Differences Between Informatica Power Center and Informatica Cloud

Informatica Intelligent Cloud Services (IIC)

• Cloud-based integration platform (iPass)
• Integrate and synchronize data from on-prem and cloud environments.
• Accessible via internet, no need for client installation.
• Develop tasks through browser UI.
• License based on specific features used.

Informatica Power Center

• Supports only on-premise applications.
• Requires client applications to be installed.
• License based on edition, irrespective of feature usage.

Metadata Storage in Informatica Cloud

• Metadata stored in Informatica Cloud repository.
• No user access to repository database.
• Information includes: source & target metadata, connection info, mappings, schedules, logging and monitoring info.

Union Transformation Differences

• Power Center & Earlier Version of Cloud: Allows only two groups to be defined.
• Latest Version of Cloud: Supports multiple groups in a single union transformation.

Dynamic Linking in Informatica Cloud

• Enables establishing a target file at runtime.
• Options: static file name, dynamic file names.

System Variables for Incremental Loading

• lastRunTime: Returns the last successful task run time.
• lastRunDate: Returns the last successful task run date.
• Stored in Informatica Cloud repository, values in UTC timezone.

Passing Data Between Mappings

• Done through task flow using parameters.
• First mapping task uses setVariable function to pass data.
• Second mapping task reads the data using input or inout parameter.

Informatica Cloud Runtime Environment

• Execution platform for tasks and task flows.
• Consists of one or more secure agents.
• Supports the following environments: Cloud hosted agent, serverless runtime, and secure agent.

Informatica Cloud Secure Agent

• Lightweight, self-upgrading program
• Installed on server, registered with Informatica Cloud repository.

Synchronization Task

• Automates data synchronization process between source and target.
• Allows transformations like expressions, filters, and lookups.

Replication Task

• Replicates data from source to a destination.
• Types: incremental after initial full load, incremental after partial load, full load each run.

Synchronization vs Replication Task

• Synchronization Task: Can transform data before loading.
• Replication Task: Can replicate entire schema; has built-in incremental processing.

Primary Purpose of Informatica Cloud

• Resolves data integration problems when moving data from legacy to cloud-based architectures.

Mapping Configuration Task (or Mapping Task)

• Equivalent to a session in Power Center.
• Allows scheduling, configuration of parameters, and performance boosting.

Task Flow in Informatica Cloud

• Similar to workflow in Power Center.
• Regulates the execution order of tasks.
• Allows sequential or parallel task execution based on previous task output.

Task Flow vs Linear Task Flow

• Linear Task Flow: Simplified version, runs tasks serially without restart options.
• Task Flow: Allows parallel execution and decision-making capabilities.

String Sorting in Rank Transformation

• Based on session sort order configured in mapping task.
• Configurable with custom settings like binary or specific languages.

Running Power Center Jobs in Informatica Cloud

• Power Center task allows uploading XML file exported from Power Center.

Push Down Optimization

• Performance tuning for executing SQL statements at database level.

Partitioning in Informatica Cloud

• Types: Key range and fixed partitioning.
• Enables parallel processing by dividing data into partitions.

Triggers Based on File Event

• Use file listener in Informatica Cloud to trigger tasks based on file events.

Importing Fields excluding Date

• Use field rules in transformation.
• Configure: Include all fields first, exclude fields by data type (date).

Connected vs Unconnected Sequence Generator

• Connected: Generates same sequence for multiple downstream transformations.
• Unconnected: Generates unique sequence for each downstream transformation.

Informatica Cloud Debugger

• Helps preview data at any point in a mapping for troubleshooting.

Data Masking

• Masks sensitive data (Pii) in non-production environments.
• Includes techniques for data like email, phone numbers, sensitive IDs.

Discovery IQ

• Provides overview and insights on processes and jobs in the organization.

Data Assessment

• Assesses data quality, file completeness, record duplication, etc.
• Configurable filters on data.

Handling Large Data Volumes

• Techniques: Partitioning, push down optimization, and high-speed connectors.

Synchronization Task Scenario Use

• Commonly used to load data from source to stage tables.

Mapping Task Scheduling

• Can schedule tasks using Informatica iacs scheduler.

Code Change in Production Environment

• Perform changes in Dev environment first, test, and then move to production.

Parameterization in IAC

• Types: Input parameters (for source, target, lookup connections) and Inout parameters (for incremental loading).