Informatica IDMC/IICS interview questions and answers
21. What is the difference between a Taskflow and a Linear Taskflow?
A Linear task flow executes the duties individually serially in a sequence specified in the scheme. You have to reboot the entire task flow if a mission defined in the Linear task flow falls short. A task flow lets you operate the task in parallel, along with enhanced executive capabilities.
22. Where does the metadata get stored in Informatica Cloud (IICS)?
All the metadata gets stored in the Cloud server/repository.
23. What metadata information gets stored in the Informatica Cloud (IICS) repository?
Source and Target Metadata: Metadata information of each source and target including the field names, datatype, precision, scale, and other properties.
Connection Information: The connection information to connect specific source and target systems in an encrypted format.
Mappings: All the Data integration tasks are built, and their dependencies and rules are stored.
Schedules: The schedules created when you run the task built in IICS are stored.
Logging and Monitoring information: The results of all the jobs are stored.
24. Can we avoid storing metadata in the cloud repository?
No, it is not possible to avoid storing the metadata in the cloud repository. Because Informatica cloud itself stores the metadata within the cloud repository that is used to run/perform the tasks.
25. What is a Mapping Configuration task?
A Mapping Configuration Task or Mapping Task is analogous to a session in Informatica PowerCenter. You can define parameters that are associated with the mapping. Define pre and post-processing commands. Add advanced session properties to boost the performance and configure the task to run on schedule.
26. In wat format can you export a task present in Informatica Cloud?
IICS stores metadata information of a task in the form of JSON exported from Informatica Cloud. However, you can also download an XML version of the task which can be imported in PowerCenter, but it will not support bulk export at a time. Whereas you can export multiple tasks in the form of JSON in a single export zip file.
27. How many Status states are available in the IICS monitor?
The various status states available in IICS are
Queued: There is a predefined number set that controls how many tasks can run together in your IICS org. If the value is set to two and If two jobs are already running, the third task you trigger enters into a Queued state.
Starting: Once the one of running jobs is completed, the Queued task enters a Starting status as IICS is preparing to trigger the task.
Running: The job enters the Running status from the Starting status once the task is triggered completely.
Success: The task was completed successfully without any issues.
Warning: The task was completed with some rejects.
Failed: The task failed due to some issue.
28. What is Source Transformation in IICS?
Source transformation extracts data from a source. When you add a Source transformation to a mapping, you define the source connection, source objects, and source properties related to the connection type. For some connection types, you can use multiple source objects within a Source transformation.
You can use a Source transformation to read data from the following source types:
 File:  The Source transformation can read data from a single source file or a file list.
 Database:  The Source transformation can read data from a single source table or multiple source tables.
 Web service: The Source transformation can read data from a single web service operation.
Informatica Cloud Data Integration connectors: The Source transformation can read data from a single source object, a multi-group source object, or multiple source objects based on the connection type.
You can use one or more Source transformations in a mapping. If you use two Source transformations in a mapping, you can use a Joiner transformation to join the data. If you use multiple Source transformations with the same structure, you can use a Union transformation to merge the data into a single pipeline.
In a Source transformation, the source properties that appear vary based on the connection type. For example, when you select a Salesforce connection, you can use multiple related source objects and configure the Salesforce API advanced source property. In contrast, when you select a flat file connection, you specify the file type and configure the file formatting options.
29. Do we have source qualifier transformation in IICS?
IICS does not have a separate source qualifier transformation. Instead, all source qualifier properties are included in the source transformation.
30. What are Expression Macros in Informatica Cloud?
A Field expression transforms source data before loading into the target. The scope of a field expression you define for an Output or a Variable field is within that field itself. It cannot be extended to other fields.
To extend the field expression logic to other fields you need to define the same logic for each field separately.
For example, you need to convert source data into Upper case before loading it into the target. To implement this, you need to apply the upper conversion logic for each field separately.
 Expression Macros provide a solution to define the field expression logic once extended to all the required fields.
Expression Macros allow you to create repetitive and complex expressions in mappings.
An Input Macro Field expression represents the data of multiple source fields.
An Output Macro Field expression represents the calculations that you want to perform on each input source field.
The expression macros can be implemented in 3 different types.
- Vertical Macro
- Horizontal Macro
- Hybrid Macro
A Vertical Macro expands an expression vertically. That implies vertical macro generates a set of the same expression conditions on multiple incoming fields.
A horizontal macro expression produces one result, so a transformation output field passes the results to the rest of the mapping. You configure the horizontal macro expression in the transformation output field.
A Hybrid Macro expands an expression both horizontally and vertically.
31. How to perform Incremental Data Loading in Informatica Cloud (IICS)?
Incremental data loading is the process of loading the selective data which is either updated or created new from the source system to the target system.
This is different from full data load where entire data is processed each load.
 Benefits of Incremental data loading
- Working on selective data from the source system reduces the overhead on the ETL process, thereby reducing the overall run time.
- Any ETL load process is prone to errors or failing because of multiple reasons. As only selective data is processed the probability of risk involved is reduced.
- The historical accuracy of the data is preserved. There it is easy to track the data processed over a particular period.
 Implementation of Incremental data loading in IICS
There are multiple ways of implementing Incremental data loading in Informatica Cloud and each method has its own advantages.
- Using IICS System Variables
- Using IICS Input-Output Parameters
- Using IICS Input Parameters
32. What do you know about the Informatica Cloud Secure agent?
The Informatica cloud is a lightweight program that is installed & configured on top of a server. This helps in establishing connectivity between on-premises and the cloud and supports data exchange between these two.
The secure agent provides a secure environment to process data locally. The Informatica cloud eliminates manual interaction by automatically updating and restarting the secure agent software. This helps organizations focus on developing applic34ations without worrying about administration.
The secure agent majorly executes the following services on the server:
- Data integration service
- Process integration services
- Executes batch commands or shell scripts in a command flow.
33. How to start a secure agent in the Informatica cloud?
We can do it in five simple steps that are mentioned below:
Open the service panel by navigating:
- To your start menu(you can find the start menu in the bottom left of your computer screen).
- Click on the control panel option.
- Open administrative tools.
- Open services menu.
- Once you open the services menu, right-click to start, stop and Restart the service.
34. List any three different types of transformations in the cloud designer.
 Three different transformations in the cloud designer are:
- Expression Transformation: The row-level calculations are done by the expression transformation
- Filter Transformation: Filter transformation can filter out the data in the flow itself.
- Joiner Transformation: As the name suggests, the joins can be created by the joiner transformation.
35. What is mapping in the Informatica cloud?
Mapping is nothing but a group of objects that are linked together by a group of transformations. These transformations contain protocols that define data flow and how the data is loaded within the targets.
36. List the basic components of Mapping.
The basic components of Mapping are:
- Source tables
- Mapping transformations
- Target objects
- Mapping variables and parameters
37. What is a file listing in IICS?
This is similar to the concept of indirect file-loading in Informatica PowerCenter. Indirect file loading is a process where various source files have identical properties and the same structure sequentially in mapping. Choose File List under the source type property in a source transformation to perform indirect file loading.
38. Tell me any three different methods to implement file listing in the Informatica cloud.
The three methods to implement indirect file loading in the Informatica cloud are:
- We can use the command as the source type within the source transformation.
- We can use the file list as the source type within the source transformation.
- We can use the data integration QuickStart bundle.
39. How do you read JSON Source files in IICS?
JSON documents know utilizing the Hierarchy Parser change the current in IICS. The user requirements to determine a Hierarchical Schema that describes the counted on the hierarchy of outcome information to check out JSON documents through Hierarchy Parser. The Hierarchy Parser Transformation may likewise be utilized to read through XML documents in Informatica Cloud Data Integration.
40. What is a Hierarchical Schema in IICS?
A Hierarchical Schema is an element where the user may load up an XML or JSON example data that describes the pecking order of outcome data—the Hierarchy Parser improvement exchange input based upon the Hierarchical schema linked with change.
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