New Features in Oracle Data Integrator 11gR1 PS2 (11.1.1.6)

New Features in Oracle Data Integrator 11gR1 PS2 (11.1.1.6)

 

The second Oracle Data Integrator 11gR1 Patch Set introduces the following enhancements:

• Shortcuts
  
• Tracking Variables and Sequences
  
• Global Knowledge Modules
  
• Enhanced Session Logging
  
• Handling Failed Load Plan Enhancements
  
• Enhanced Variable Handling in Load Plans
  
• Smart Export and Import
  
• Enterprise Data Quality Integration
  
• Groovy Editor
  
• Support of Undo and Redo Operations
  
• Autocomplete for Text Fields and Lists
  
• Version Numbering for Knowledge Modules
  

Shortcuts

This ODI release introduces new objects called shortcuts. Shortcuts greatly improve productivity by allowing end users to express the large commonality that often exists between two different versions of the same source application, such as same tables and columns, same constraints, and same transformations.
Shortcuts are links to common Oracle Data Integrator objects stored in separate locations and can be created for datastores, integration interfaces, packages, and procedures. In addition, release tags have been introduced to manage the materialization of shortcuts based on specific tags.

Tracking Variables and Sequences

Variables and sequences are often used in Oracle Data Integrator processes. Oracle Data Integrator 11.1.1.6 introduces a new feature allowing end users to determine the actual values of variables and sequences that were used during an executed session. Tracking variables and sequences is extremely useful for debugging purposes.
With the variable tracking feature you can also easily determine whether the variable was used in a mapping or an internal operation such as an Evaluate Variable step.

Global Knowledge Modules

ODI 11.1.1.6 introduces Global Knowledge Modules (KMs) allowing specific KMs to be shared across multiple projects. In previous versions of ODI, Knowledge Modules were always specific to a Project and could only be used within the project into which they were imported. Global KMs are listed in the Designer Navigator in the Global Objects accordion.

Enhanced Session Logging

The readability of the execution logs has been improved in this release for Knowledge Modules and Procedure commands. The final code for source and target commands is now available in the Operator Navigator, making it easier to review executions containing several runtime parameters.

Handling Failed Load Plan Enhancements

It is now possible to change the execution status of a failed Load Plan step from Error to Done on the Steps tab of the Load Plan run Editor. This allows this particular Load Plan step to be ignored the next time the Load Plan run is restarted. This is useful, for example, when the error causing this Load Plan step to fail is not possible to fix at the moment. However, you want to execute the rest of the Load Plan regardless of this Load Plan step status. By changing the status to Done, the step will be ignored on the next execution.

Enhanced Variable Handling in Load Plans

Load Plan variables that are not used in a Load Plan can now be hidden to improve the readability of Load Plans.

Smart Export and Import

Exporting and importing Oracle Data Integrator objects between repositories is a common practice when working with multiple environments such as Development, Quality Assurance and Production. The new Smart Export and Import feature guides you through this task and provides advanced code management features.
Smart Export automatically exports an object with all its object dependencies. It is particularly useful when you want to move a consistent lightweight set of objects from one repository to another including only a set of modified objects.
The Smart Export and Import feature is a lightweight and consistent export and import mechanism providing several key features such as:

• Automatic and customizable object matching rules between the objects to import and the objects already present in the repository
  
• A set of actions that can be applied to the object to import when a matching object has been found in the repository
  
• Proactive issue detection and resolution that suggests a default working solution for every broken link or conflict detected during the Smart Import
  

Enterprise Data Quality Integration

With the EnterpriseDataQuality Open Tool it is now possible to invoke an Oracle Enterprise Data Quality (Datanomic) Job in a Package. Developers can design a Data Quality process in Oracle Enterprise Data Quality and invoke it in a Package in ODI along with the ETL steps.
The EnterpriseDataQuality Open Tool is installed using the standard procedure for Open Tools and can be used in a Package or a Procedure, similarly to the tools provided out of the box in Oracle Data Integrator.

Groovy Editor

This release introduces the Groovy editor. The Groovy editor provides a single environment for creating, editing, and executing Groovy scripts within the ODI Studio context. It provides all standard features of a code editor such as syntax highlighting and common code editor commands.

Support of Undo and Redo Operations

It is now possible to undo or redo changes in editors, dialogs, wizards, and in the Property Inspector using the following keyboard shortcuts: CTRL+Z and CTRL+Y.

Autocomplete for Text Fields and Lists

Certain text components and drop down lists in the ODI Studio now support the autocomplete feature, making end users more productive.

Version Numbering for Knowledge Modules

The version numbering of Knowledge Modules improves the information provided to identify the used environment:

• It is now possible to determine when a KM has been modified and when it is not the original Knowledge Module as released by Oracle.
  
• The KM modifications can be tracked by a version number.
  
• It is now possible to find out when a KM has been released with an external component such as a jar file or a dll file (This is the case for example for the SAP and Hyperion KMs.)
  
• It is posssible to indicate whether a given ODI version is compatible with the KM version.