New Features of Informatica 9.0

Following are some new features introduced in Informatica 9.0 :

1.  New Client tools:

Informatica 9 includes the Informatica Developer and Informatica Analyst client tools.


The Informatica Developer tool is eclipse-based and supports both data integration and data quality for enhanced productivity. The Informatica Analyst tool is a browser-based tool for analysts, stewards and line of business managers.  This tool supports data profiling, specifying and validating rules (Scorecards), and monitoring data quality.


2. Informatica Administrator:

The PowerCenter Administration Console has been renamed the Informatica Administrator.


The Informatica Administrator is now a core service in the Informatica Domain that is used to configure and manage all Informatica Services, Security and other domain objects (such as connections) used by the new services.
The number of objects stored in the domain has increased to accommodate these new requirements.

3.  Session Log size:

You can limit the size of session logs for real-time sessions. You can limit the size by time or by file size. You can also limit the number of log files for a session.

4. Lookup Transformation:

  > Cache updates


     You can update the lookup cache based on the results of an expression. When an expression is true, you can add to or update the lookup cache. You can update the dynamic lookup cache with the results of an expression.

  > Database deadlock resilience
      
      In previous releases, when the Integration Service encountered a database deadlock during a lookup, the session failed. Effective in 9.0, the session will not fail. When a deadlock occurs, the Integration Service attempts to run the last statement in a lookup. You can configure the number of retry attempts and time period between attempts.

  > Multiple rows return.

     You can configure the Lookup transformation to return all rows that match a lookup condition. A Lookup transformation is an active transformation when it can return more than one row for any given input row.


 > SQL overrides for uncached lookups

   In previous versions you could create a SQL override for cached lookups only. You can create an SQL override for uncached lookup. You can include lookup ports in the SQL query.

Architectural difference between Informatica 9 and Informatica 8.x

Lookup Transformation: Cache updates. We can update the lookup cache based on the results of an expression. When an expression is true, We can add to or update the lookup cache. We can update the dynamic lookup cache with the results of an expression.
Multiple rows return: We can configure the Lookup transformation to return all rows that match a lookup condition. A Lookup transformation is an active transformation when it can return more than one row for any given input row.
SQL overrides for uncached lookups: In previous versions We could create a SQL override for cached lookups only. We can create an SQL override for uncached lookup. We can include lookup ports in the SQL query.
Database deadlock resilience: In previous releases, when the Integration Service encountered a database deadlock during a lookup, the session failed. Effective in 9.0, the session will not fail. When a deadlock occurs, the Integration Service attempts to run the last statement in a lookup. We can configure the number of retry attempts and time period between attempts.
SQL transformation: Auto-commit for connections. We can enable auto-commit for each database connection. Each SQL statement in a query defines a transaction. A commit occurs when the SQL statement completes or the next statement is executed, whichever comes first.
Session Log files rollover: We can limit the size of session logs for real-time sessions. We can limit the size by time or by file size. We can also limit the number of log files for a session.
Passive transformation: We can configure the SQL transformation to run in passive mode instead of active mode. When the SQL transformation runs in passive mode, the SQL transformation returns one output row for each input row.
XML transformation: XML Parser buffer validation. The XML Parser transformation can validate an XML document against a schema. The XML Parser transformation routes invalid XML to an error port. When the XML is not valid, the XML Parser transformation routes the XML and the error messages to a separate output group that We can connect to a target.
Model Repository Service: Application service that manages the Model repository. The Model repository is a relational database that stores the metadata for projects created in Informatica Analyst and Informatica Designer. The Model repository also stores run-time and configuration information for applications deployed to a Data.
Integration Service: Create and enable a Model Repository Service on the Domain tab of Informatica Administrator.
Connection management: Database connections are centralized in the domain. We can create and view database connections in Informatica Administrator, Informatica Developer, or Informatica Analyst. Create, view, edit, and grant permissions on database connections in Informatica Administrator.
Deployment: We can deploy, enable, and configure deployment units in the Informatica Administrator. Deploy Deployment units to one or more Data Integration Services. Create deployment units in Informatica Developer.
Monitoring: We can monitor profile jobs, scorecard jobs, preview jobs, mapping jobs, and SQL Data Services for each Data Integration Service. View the status of each monitored object on the Monitoring tab of Informatica Administrator.