INFORMATICA
POWERCENTER 8.1.0
PRODUCT
OVERVIEW
Content
 About Informatica PowerCenter 8
 PowerCenter 8 Overview
 Advantages Of PowerCenter 8
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About Informatica PowerCenter 8
Informatica Powercenter 8
Informatica Power Center is a single, unified
enterprise data integration platform that
allows companies and organizations of all
sizes to access, discover, and integrate data
from virtually any business system, in any
format, and deliver that data throughout the
enterprise at any speed. Power Center helps
organizations derive business value from all
their data so that they can reduce IT costs
and complexity, streamline operations, and
drive revenue growth.
PowerCenter helps organizations derive
business value from all their data so that they
can
 Reduce IT costs and complexity
 Streamline business operations and
processes
 Drive revenue growth
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Informatica Powercenter 8 Architecture
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PowerCenter 8 Overview
Informatica Powercentre 8 can access the following data sources and load the
data into the following targets .
 Application
• Hyperion Essbase
• PeopleSoft
Sources
• IBM MQSeries
• SAP NetWeaver
• IBM DB2 OLAP Server
• SAS
 Relational
• JMS
• Siebel
• Oracle
• Microsoft Message Queue • TIBCO
• Sybase ASE
• WebMethods
• Informix
 Mainframe
• IBM DB2
• Adabas
• IDMS
• Microsoft SQL Server
• Datacom
• IDMS-X
• Teradata
• IBM DB2 OS/390
• IMS
• IBM DB2 OS/400
• VSAM
 File
• Flat file
• COBOL file
• XML file
•
web log
 Other
 Microsoft Excel
 Microsoft Access
 External web services
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PowerCenter 8 Overview
Targets
 Relational
• Oracle
• Sybase ASE
• Informix
• IBM DB2
• Microsoft SQL Server
• Teradata
 File
• Flat file
• XML file
 Application
• Hyperion Essbase
• IBM MQSeries
• IBM DB2 OLAP Server
• JMS
• Microsoft Message Queue
 Mainframe
• IBM DB2 OS/390
• IBM DB2 OS/400
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MY SAP
PeopleSoft EPM
SAP BW
SAS
Siebel
TIBCO
WebMethods
• VSAM
 Other
 Microsoft Access
 External web services
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PowerCenter 8 Overview
Informatica PowerCenter 8 provides an environment which allows us to load data into
a centralized location, such as a data warehouse or operational data store (ODS). We
can extract data from multiple sources, transform the data according to business logic,
and load the transformed data into file and relational targets.
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
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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
PowerCenter has a service-oriented architecture that provides the ability to scale
services and share resources across multiple machines. It provides the PowerCenter
domain to support the administration of the PowerCenter Services. Domain is the
primary unit for management and administration of services in PowerCenter. It has the
following components
 One or more nodes
Node is a logical representation of a machine in a domain. Domain may contain
more than one node. The node that hosts the domain is the master gateway for
the domain. We can add the other machines as nodes in the domain and
configure the nodes to run Integration Services and Repository Services. All
service requests from other nodes in the domain go through the master gateway.
 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
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PowerCenter 8 Overview
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Authentication
Authorization
Configuration
Node configuration
Licensing
Logging
 Application services
Application services is a group of services that represent PowerCenter server-based
functionality. The application services that run on each node in the domain depend on
the way you configure the node and the application service. The following services are
installed once you install PowerCenter services.
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Repository Service
Integration Service
Web Services Hub
SAP BW Service
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PowerCenter 8 Overview
PowerCenter 8 Repository
PowerCenter repository resides in a relational database. Repository database tables
contain the instructions required to extract, transform, and load data. PowerCenter
Client applications access the repository database tables through the Repository
Service. The repository consists of database tables that store metadata. Metadata
describes different types of objects, such as mappings or transformations, that we can
create or modify using the Client tools.
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.
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PowerCenter 8 Overview
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 nonshared folders.
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PowerCenter 8 Overview
PowerCenter 8 Administration Console
Administration Console is a web application that we use to manage a PowerCenter
domain. If you have a user login to the domain, we can access the Administration
Consol to perform administrative tasks such as managing logs, user accounts, and
domain objects. Domain objects include services, nodes, and licenses. Administration
Console perform the following tasks in the domain.
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Manage application services
Configure nodes
Manage domain objects
View and edit domain object properties
View log events
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PowerCenter 8 Overview
PowerCenter 8 Client
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
It imports or creates source definitions.
• Target Designer
It imports or creates target definitions.
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PowerCenter 8 Overview
• Transformation Developer
Develop transformations to use in mappings. we can also develop user-defined
functions to use in expressions.
• Mapplets Designer
It Creates sets of transformations to use in mappings.
• Mapping Designer
It Creates mappings that the Integration Service uses to extract, transform, and
load data.
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PowerCenter 8 Overview
The following things are displayed in Designer
 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
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PowerCenter 8 Overview
 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
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PowerCenter 8 Overview
 Repository Manager
Repository Manager is to create repository users and groups, assign privileges and
permissions, and manage folders and locks. we can navigate through multiple folders
and repositories, and complete the following tasks.
 Manage users and groups
Create, edit, and delete repository users and user groups. We can assign and
revoke repository privileges and folder permissions.
 Perform folder functions
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
Analyze sources, targets, mappings, and shortcut dependencies, search by
keyword, and view the properties of repository objects.
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PowerCenter 8 Overview
The following are displayed in Repository
manager
 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
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PowerCenter 8 Overview
 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
Definitions of database objects (tables, views, synonyms) or files that provide
source data.
 Target definitions
Definitions of database objects or files that contain the target data.
 Mappings
A set of source and target definitions along with transformations containing
business logic that you build into the transformation. These are the instructions
that the Integration Service uses to transform and move data.
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PowerCenter 8 Overview
 Reusable transformations
Transformations that you use in multiple mappings.
 Mapplets
A set of transformations that you use in multiple mappings.
 Sessions and workflows
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
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PowerCenter 8 Overview
 Workflow Manager
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
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Workflow Manager Windows
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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
format.
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Workflow Monitor Windows
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PowerCenter 8 Overview
Repository Service
Repository Service manages connections to the PowerCenter repository from client
applications. The Repository Service is a separate, multi-threaded process that
retrieves, inserts, and updates metadata in the repository database tables. Repository
Service ensures the consistency of metadata in the repository.
It accepts connection requests from the following PowerCenter applications:
 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.
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PowerCenter 8 Overview
 Command line programs
Use command line programs to perform repository metadata administration tasks
and service-related functions.
 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.
 Web Services Hub.
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.
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PowerCenter 8 Overview
Integration Service
The Integration Service reads mapping and session information from the repository. It
extracts data from the mapping sources and stores the data in memory while it applies the
transformation rules that you configure in the mapping. Integration Service loads the
transformed data into the mapping targets. The Integration Service can combine data from
different platforms and source types. It can also load data to different platforms and target
types. The Integration Service connects to the repository through the Repository Service to
fetch metadata from the repository.
Web Services Hub
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.
 Batch web services
Run and monitor web-enabled workflows.
 Realtime web services
It creates service workflows that allow you to read and write messages to a web service
client through the Web Services Hub.
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PowerCenter 8 Overview
Data Analyzer
PowerCenter Data Analyzer provides a framework to perform business analytics on corporate
data. With Data Analyzer, we can extract, filter, format, and analyze corporate information
from data stored in a data warehouse, operational data store, or other data storage models.
Data Analyzer uses a web browser interface to view and analyze business information at any
level.
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.
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PowerCenter 8 Overview
Data Analyzer Components
With Data Analyzer, we can read data from a
data source, create reports, and view the
results on a web browser. It contains the
following components.
 Data Analyzer repository.
The repository stores the metadata
necessary for Data Analyzer to track the
objects and processes it requires to
handle user requests. The metadata
includes information on schemas, user
profiles, personalization, reports and
report delivery, and other objects and
processes. We can use the metadata in
the repository to create reports based on
schemas without accessing the data
warehouse
directly.
Data
Analyzer
connects to the repository through Java
Database Connectivity (JDBC) drivers.
The Data Analyzer repository is separate
from the PowerCenter repository.
Data Analyzer Architecture
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PowerCenter 8 Overview
 Application server
Data Analyzer uses a third-party Java application
server to manage processes. The Java application
server provides services such as database access
and server load balancing to Data Analyzer. The
Java application server also provides an
environment that uses Java technology to manage
application, network, and system resources.
 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
HTTP connection
Data Analyzer Architecture
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PowerCenter 8 Overview
Metadata Manager
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
 Metadata Manager Console.
It set up’s , configure, and run XConnects, which load the source repository metadata into
the Metadata Manager Warehouse. We can also use the Metadata Manager Console to set
up connections to source repositories and other Metadata Manager components.
 Metadata Manager Custom Metadata Configurator.
Create XConnects to load metadata from source repositories for which Metadata Manager
does not package XConnects.
 Metadata Manager Interface
Browse source repository metadata and run reports to analyze the metadata. Also, use it to
configure metamodels, set up source repositories, configure the reporting schema, and set
up access and privileges for users and groups.
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PowerCenter 8 Overview
Metadata Manager Components
 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
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PowerCenter 8 Overview
PowerCenter Repository Reports
Use PowerCenter Repository Reports to browse and analyze PowerCenter metadata.
PowerCenter Repository Reports provide the following types of reports to help us administer
our PowerCenter environment.
 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.
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Advantages Informatica PowerCenter 8
Informatica power center 8 is having the following features which makes it more
powerful, easy to use and manage when compared to previous versions.
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Supports Service oriented architecture
Access to structured, unstructured and semi structured data
Support for grid computing
High availability
Pushdown optimization
Dynamic partioning
Metadata exchange enhancements
Team based Development
Global Web-based Admin console
New transformations
• 23 New functions
• User defined functions
• Custom transformation enhancements
 Flat file enhancements
 New Data Federation option
 Enterprise GRID
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The End
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