March 11, 2010

Informatica Interview Questions and Answers Part 1

What are Data driven Sessions?
Ans:
The Informatica server follows instructions coded into update strategy transformations with in the session mapping to determine how to flag records for insert,update,delete or reject.

What is Data cleansing?
Ans
: The process of finding and removing or correcting data that is incorrect, out-of-date, redundant, incomplete, or formatted incorrectly.

What is the differences between connected and unconnected lookup?
Ans:
Connected lookupUnconnected lookup Receives input values diectly from the pipe line.Receives input values from the result of a lkp expression in a another transformation.

What is the look up transformation?
Ans:
Use lookup transformation in you’are mapping to lookup data in a relational table,view,synonym. Informatica server queries the look up table based on the lookup ports in the transformation.

What are the basic needs to join two sources in a source qualifier?
Ans:
Two sources should have primary and Foreign key relation ships. Two sources should have matching data types.

What are the reusable transforamtions?
Ans:
Reusable transformations can be used in multiple mappings.When you need to incorporate this transformation into mapping ,You add an instance of it to mapping

What are the types of mapping wizards that are to be provided in Informatica?
Ans:
The Designer provides two mapping wizards to help you create mappings quickly and easily. Both wizards are designed to create mappings for loading and maintaining star schemas, a series of dimensions

Why we use stored procedure transformation?
Ans:
For populating and maintaining data bases.

What is tracing level and what are the types of tracing level?
Ans:
Tracing level represents the amount of information that informatcia server writes in a log file. Types of tracing level Normal Verbose Verbose init Verbose data

What are Target Types on the Server?
Ans:
Target Types are File, Relational and ERP.

What are Target Options on the Servers?
Ans:
Target Options for File Target type are FTP File, Loader and MQ.There are no target options for ERP target typeTarget Options for Relational are Insert, Update (as Update), Update (as Insert), Update

Can you start a batches with in a batch?
Ans:
You can not. If you want to start batch that resides in a batch,create a new independent batch and copy the necessary sessions into the new batch.

What are the mappings that we use for slowly changing dimension table?
Ans:
Type1: Rows containing changes to existing dimensions are updated in the target by overwriting the existing dimension. In the Type 1 Dimension mapping, all rows contain current dimension data.

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March 10, 2010

Interview Questions on ETL Tool Informatica

Overview:Informatica ETL Tool Interview Questions, ETL Tool Informatica Interview Questions,Informatica Interview Questions.

Name some measures in your fact table?

What are the basic needs to join two sources in a source qualifier?

What are the mapping parameters and mapping variables?

What are the types of target loads

What is a Lookup transformation and what are its uses?

What is difference between Informatica 7.1 and Abinitio

What is one disadvantage of using an unconnected (sometimes called function mode)

What is Lookup transformation?

What is the difference between Local and Global repository?

What is the economic comparison of all the Informatica versions?

What is tracing level and what the types of tracing level?

Why did you use update strategy in your application?

Can we revert back reusable transformation to normal transformation?

Explain the pipeline partition with real time example?

How do I import VSAM files from source to target. Do I need a special plugin

How do you validate all the mappings in the repository at once?

How to export mappings to the production environment?

I have the Administer Repository Privilege, but I cannot access a repository using the
Repository Manager.

How to get particular record from the table in Informatica?

What are the challenges you have faced in your Project (DWH-ETL)? Explain with example?

What are the mapping specifications? How versioning of repository objects?

What are the unsupported repository objects for a mapplet?

What is a mapplet?

What is difference between lookup cashe and unchashed lookup?Can I run the mapping with out
starting the Informatica server?

What is parameter file?

What is the difference between a Bulk and Normal mode and where exactly is it defined?

What is the event-based scheduling?

What is tracing level?

Why dimenstion tables are normalized in nature ?

Can we run a group of sessions without using workflow manager

For a session, can I use 3 mappings?

How do we analyze the data at database level?

How do you write a session parameter file which will change the source and targets for every
session. i.e different source and targets for each session run.

How to extract 10 records out of 100 records in a flat file

If a Mapping is running slow, What steps you will take, to correct it?

There are two flat files and the two flat files contain two fields as states. both the flat files contain duplicates.How to eliminate this duplicates?

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Hyperion Essbase Interview Questions

Overview:Hyperion Interview Questions asked in top companies,Hyperion Data Warehousing Interview Questions,Hyperion Business Intelligence Interview Questions

What is the difference between ASO & BSO?

What is Incremental Dimensional Built and one time Dimension Built?

How do you calculate the Size of the datablock?

What is intelligent calculation?

What are the different types of LOG Files?

What is the Extension of Cal Scripts and Rule File?

What is an hour glass modle?

Types of Build Methods?

What is Two Pass Calculation?

What is TB First and TB Last?

How do you calculate the Size of the datablock?

How many data blocks are there in your cube?

What is meant by Descendents and can you give me the best example to describe it?

How do you do the Data Load?

Why are Filters used?

What are dense and sparse dimensions?

What are Filters?

What are Attributes?

What are the Different Types of Attributes?

What is Substitution Variable?

How is Data Stored in Essbase?

Where is IS Member Command used?

What is the difference between FIX and If Command?

What is intelligent Calcuation?


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General Silverlight Interview Questions Answers

Overview:Silverlight Interview Questions Answers,Silverlight Server Interview Questions Answers,Silverlight Industry Interview Questions

What applications will Microsoft provide to make hosting easy?
Ans :
Microsoft is building a simple uploading tool and working to add publishing support directly to Silverlight Streaming via Expression Media Encoder, a feature of Expression Media. In addition, third-party companies are adding support to their own applications for Silverlight Streaming

What is SMPTE VC-1?
Ans :
VC-1 is an industry-standard video format, recognized by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), and most notably ships in all HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc–certified electronics, hardware, and tools. Windows Media Video 9 (WMV-9) is the Microsoft implementation of the SMPTE VC-1 standard video codec. Microsoft initiated development of the standard with the release of WMV-9 to SMPTE

Will Silverlight support HD quality?
Ans :
Yes, Silverlight supports 720p, HD quality with considerable performance benefits over other solutions. Performance is dependent upon the central processing unit (CPU) capabilities of your computer and configurations. Generally, in testing, a 3-gigahertz (GHz) CPU and/or dual-core support greatly benefit the HD playback experience

What is Microsoft® Silverlight Streaming by Windows LiveTM?
Ans :
Microsoft® Silverlight Streaming by Windows LiveTM offers a free cloud-based hosting and streaming solution for quickly delivering high-quality, high-scale, cross-platform, cross-browser, media-enabled RIAs.

How much does Silverlight Streaming cost?
Ans :
While the product is in Beta, hosting is free of charge. Up to 4 GB of data and streaming is free of charge up to 700 kilobit/s. At the conclusion of the Beta program, the developer can chose to enable Microsoft-sponsored advertising in the application for continued free use of the service to or subscribe to a pay-for-use service that is free of advertisements

How much storage do I get and what is the bit-rate?
Ans :
A user receives 4 GB of free storage for Silverlight Streaming applications. Each media element in a Silverlight Streaming application cannot exceed a 10-minute uninterrupted video stream at 300 kilobit/s. The peak outbound bit rate for Silverlight Streaming is 700 kilobit/s. As the limit is set based on byte size instead of duration, by using the full bandwidth of 700 kilobit/s, the video will be truncated to approximately 4 minutes. Customers requiring additional capabilities are encouraged to contact aWindows Media Streaming Hosting Provider

Does Silverlight Streaming replace other video and file sharing services?
Ans :
This service does not replace other video or file sharing services. Silverlight Streaming is intended to allow developers the power and flexibility to build such services themselves, and more.

What steps are being taken to ensure copyrighted content or illegal material is not uploaded?
Ans :
The media owners as well as the Silverlight developers rendering content in their third-party Web sites are responsible for respecting the copyright of the content they expose. Microsoft reserves the right to remove from our servers any copyrighted content brought to our attention. The front page of our service has a Report Abuse button and the free-of-charge XAML templates that we provide include a similar button

Can I string together longer clips made of 10-minute files in a playlist?
Ans :
Yes, so long as the total size of your Silverlight application content does not exceed the 4-GB storage limits of this free service


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March 9, 2010

DataStage Questions and Answers

9Overview:Data Warehousing Interview Questions with Answers,DataStage Questions and Answers explained

What versions of DS you worked with?
Ans:
DS 7.0.2/6.0/5.2

If worked with DS6.0 and latest versions what are Link-Partitioner and Link-Collector used for?
Ans:
Link Partitioner - Used for partitioning the data.Link Collector - Used for collecting the partitioned data.

How do you rename all of the jobs to support your new File-naming conventions?
Ans:
Create a Excel spreadsheet with new and old names. Export the whole project as a dsx. Write a Perl program, which can do a simple rename of the strings looking up the Excel file.

Explain the types of Parallel Processing?
Ans:
Parallel Processing is broadly classified into 2 types. a) SMP - Symmetrical Multi Processing. b) MPP - Massive Parallel Processing.

Does the selection of 'Clear the table and Insert rows' in the ODBC stage send a Truncate statement to the DB or does it do some kind of Delete logic.
Ans:
There is no TRUNCATE on ODBC stages. It is Clear table blah blah and that is a delete from statement. On an OCI stage such as Oracle, you do have both Clear and Truncate options.

When should we use ODS?
Ans:
DWH's are typically read only, batch updated on a scheduleODS's are maintained in more real time, trickle fed constantly

What is the default cache size? How do you change the cache size if needed?
Ans:
Default cache size is 256 MB. We can incraese it by going into Datastage Administrator and selecting the Tunable Tab and specify the cache size over there.

What are the types of Parallel Processing?
Ans:
Parallel Processing is broadly classified into 2 types. a) SMP - Symmetrical Multi Processing. b) MPP - Massive Parallel Processing.

How to handle Date convertions in Datastage ? Convert a mm/dd/yyyy format to yyyy-dd-mm?
Ans:
We use a) "Iconv" function - Internal Convertion. b) "Oconv" function - External Convertion. Function to convert mm/dd/yyyy format to yyyy-dd-mm is Oconv(Iconv(Filedname,"D/M

Differentiate Primary Key and Partition Key?
Ans:
Primary Key is a combination of unique and not null. It can be a collection of key values called as composite primary key. Partition Key is a just a part of Primary Key.

Is it possible to calculate a hash total for an EBCDIC file and have the hash total stored as EBCDIC using Datastage ?
Ans:
Currently, the total is converted to ASCII, even tho the individual records are stored as EBCDIC.

How do you merge two files in DS?
Ans:
Either used Copy command as a Before-job subroutine if the metadata of the 2 files are same or created a job to concatenate the 2 files into one if the metadata is different.

How did you connect to DB2 in your last project?
Ans:
Using DB2 ODBC drivers.

What is the default cache size? How do you change the cache size if needed?
Ans:
Default cache size is 256 MB. We can incraese it by going into Datastage Administrator and selecting the Tunable Tab and specify the cache size over there.

What are Sequencers?
Ans:
Sequencers are job control programs that execute other jobs with preset Job parameters.

How do you execute Datastage job from command line prompt?
Ans:
Using "dsjob" command as follows. dsjob -run -jobstatus projectname jobname

How do you rename all of the jobs to support your new File-naming conventions?
Ans:
Create a Excel spreadsheet with new and old names. Export the whole project as a dsx. Write a Perl program, which can do a simple rename of the strings looking up the Excel file. Then import the new dsx file probably into a new project for testing. Recompile all jobs. Be cautious that the name of the jobs has also been changed in your job control jobs or Sequencer jobs. So you have to make the necessary changes to these Sequencers.



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March 8, 2010

Informatica FAQs Interview Questions

Tags: Informatica FAQs Interview Questions,Informatica Technical Interview Questions,
Informatica Interview Questions

What is a source qualifier? What is meant by Query Override?

What is DTM session?

What is QTP in Data Warehousing?

What is the difference between constrained base load ordering and target load plan

What is the hierarchies in DWH?

What is user defined Transformation?

Why we use partitioning the session in informatica?

Can you copy the session to a different folder or repository?

How can we access MAINFRAME tables in INFORMATICA as a source ?

How do we load data by using period dimension?

How is the union transformation active transformation?

How to implement de-normalization concept in Informatica Mappings?

If you are using aggregator transformation in your mapping at that time your source contain
dimension or fact?

Using unconnected lookup how we you remove nulls n duplicates?

What are the data movement modes in informatcia?

What are the properties should be notified when we connect the flat file source definition to relational database target definition?

What are two types of processes that informatica runs the session?

What is a surrogate key?

What is Dynamic Data Store?

What is rank transformation?where can we use this transformation?

What is the difference between constraints based load ordering and target load plan?

What is the limit to the number of sources and targets you can have in a mapping

What is version controlling?

Why we use stored procedure transformation?

Can you explain one critical mapping?2.performance issue which one is better? whether connected lookup transformation or unconnected one?

How can we delete duplicate rows from flat files ?

How do we load from PL/SQL script into Informatica mapping?

How many Data marts are there in your project?

How to import oracle sequence into Informatica.

If you are workflow is running slow in Informatica. Where do you start trouble shooting and what are the steps you follow

We are using Update Strategy Transformation in mapping How can we know whether insert or update or reject or delete option has been selected during running of sessions in Informatica.

What is a time dimension? give an example.

What is dynamic insert?

What is re-dimension?

What is the difference between dynamic and static lookup.

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March 7, 2010

Microsoft Silverlight Interview Questions Answers

Overview:Microsoft Silverlight Interview Questions Answers,Silverlight Develpoment Interview Questions Answers,Silverlight Develpers Interview Questions Answers.

What is XAML ?
Ans:
Extensible Application Markup Language (XAML, pronounced zammel) is a declarative XML-based language created by Microsoft which is used to initialize structured values and objects.

What is the difference between WPF and Silverlight?
Ans:
Silverlight uses a particular implementation of a XAML parser, with that parser being part of the Silverlight core install. In some cases, the parsing behavior differs from the parsing behavior in Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF), which also has a particular implementation.

Can you name built-in layout panels you have been using with Silverlight?
Ans:
You are looking for Canvas, StackPanel and Grid.

How can I switch to Expression Blend from Visual Studio?
Ans:
Expression blend provide great extensibility for XAML files.To switch to Expression Blend, right-click on the XAML file and select Open in Expression Blend

How can you set image Source dynamically from C# application to” test.png” file?
Ans:
Surprisingly it is not as straight forward as it might sound, but anyone who seriously worked with Silverlight should be easily answer it. One of the ways is: img.Source = new BitmapImage(new Uri("test.png", UriKind.Relative));

How can I create image pieces/sub image?
Ans
: In straight way you create a subimage from an existing image. Here you just clip an image, Clipping is just different from Cropping. In clipping, first you have to dictate which part of the images to draw and later you have to remove all but the desired part of the image. Silverlight does not support cropping.

How does Silverlight 2 differ from Adobe Flash?
Ans:
As I am from .Net background so in my views you can get C# / Vb.net compiled code but in Flash there is only action script.
You can find difference in depth at : http://silverlight.net/forums/t/3015.aspx

How can I switch to Expression Blend from Visual Studio?
Ans:
Expression blend provide great extensibility for XAML files.To switch to Expression Blend, right-click on the XAML file and select Open in Expression Blend.

Can you elaborate how to start a silverlight application with Visual Studio?
Ans :
In the following step(s) I am giving the ideas all about:
1.Create a project:Here you just start your visual studio, Select your programming language [C#/VB], Choose Silverligh Template give the name and save it.
2. Adding SIlverlight COntrols:One thing is happened here, controls cannot dragged onto the designer, you can draw/drag the controls on XAML page.
(a) Naming to control:In this step just give the name to your silverligt control like for Button you can give name as : btnmySilverligtButton
(b)Adding event handlers to Silverlight controls:Here you can give the event handlers like for click etc.
(c)Testing Silverlight applications in Visual Studio:Now just press F5 and test your application

What are the different ways to display text with Silverlight?
Ans:
Silverlight supports displaying static preformatted text that is comprised out of glyph elements and also dynamic text that uses TextBlock. With glyphs, one needs to position the characters individually while TextBlock supports simple layout.

What kinds of fonts are supported with Silverlight?
Ans:
Beyond standard and western fonts, Silverlight also supports East Asian characters, double-byte characters, and can work with any East Asian font or Middle Eastern font by using the glyphs element and a supporting TrueType font file that supports the requested glyph


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Hyperion Essbase Interview Questions and Answers

Can we have multiple metaoutlines based on one OLAP model in Integration services?
Ans:
Yes

What are LRO's( Linked Reporting Objects)?
Ans:
They are specific objects like files, cell notes or URL's associated with specific data cells of Essbase database. You can link multiple objects to a single data cell. These linked objects are stored in the server. These LRO's can be exported or imported with the database for backup and migration activities.


What are the three primary build methods for building dimensions?
Ans:
1. Generation references
2. Level references
3. Parent-Child references

How does UDA's impact database size?
Ans:
There will be no impact on the database as the UDA’s doesn’t store data in the database.

Can we have an metaoutline based on two different OLAp models.
Ans:
No.

Can we create UDA’s and apply it to Dense as well as Sparse dimensions?
Ans:
Yes

Types of Partitions available in Essbase?
Ans:
Three types of partitions are there.
1. Transparent partition: A form of shared partition that provides the ability to access and manipulate remote data transparently as though it is part of your local database. The remote data is retrieved from the data source each time you request it. Any updates made to the data are written back to the data source and become immediately accessible to both local data target users and transparent data source users
2. Replicated Partition:
3. Linked Partition:

What is hybrid analysis?
Ans:
Lower level members and associated data remains in relational database where as upper level members and associated data resides in Essbase database.

Why top-down calculation less efficient than a bottom-up calculation?Being less efficient, why do we use them.
Ans:
In the process it calculates more blocks than is necessary. Sometimes it is necessary to perform top-down calculation to get the correct calculation results.

On what basis you will decide to invoke a serial or parellel calculation method.
Ans
: If we have a single processor, we will use serial calculation but if we have multiple processors we can break the task into threads and make them run on different processors.

How can you display UDA’s in reports?
Ans:
UDA's values are never displayed in the reports and hence do not impact report performance.

While loading the data, you have applied both the selection criteria as well as rejection criteria to a same record. What will be the outcome?
Ans:
The record will be rejected.

What are the specified roles other than Aministrator to view sessions, disconnect sessions or kill users requests for a particular application?
Ans:
You should have the role of Application manager for the specified application.

What is block locking system?
Ans:
Analytic services(or Essbase Services) locks the block and all other blocks which contain the childs of that block while calculating this block is block locking system.

What are the three options specified in Username and Password management under security tab in Essbase server proprties.
Ans:
1. Login attempts allowed before username is disabled.
2. Number of inactive days before username is diabled.
3. Number of days before user must change password.

Can we have multiple databases in one single application?
Ans:
Yes. But only one database per application is recommended.
Depend on which database that you are going to create. For Example: If you are creating ASO then we can’t create more that 1 db per application. If you are creating BSO then you can create more than 1 db per application

How is data stored in the Essbase database?
Ans:
Essbase is an file based database where the data is stored in PAG files of 2 GB each and grows sequentially.

We have created an application as unicode mode. Can we change it later to non-unicode mode.
Ans:
No

What are the types of partitioning options available in Essbase?
Ans:
1. Replicated partition. 2. Transparent partition 3. Linked partition.

Dynamic calc decreases the retreival time and increases batch database calculation time. How true is the statement?
Ans:
The statement should be just opposite. As dynamic calc members are calculated when requested, the retreival time should increase.

What is the role of provider services.
Ans:
To communicate between Essbase and Microsoft office tools.

A customer wants to run two instances of an Essbase server on a same machine to have both test environment and Development environment on the same server. Can he do that?
Ans:
Yes. We can have multiple instances of an Essbase server on a single machine and there will be different sets of windows services for all these instances.

Why top-down calculation less efficient than a bottom-up calculation?Being less efficient, why do we use them.
Ans:
In the process it calculates more blocks than is necessary. Sometimes it is necessary to perform top-down calculation to get the correct calculation results.

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March 5, 2010

DataStage Interview Questions Answers

Overview:Data Warehousing Questions and Answers.DataStage Interview Questions Answers,DataStage Questions with Answers

What is the importance of Surrogate Key in Data warehousing?
Ans :
Surrogate Key is a Primary Key for a Dimension table. Most importance of using it is it is independent of underlying database. i.e Surrogate Key is not affected by the changes going on with a database

What does a Config File in parallel extender consist of?
Ans:
Config file consists of the following. a) Number of Processes or Nodes. b) Actual Disk Storage Location.

How many places you can call Routines?
Ans
:Four Places you can call (i) Transform of routine (A) Date Transformation (B) Upstring Transformation (ii) Transform of the Before & After Subroutines(iii) XML transformation(iv)Web base

How did you handle an 'Aborted' sequencer?
Ans:
In almost all cases we have to delete the data inserted by this from DB manually and fix the job and then run the job again.

Is it possible to calculate a hash total for an EBCDIC file and have the hash total stored as EBCDIC using Datastage ?
Ans:
Currently, the total is converted to ASCII, even tho the individual records are stored as EBCDIC.

Compare and Contrast ODBC and Plug-In stages?
Ans:
ODBC :
a) Poor Performance.
b) Can be used for Variety of Databases.
c) Can handle Stored Procedures.
Plug-In: a) Good Performance. b) Database specific.(Only one database)

What is Functionality of Link Partitioner and Link Collector?
Ans:
Containers : Usage and Types?
Containers is a collection of stages used for the purpose of Reusability. There are 2 types of Containers. a) Local Container: Job Specific b) Shared Container: Used in any job within a project.

Explain Dimension Modelling types along with their significance
Ans:
Data Modelling is Broadly classified into 2 types. a) E-R Diagrams (Entity - Relatioships). b) Dimensional Modelling.

Did you Parameterize the job or hard-coded the values in the jobs?
Ans:
Always parameterized the job. Either the values are coming from Job Properties or from a ‘Parameter Manager’ – a third part tool. There is no way you will hard–code some parameters in your jobs.

How did you connect with DB2 in your last project?
Ans:
Most of the times the data was sent to us in the form of flat files. The data is dumped and sent to us. In some cases were we need to connect to DB2 for look-ups as an instance then we used ODBC drive.

What are the often used Stages or stages you worked with in your last project?
Ans:
A) Transformer, ORAOCI8/9, ODBC, Link-Partitioner, Link-Collector, Hash, ODBC, Aggregator, Sort.

How many jobs have you created in your last project?
Ans:
100+ jobs for every 6 months if you are in Development, if you are in testing 40 jobs for every 6 months although it need not be the same number for everybody

Have you ever involved in updating the DS versions like DS 5.X, if so tell us some the steps you have taken in doing so?
Ans:
Yes. The following are some of the steps; I have taken in doing so:
1) Definitely take a back up of the whole project(s) by exporting the project as a .dsx file.
2) See that you are using the same parent


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March 4, 2010

Free Business Objects Interview Questions Answers

Overview:Business Objects Interview Questions,Data Warehousing Business Objects Interview Questions Answers.

What are Strategies?
A strategy is a script that automatically extracts structural information from a database or flat file. There are two types of strategies:
1. Built-in strategies
2. External strategies.

What is Build -in Strategy?
DESIGNER uses the following built-in strategies for creating the components of universes:
• The Objects Creation strategy, which tells DESIGNER how to define classes and objects automatically from the database’s tables and columns.
• The Joins Creation strategy, which tells DESIGNER how to define joins automatically from the database’s tables and columns.
• The Table Browser strategy, which tells DESIGNER how to read the table and column structures from the database’s data dictionary.

What is External strategy?
In the external strategy file you can customize an existing strategy or create your own.
External strategy files are named according to the following convention:
StxxxxEN.txt where St means strategy, xxxx is an abbreviation for the RDBMS, and EN is the language in which Business Objects products are installed (EN =English)
For Oracle: Stora7en.txt in the Oracle folder

What is the list mode?
List mode command (View ? List Mode) provides list of all the tables, joins, and contexts.

What is a join?
A join is a relational operation that causes two or more tables with a common domain to be combined into a single table. The purpose of joins is to restrict the result set of a query run against multiple tables. DESIGNER supports: • Equi-joins • Theta joins • Outer joins • Shortcut joins Equi or Inner or Natural or Simple join: is based on the equality between the values in the column of one table and the values in the column of another.

Because the same column is present in both tables, the join synchronizes the two tables.
Self-Join: join a table to itself i.e create a self-join to find rows in a table that have values in common with other rows in the same table.
Theta or Non-Equi join: links tables based on a relationship other than equality between two columns.
Outer join: links two tables, one of which has rows that do not match those in the common column of the other table.
Left Outer Join: All records from first table with matching rows from second.
Right Outer Join: All records from second-named table with matching rows from left.
Full outer join: All rows in all joined tables are included, whether they are matched or not.
Shortcut join: can be used in schemas containing redundant join paths leading to the same result, regardless of direction. Improves SQL performance.

What is Cardinality?
Cardinality expresses the minimum and maximum number of instances of an entity B that can be associated with an instance of an entity A. The minimum and the maximum number of instances can be equal to 0, 1, or N. Cardinalities indicate whether the relationship or join between two tables is one-to-many (1,N), one-to-one (1,1), or many-to-many (N, N). Because a join is bi-directional, it must always have two cardinalities.

What is a Cartesian product?
A Cartesian product is the result of a query in which two or more tables are not linked by a join.
If executed, the report shows results for each possible combination of each table row.

Why do you perform 'Integrity Check’?
• It detects any errors in the objects, joins, conditions, and cardinalities of your universe.
• It detects whether there are any loops in the joins.
• It detects whether contexts are necessary.
• It determines whether any changes were made to the database to which the universe is connected.

What is Parse checking?
Parse checking means how DESIGNER is to determine the validity of an object, join, or condition.
• Quick parsing checks only the syntax of components.
• Thorough parsing checks both the syntax and semantics of components.

If there are changes in the database on which you have already created a universe, how do you include those additional changes into your universe?
By refreshing the structure I get the updated database structure.


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March 3, 2010

Informatica Job Interview Questions

Informatica Interview Procedure, Informatica Aptitude Questions, Informatica Technical Questions, Informatica Tool Interview Questions

What is the logic will you implement to load data into a fact table from n dimension tables?

What is workflow?

Why you use repository connectivity?

Can you generate reports in Informatcia?

How can we delete duplicate rows from your source in mapping without using SELECT
DISTINCT option in source qualifier?

How do we lookup data in the target and the source to compare them without using lookup
transformation? basically I mean getting lookup functionality without using lookup
transformation?

How many dimension tables did you had in your project and name some dimensions (columns)?

How to join two tables without using the Joiner Transformation.

If you had to split the source level key going into two seperate tables. One as surrogate and
other as primary. Since Informatica does not gurantee keys are loaded properly(order!) into
those tables. What are the different ways you could handle this type of situation?

We can insert or update the rows without using the update strategy. Then what is the necessity
of the update strategy?

What is a transforamation? It is a repostitory object that generates,modifies or passes data.

What is E-R modelling and why is it used for OLTP designwhat is dimesional modelling and why
is it used for datawarehouse desgn

What is redo log file in Informatica ?.

What is the difference between Enterprise data warehouse and a data warehouse ??Which all
transform

What is the logic will you implement to load the data in to one factv from 'n' number of dimension
tables?

What is worklet and what use of worklet and in which situation we can use it

With out using Updatestretagy and sessons options, how we can do the update our target table?

Can you look up a flat file ? How ?2.What is test load?

How can we delete the cache files while we using aggregator transformaation?

How do we remove the staging area

How many Fact and Dimension tables are there in your project?

How to load data to target where the source and targets are XML'S?

If you have four lookup tables in the workflow. How do you troubleshoot to improve
performance?

What the circumstances that infromatica server results an unreciverable session?

What is a transformation?

What is Event-Based Scheduling?

What is referential Intigrity error? How ll you rectify it?

What is the difference between Informatica 6.2 and Informatica 7.

What is the look up transformation?

What is worklet?

Without using ETL tool can you prepare a Data Warehouse and maintain?

Can you look up a flat file using Informatica?

How can we display delimiters beside column names of target flat file?

How do you add and delete header, footer records from flat file during load to oracle?

How many joiner transformations needed to join 10 different sources.

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March 2, 2010

Informatica Interview Questions with Answers

Overview:Informatica Interview Questions and Data Warehouse Informatica Interview ,Free Questions and Answers on Informatica

What is a mapplet?
Ans:
A mapplet is a reusable object that is created using mapplet designer. The mapplet contains set of transformations and it allows us to reuse that transformation logic in multiple mappings.

What does reusable transformation mean?
Ans:
Reusable transformations can be used multiple times in a mapping. The reusable transformation is stored as a metadata separate from any other mapping that uses the transformation. Whenever any changes to a reusable transformation are made, all the mappings where the transformation is used will be invalidated.

Flat file is having 10 records as input and I want to push 5 records to the target?
Ans :
one variable with the name $$count at mapping variable with a Count aggregation type and initial value for that $$count=0. Create one expression and use SETCOUNTVARIABLEv_count=SetCountVariable ($$Count) Create one filter after expression and put condition v_count <=5 What is the difference between source qualifier transformation and application source qualifier transformation?
Ans:
Source qualifier transformation extracts data from RDBMS or from a single flat file system. Application source qualifier transformation extracts data from application sources like ERP.

How do we create primary key only on odd numbers?
Ans:
To create primary key, we use sequence generator and set the 'Increment by' property of sequence generator to 2.

What is authenticator?
Ans:
It validates user name and password to access the PowerCenter repository.

What is the use of auxiliary mapping?
Ans:
Auxiliary mapping reflects change in one table whenever there is a change in the other table.

What is a mapplet?
Ans:
Mapplet is the set of reusable transformation.

How the informatica server sorts the string values in Rank transformation?
Ans:
When the informatica server runs in the ASCII data movement mode it sorts session data using Binary sort order. If you configure the session to use a binary sort order, the informatica server calculates the binary value of each string and returns the specified number of rows with the highest binary values for the string.

Why we use stored procedure transformation?
Ans:
For populating and maintaining data bases.

What are the rank caches?
Ans:
During the session, the informatica server compares an input row with rows in the data cache. If the input row out-ranks a stored row, the informatica server replaces the stored row with the input row. The informatica server stores group information in an index cache and row data in a data cache.

What is the Rank index in Rank transformation?
Ans:
The Designer automatically creates a RANKINDEX port for each Rank transformation. The Informatica Server uses the Rank Index port to store the ranking position for each record in a group. For example, if you create a Rank transformation that ranks the top 5 salespersons for each quarter, the rank index numbers the salespeople from 1 to 5.

What is the difference between Normal load and Bulk load?
Ans:
Normal Load: Normal load will write information to the database log file so that if any recovery is needed it is will be helpful. when the source file is a text file and loading data to a table, in such cases we should you normal load only, else the session will be failed.
Bulk Mode: Bulk load will not write information to the database log file so that if any recovery is needed we can't do any thing in such cases.
comparatively Bulk load is pretty faster than normal load.

Can you copy the batches?
Ans: No



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ABAP 4 Concepts ,Tutorials and Answers

Overview:SAP R/4 ABAP Interview Questions,Concepts ,Tutorials ,Answers and Explanations

What are the system fields? Explain?
Ans :
The ABAP system fields are active in all ABAP programs. They are filled by the runtime environment, and you can query their values in a program to find out particular states of the system. Although they are variables, you should not assign your own values to them, since this may overwrite information that is important for the normal running of the program. However, there are some isolated cases in which you may need to overwrite a system variable. For example, by assigning a new value to the field SY-LSIND, you can control navigation within details lists.

What is SAP Script? What is the purpose of SAP Script? Difference between
SAP Script and Report?
Ans :
SAP Script – It is the integrated text management system of the SAP R/3 System. Two types – PC Editor & Line Editor.

Reports - It is the way to display data fetched from database table onto screen or directly output it to a printer. Two types – Classical and Interactive.

What is the use of occurs in internal table? Can u change occurs value in program?
Ans :
Use of Occurs - If you use the OCCURS parameter, the value of the INITIAL SIZE of the table is returned to the variable
Data : Begin of ITAB occurs 0,
End of ITAB.


Occurs or Initial Size – to specify the initial amount of memory that should be assigned to the table. Yes, we can change the occurs value in program but output remains the same.

Difference between SY-TABIX and SY-INDEX? Where it is used?

Can you check SY-SUBRC after perform?
Ans
: SY-TABIX - Current line of an internal table. SY-TABIX is set by the statements below, but only for index tables. The field is either not set or is set to 0 for hashed tables.
APPEND sets SY-TABIX to the index of the last line of the table, that is, it contains the overall number of entries in the table.
COLLECT sets SY-TABIX to the index of the existing or inserted line in the table. If the table has the type HASHED TABLE, SY-TABIX is set to 0.
LOOP AT sets SY-TABIX to the index of the current line at the beginning of each loop lass. At the end of the loop, SY-TABIX is reset to the value that it had before entering the loop. It is set to 0 if the table has the type HASHED TABLE.
READ TABLE sets SY-TABIX to the index of the table line read. If you use a binary search, and the system does not find a line, SY-TABIX contains the total number of lines, or one more than the total number of lines. SY-INDEX is undefined if a linear search fails to return an entry.
SEARCH FOR sets SY-TABIX to the index of the table line in which the search string is found.
SY_INDEX - In a DO or WHILE loop, SY-INDEX contains the number of loop passes including the current pass.

Difference between UPLOAD and WS_UPLOAD?
Ans :
UPLOAD - File transfer with dialog from presentation server file to internal table. Data which is available in a file on the presentation server is transferred in an internal table. ASCII & Binary files can be transferred.

WS_UPLOAD - To read data from the presentation server into an internal table without a user dialog, use the function module WS_UPLOAD. The most important parameters are listed below.

Parameters Function
CODEPAGE Only for upload under DOS: Value IBM
FILENAME Filename
FILETYPE File type

Why did u switch to SAP?
Ans :


What is a Logical Database?
Ans :
Logical Databases are special ABAP programs that retrieve data and make it available to application programs.

Use of LDB – is used to read data from database tables by linking them to executable ABAP programs.

What are the events used for Logical Database?
Ans :
Two Events –

1) GET - This is the most important event for executable programs that use a logical database. It occurs when the logical database has read a line from the node and made it available to the program in the work area declared using the statement NODES . The depth to which the logical database is read is determined by the GET statements

2) PUT - The PUT statement directs the program flow according to the structure of
the logical database.

What is the difference between Get and Get Late?
Ans :
GET - After the logical database has read an entry from the node .

GET LATE - After all of the nodes of the logical database have been processed that are below in the database hierarchy.

What are the data types of Internal Tables?
Ans :
There are three types:
1) Line
2) Key
3) Table

What are the events used in ABAP in the order of execution?
Ans :
Events are:
1. INITIALIZATION
2. AT SELECTION-SCREEN
3. AT SELECTION-SCREEN ON
4. START-OF-SELECTION
5. TOP-OF-PAGE
6. TOP-OF-PAGE DURING LINE SELECTION
7. END-OF-PAGE
8. END-OF-SELECTION
9. AT USER-COMMAND
10. AT LINE-SELECTION
11. AT PF
12. GET
13. GET LATE.
14. AT User Command

What are Interactive Reports?
Ans :
An output list which displays just the basic details & allow user to interact, so that a new list is populated based on user-selection. With interactive list, the user can actively control data retrieval and display during the session.

What are the commands used for interactive reports?
Ans :
Top-of-Page during line-selection

What are the system fields u have worked with? Explain?
Ans :
I had worked with the following (30) system fields:
1) SY-DBSYS - Central Database
2) SY-HOST - Server
3) SY-OPSYS - Operating System
4) SY-SAPRL - SAP Release
5) SY-SYSID - System Name
6) SY-LANGU - User Logon Language
7) SY-MANDT - Client
8) SY-UNAME - Logon User Name
9) SY-DATLO - Local Date
10) SY-DATUM - Server Date
11) SY-TIMLO - Local Time
12) SY-UZEIT - Server Time
13) SY-DYNNR - Screen Number
14) SY-REPID - Current ABAP program
15) SY-TCODE - Transaction Code
16) SY-ULINE - Horizontal Line
17) SY-VLINE - Vertical Line
18) SY-INDEX - Number of current loop Pass
19) SY-TABIX - Current line of internal table
20) SY-DBCNT - Number of table entries processed
21) SY-SUBRC - Return Code
22) SY-UCOMM - Function Code
23) SY-LINCT - Page Length of list
24) SY-LINNO - Current Line
25) SY-PAGNO - Current Page Number
26) SY-LSIND - Index of List
27) SY-MSGID - Message Class
28) SY-MSGNO - Message Number
29) SY-MSGTY - Message Type
30) SY-SPONO - Spool number during printing



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March 1, 2010

SilverLight Interview Questions Answers

Overview:Microsoft SilverLight Interview Questions and Answers on various topics like Server management,Localization,Security

What is Silverlight Tool Kit?
Ans:
To create an application or game you need to design, code and give some extra feature to your output. To do the above, you need some controls, IDE etc.
Silverlight Tool kit is nothing but is a collection of Silverlight Tools, Components etc. It includes source code describing the all you need to develop an application.
Please visit this link for more info:http://www.codeplex.com/Silverlight

What happened when I press F5 within Visual Studio to run Silverlight application?
Ans:
When you run the Silverlight application within Visual Studio, a new folder created in the web-site project for silverlight solution and it happened only first time. The folder name is ClientBin and having package with XAP extension which contains compiled project.

What is Storyboard?
Ans :
Storyboard is a Silverlight class with controls animations with a timeline, and provides object and property targeting information for its child animations

Can I add more than one .xaml pages in silverlight application?
Ans:
Yes, you can have multiple .xaml files in a single project.
In the App.xaml, in the method Application_Startup you can choose, which page you want to initially display.

What is the best place to start Silverlight application?
Ans:
There is no hard and fast rule to start Silverlight application. Every developer  can start as per his/her experience. like as per my case I always prefer Visual Studio. SO, in my view Visual Studio is the best place to start with Silverlight2 applications.Microsoft provides
templates for creating Silverlight applications and libraries in C# and Visual Basic.

Is Silverlight supported on various locales?
Ans:
Silverlight installs on localized versions of Macintosh computers and Windows. At this time, the installation is available in an international English format. Final releases will render international text (using double-byte characters) and support the full 64K Unicode character set. Silverlight uses simple input mechanism that treats all the languages in the same way.

Is Silverlight the official name for "WPF/E"?
Ans:
Yes. Silverlight was formerly code-named "WPF/E."

Does silverlight web application work with all browsers ?
Ans :
Yes, A web application developed by silverlight technology can work with any browser

Is Silverlight a new media player?
Ans:
No. Silverlight is a cross-browser, cross-platform plug-in for delivering media experiences and RIAs. It is not a desktop application or stand-alone media player.

How is my content secured from unauthorized access?
Ans:
You will have to be signed into the SilverlightTM Streaming service to manage your account and your Silverlight applications. Your SilverlightTM Streaming ID and secret key, associated to your Windows Live ID, will authenticate you as the unique and legitimate owner of the applications and content you upload to the service. You will also need this information to manage your Silverlight applications using the API. The SilverlightTM Streaming ID is public. However, the secret key should be kept confidential.

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Informatica Interview Questions asked in MNCs

What are the joiner caches?

What are the types of mapping in Getting Started Wizard?

What is a junk dimension

What is difference between cbl (constaint based commit) and target based commit?When we use
cbl?

What is metadata reporter?

What is the best way to show metadata(number of rows at source, target and each
transformation level, error related data) in a report format

What is the difference between summary filter and detail filter

What is the use of incremental aggregation? Explain me in brief with an example.

Where we are using lkp b/n source to stage or stage to target?

Why and where we are using factless fact table?

Can we create duplicate rows in star schema?

Explain Performance tuning in Informatica?

How can you say that union Transormation is Active transformation.

How do you setup a schedule for data loading from scratch?

How to delete duplicate rows in flat files source is any option in Informatica

How you will create header and footer in target using Informatica?

Mention the various test procedures to check for whether the data is loaded in the backend, performance of mapping, and quality of the data loaded in Informatica

What are the active and passive transforamtions?

What are the locks with respect to mappings? How do you manually lock or unlock the mappings
for changes?

What are the types of maping wizards that are to be provided in Informatica?

What is a look up function? What is default transformation for the look up function?

What is difference between COM & DCOM?

What is Micro Strategy? Why is it used for? Can any one explain in detail about it?

What is the daily data volume (in GB/records)? What is the size of the data extracted in the extraction process?

What is the difference between truncate and delete statements?

What is the use of Shared Folder?

Where we use Star Schema & where Snowflake?

Why can't we use normalizer transformation in mapplet?

Can we eliminate duplicate rows by using filter and router transformation ?if so explain me in
detail .

Explain pmcmd?

How can you stop a batch?

How do you test mapping and what is associate port?

How to do aggregation with out using AGGREGAROR Transformation ?

I created a new group and removed the Browse Repository privilege from the group. Why does
every user in the group still have that privilege?

My input is oracle and my target is flat file shall I load it? How?

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