group.

7) Difference between expression and aggregator transformation?

Expression transformation calculate the single row values before writes the
target.Expression transformation executed by row-by-row basis only.

Aggregator transformation allows you to perform aggregate calculations like

max, min,avg…

Aggregate transformation perform calculation on groups.

8) How can u improve the session performance in aggregate transformation?

Use stored input.

9) what is aggregate cache in aggregate transformation?

The aggregate stores data in the aggregate cache until it completes aggregate
calculations.When u run a session that uses an aggregate transformation , the
informatica server creates index and data caches in memory is process the
transformation. If the informatica server requires more space it seores
overview values in cache files.

10) Explain joiner transformation?

Joiner transformation joins two related heterogeneous sources residing in

different locations or files.

The types of joins in joiner in the joiner transformation--

Normal Master outer

Detail outer Full outer

Difference between connected and unconnected transformations?

Connected transformation is connected to another transformation with in a

mapping.

Unconnected transformation is not connected to any transformation with in a

mapping.

2) In which conditions we cannot use joiner transformation(limitations of

joiner transformation)?

Both pipelines begin with the same original data source.

Both input pipelines originate from the same source qualifier transformation.

Both input pipelines originate from the same normalizer transformation

Both input pipelines originate from the same joiner transformation.

Either input pipelines contains an update strategy transformation

Either input pipelines contains sequence generator transformation.

3) what are the settings that u use to configure the joiner transformation?
Master and detail source.
Type of join
Condition of the join

4) what is look up transformation?

look up transformation can be used in a table view based on condition by

default lookup is left outer join.
ff
5) why use the lookup transformation?

To perform the following tasks.

Get a related value.For example if your table includes employee ID,but you
want to include such as gross sales per invoice or sales tax but not the
calculated value(such as net sales).

Update slowly changing dimension tables. You can use a lookup transformation
to determine whether records already exist in the target.

6) What are the types of lookup?

Connected and unconnected

7) Difference between connected and unconnected lookup?

Connected lookup Unconnected lookup

Receives input values directly Receives input values from the result of a clkp
from the pipe line. expression in a another transformation.

U can use a dynamic or static U can use a static cache

Cache

Cache includes all lokkup Cache includes all lookup/output ports in the
columns used in the mapping(that lookup condition and the lookup/return port.
is lookup table columns included
in the lookup condition and
lookup table columns linked as
output ports to other
transformations)

Can return multiple columns from Designate one return port(R).Returns one column
the same row or insert into the from each row.
dynamic lookup cache.

If there is no match for the lookup If there is no matching for the lookup condition
condition, the informatica server the informatica server returns NULL
returns the default value for all
output ports.If u configure
dynamic caching the informatica
server inserts rows into the cache.

Pass multiple output values to Pass one output value to another

another transformatnion.Link transformation.The lookup/output/return port
lookup/output ports to another passes the same value to the
transformation ---------------------------------------------------------
Does not support user-defined default values.
Supports user-defined default values.