Understanding the ETL Process

ETL Process: Overview

• Data is loaded from the transactional database into the OBAW by the ETL process.
– Run using the DAC client
• Running an ETL initiates:
– Tasks run by the DAC server to prepare internal tables
– A series of Informatica mappings and transformations
executed by the Informatica server as requested by the DAC server
• The Informatica server accesses metadata in the Informatica repository to define how the data
moves between the transactional database and the OBAW.

ETL Process: Overview

At a high level, the ETL process is completed in three steps.
• The DAC server executes as many steps in parallel as
possible.

ETL Process Steps

• Step 1: Extract and load staging tables.
– Extracts and consolidates data from the transactional system
and writes to the OBAW staging tables
• Step 2: Transform data.
– Transforms data in staging tables in preparation for load
– Computes calculated fields
• Step 3: Load dimension and fact tables.
– Generates and maintains warehouse primary keys
– Loads hierarchy tables
– Loads dimension and fact tables