Informatica

1.

Where are the sources and target information stored? a) b) c) d) Folders Repository Tables Sessions None of the above

Ans: Informatica Repository Tables

2.

What are the different components in Informatica 5.x?

Ans: Informatica Designer, Server Manager and Repository Manager

3.

Mention 2 differences between power mart and power centre.

Ans: Power Center - has all the functionality. Distributed metadata (repository). Global repository and can register multiple Informatica servers. One can share metadata across repositories. Can connect to varied sources like Peoplesoft, SAP etc. Has bridges which can transport meta data from other tools (like Erwin) Power Mart Subset of Power centre. One repository and can register only one Informatica server. Cannot connect to Varied sources like Peoplesoft,SAP etc
4.

Variable ports are used for ___________________________

Ans: Temporary Values 5. What are the parts of Informatica Server? Ans: o Load Manager o Data Transformation manager o Reader

o Writer
6.

List the transformation used for the following: Heterogeneous Sources Homogeneous Sources Find the 5 highest paid employees within a dept. Create a Summary table Generate surrogate keys

a) b) c) d) e)

Ans: a) Joiner b) Source Qualifier c) Rank d) Aggregator e) Sequence Generator

7.

What is the difference between sequential batch and concurrent batch?

Ans: In sequential batch one session will end then the other will begin. Where as in the concurrent. Batch the sessions will run simultaneously depending on the CPU availability. Which is recommended sequential batch or concurrent batch? Ans: If beginning of one session is dependent on the completion of another session then Sequential is to be adopted, otherwise concurrent can be used. Concurrent utilizes the CPU resources efficiently.
8.

Designer is used for ____________________ a) Importing/creating your Source and Target Definitions b) Creating Mappings, mapplets and reusable transformations c) Creating Sessions d) Create Folders and set privileges e) None of the above Ans: a) and b) Repository Manager is used for __________________

9.

Ans:

Creating/Adding/Backing up/Restoring/Copying Repository User Administration and Privileges Creating Folders Folder Privileges

10.

Server Manager is used for ______________________

Ans:

Configuring the Server Creating Source and Target data Sources Configuring and monitoring the Session and its properties. Starting/Stopping the Session. Scheduling Error Handling

11.

How do you implement scheduling in Informatica?

Ans: In the session properties choose scheduling option. What is the meaning of upgradation of repository? Ans: Upgrade Repository to the new version of Informatica.
12.

How can you run a session without using server manager? Ans: By typing pmcmd . From command prompt
13.

Give examples for pre and post session Commands? Ans: Pre session: for disabling the constraints on the target table (fact table) for bulk loading alter constraint pk_fact disable Post session: for enabling the constraints on the target table (fact table) after loading is complete.
14.

15. Consider two cases: 1. Power Center Server and Client on the same machine 2. Power Center Sever and Client on the different machines Which is recommended? Ans: Option 2
16.

The connect strings for source and target databases are to be created in the

a) b) c) d) Ans: d)
17.

Informatica Server Workstation Client machine Any of the above Both

When you connect to repository for the first time it asks you for user name & password of repository and database both. But subsequent times it asks only repository password. Why?

Ans: It stores the information in Cache or in the Repository tables. What is a test load? Ans: Test load option can be chosen to test whether load would take place or not .We do not need to run the session with all the rows of the source side .It is for Normal Loading. No of rows to test can be specified in Target options in Session property. How can you use an Oracle sequences in Informatica? You have an Informatica sequence generator transformation also. Ans: Oracle sequence can be used in a Pl/Sql stored procedure, which in turn can be used with stored procedure transformation of Informatica.
19. 20.

18.

What is a mapplet?

Ans: Mapplet is a reusable component, which we can plug and play into different mapping. It uses transformations, input port, and output port. Developed in Mapplet designer
21.

What is a reusable transformation?

Ans: Reusable transformation: Developed in transformation developer. It can be invoked from more than one mapping or Mapplet.

22.

Dimension Object created in Oracle can be imported in Designer ( T/ F)

Ans: False
23.

Cubes contain measures ( T / F )

Ans: True
24.

COM components can be used in Informatica ( T / F )

Ans: True Lookup is an Active Transformation (T/F)

25.

Ans: False; Can be true also if sql override is used. What is the advantage of Lookup persistent cache?

26.

Ans: When Lookup cache is saved in Look up Transformation It is called persistent cache. The first time session runs it is saved on the disk and utilized in subsequent running of the Session. It is used when the look up table is Static i.e. doesnt change frequently. When will you use SQL override in a lookup transformation?

27.

Ans: Use Sql override when you have more than one look up table To use where condition to reduce records in cache. Two different admin users created for repository are ______ and_______

28.

Ans: Administrator and database user of repository schema Two Default User groups created in the repository are ____ and ______

29.

Ans: Administrator and Public 30. A mapping contains Source Table S_Time ( Start_Year, End_Year ) Target Table Tim_Dim ( Date, Day, Month, Year, Quarter ) Stored procedure transformation: A procedure has two input parameters I_Start_Year, I_End_Year and output parameter as O_Date, Day, Month, Year, and Quarter. If this session is running, how many rows will be available in the target and why? Ans: Only one row the last date of the End_Year. All the subsequent rows are overriding the previous rows. 31. A mapping contains Source Table S_Time ( Start_Year, End_Year ) Target Table Tim_Dim ( Date, Day, Month, Year, Quarter ) Lookup transformation LKP_TIM_DIM has two input ports IN_Year and IN_Qtr How many rows will the Lookup return? Ans: Only one row
32.

What is the difference between connected lookup and unconnected lookup?

Ans: Connected Look Up is part of Mapping Data flow. It gives multiple output values on a condition. Support Default values Unconnected Look Up is not a part of Mapping Data flow. It is called form other transformations e.g. Expression Transformation. It has a return port which returns one value generally a flag. Does not Support Default values
33.

What is the difference between lookup cache and lookup index.

Ans: Look up Cache contains Index cache and data cache Index cache: Contains columns used in condition 34. Look up is created to ______________________________

Ans: To get a value from another table based on certain condition 35. Mention any four performance issues in Informatica? Ans: Source tuning Target tuning Repository tuning Session performance tuning Incremental Change identification in source side. Software, hardware (Use multiple servers) and network tuning. Bulk Loading Use the appropriate transformation. 44. Where can you monitor the performance?

Set performance detail criteria Enable performance monitoring Monitor session at runtime &/ or Check the performance monitor file.

45. List two approaches for updation of target table in Informatica and Ans: Update strategy transformation: Normal insert/ update /delete 46. You have created a lookup transformation for a certain condition which if true returns multiple rows .When you go to the target and see only one row has come. How it can be handled to return multiple rows? Ans: Look up Transformation will return either the first, last match or an error in case of multiple matches. Use Joiner Transformation for this.

46. Where is the log file generally stored? Can you change the path of the file? What can the path be? Ans: ($PMSessionLogDir) by default .Yes 47. Where is the cache (lookup, index) created and how can you see it. Ans: The cache is created in the server. Some default memory is allocated for it. Once that memory is exceeded than these files can be seen in the Cache directory in the Sever. 49. Which is more convenient to join in the database or in Informatica? Ans: Source Qualifier query itself, rather than using Joiner transformation 50. How does the recovery mode work in Informatica? Ans: In case of load failure an entry is made in OPB_SERV_ENTRY (?) table from where the extent of loading can be determined 51. What parameters can be tweaked to get better performance from a session? Ans: DTM shared memory, Index cache memory, Data cache memory, by indexing, using persistent cache, increasing commit interval etc 52. How do you measure session performance? Ans: By checking "Collect performance Data" check box 54. How many sources at the most can be joined using one joiner transformation? Ans: Two.

55. What would you do to join more than two sources for example 4 sources? Ans: Use 3 joiner Transformations. 56. For n source joins how much joiner transformation would one need Ans: n-1 57. Why is a joiner transformation hamper performance? Ans: It uses Informatica memory to perform joins. 58. In what way can the performance be enhanced? Ans: If possible join in the source qualifier itself. 59. How many join types are there in Informatica, explain Ans: 4 viz.Normal, Master Outer, Detail Outer, Full Outer. 60. In Master Detail join which one should be treated as a Master, why? (For better performance reasons) Ans: The source with less number of records should be taken up as Master because with a smaller master source, the data cache is smaller, and the search time is shorter. 61. What restrictions do you impose on the Source Qualifier to account for large datasets? Ans: We can put maximum filter/joins conditions in Source qualifier and analyze and tune the query. We can write the custom query for each and every partitions source qualifier when we do the session partition. 62. How do you manage incremental loading for large datasets? Ans: Incremental loading option at the session level can be used. However Incremental loading technique is preferred as it gives more control to handle the case. 69. Can you name the mechanism in which Informatica collects Information about the performance of a mapping?

Ans: You can view session performance details through the Server Manager or by locating and opening the performance details file The Informatica Server names the file session_name.PERF, and stores it in the same directory as session log. 72. Limitations of the use of batches Ans: We cant create batch as a reusable in Informatica 5.x but we can reuse set of session as worklet in Informatica 6.x