The acronym ETL represents Extract, Transform, and Load – a critical process and tool for managing information. One of the major trends showcased by Informatica (a software development company) is its ETL/Data Integration program. When anyone references Informatica, he or she typically is referring to the company’s PowerCenter tool for ETL.
One of the trending uses for ETL is to have it delivered via the cloud. Naturally, your first impression of cloud-based data integration might be one of skepticism. However, when you understand the design concept traditionally, you can easily see its value.
Traditional ETL
ETL or data integration in the cloud is not a venue to merely insert data. Instead, it represents a location change in the technological architecture. To understand how this works, you have to review the three-tier architectural format of traditional ETL. This type of system was divided into three sections, all of which were part of one package.
To cloud-enable the platforms for an on-premise situation, two user interface functions, and the metadata repository are featured in the cloud. The processing engine, however, remains on-premise in this scenario.
When the processing engine is used, it receives the proper data and commands from the metadata repository in the cloud, operating the regular data movement on-premise. By using this approach, all the data resides in its native location versus moving in the cloud. If anything needs to be run in the cloud, another cloud-based engine runs that information.
In turn, the design and storage or the movement of data are cloud-hosted but the engine that delivers the commands may be positioned in several locations. Some of these architectural alternatives are entirely driven by software.
The Integration of Data
Employed for data integration, the Informatica PowerCenter tool offers the capacity to link and collect information and process data. For instance, you can link to an Oracle database and SQL database and integrate the info into another system. If you are a non-technical user, Informatica enables you to make data-based decisions fast and easily.
Practical Examples for Use
Practical uses for Informatica include the following:
- Transporting information from the production system into a warehouse to establish a data warehouse.
- Integrating information from multiple heterogeneous systems, such as various databases and systems that are file-based.
- Cleansing data.
- Migrating from a current legacy mainframe system to a new database type system. Informatica enables the migration of current data into the new database.
When using Informatica for your enterprise architecturally, you will realize comprehensive ETL functionality, in-line data profiling, and an integrated ecosystem. The ecosystem gives your business access to a host of applications at a minimal cost or for free. By installing Informatica you can be operational in under 10 minutes.
ETL Benefits
Benefits of using ETL Informatica software include ease of use, speed, functionality, big data processing abilities, and capacity to parse unstructured data.
Data integration is made simple as embedded cheat sheets offer step-by-step directions on the performance of various data integration tasks.
Take your enterprise to the next level technologically by connecting to an endless number of files, data bases, and services – flat files, relational databases, XML, social media, web services, etc.
If you have not incorporated cloud-based ETL in your business yet, you need to look at the advantages as well as review the cost incentives of employing cloud-driven software.
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Creator: Complete Software Solutions
