A reference guide for the features common to the components
of Optim on a distributed platform.
Introduction
The IBM® InfoSphere Optim™ solutions manage enterprise
data throughout every stage of the information lifecycle, enabling
your company to assess, classify, subset, archive, store, and access
enterprise application data.
Main Window, Menus, and Dialogs
The graphical user interface for Optim is designed for a Windows operating environment. You should
be familiar with many features that are standard for Windows applications.
Optim Directory
The Optim Directory
is a set of tables in which Optim stores
objects needed for processing and tracking processing status. Before
using Optim, you must use the Configuration program
to create or configure the Optim Directory
tables and stored procedures needed to access the Directory.
Access Definitions
An Access Definition defines a set of related data to be
processed by Optim.
Column Maps
A Column Map provides specifications needed to match or
exclude columns from processing. A Convert, Create, Insert, Load,
Restore, or multi-table Compare Request must reference a Table Map,
which may reference one or more Column Maps. A Compare Request for
a single table comparison may reference a Column Map directly.
Column Map Procedures
A Table Map used in a process may reference one or more
Column Maps used to derive the appropriate values for destination
columns. The Table Map identifies and matches two sets of tables for
processing, and a Column Map provides a way to control processing,
column by column. With a Column Map, you can match or exclude columns
from processing or, using native functions, derive values for one
or more destination columns.
DB Aliases
A DB Alias is a user-defined object associated with a database.
When you define a DB Alias, you provide parameters that Optim uses to communicate with that database.
These parameters include the type and version of the database management
system (DBMS) and any required connection specifications.
Primary Keys
A primary key is the column or columns that contain values
that uniquely identify each row in a table. A database table must
have a primary key for Optim to insert,
update, restore, or delete data from a database table. Optim uses
primary keys that are defined to the database. However, you can also
define primary keys to supplement those in the database.
Relationships
A relationship is a defined connection between the rows
of two tables. This connection is generally determined by values in
selected columns from a parent table that correspond to values in
the child table. Optim uses
relationships to determine the data to be retrieved from related tables
and relies upon relationships defined to the database,
when available. However, you can also define relationships to supplement
those in the database.
Table Maps
A Table Map identifies and matches two sets of tables.
Restart/Retry
Use the Restart/Retry Utility to restart a process that
terminated abnormally or to retry a process when all rows are not
successfully processed. These incomplete processes are referred to
as “pending” processes. You can use this utility to restart or retry
a Delete, Insert, or Insert/Update Process.
Calendars
Use the Calendar Utility to customize handling of dates
for aging data and scheduling process requests. The Calendar
Editor allows you to create and maintain Calendars that
contain general specifications, special types of dates (for example,
holidays, workdays, and weekends), and business rules to apply to
those special types of dates.
Currency
Use the Currency Utility to create, browse, edit and delete
Currency Definitions. Currency Definitions provide currency conversion
parameters specified in a Column Map, including conversion rates and
conversion method (direct conversion or triangulation via the euro
dollar).
Schedule
Use the Scheduler to schedule process requests, edit the
schedule, and monitor processing for Optim. The
Scheduler allows you to run process requests at a later time, periodically,
or on a regular schedule.
Browse
Use the Browse Utility to review the contents of an Archive,
Compare, Extract, or Control File. You can browse the contents of
a file to obtain information or to determine that the data is as expected.
Export and Import
Use the Export and Import Utilities in Optim to migrate
definitions of Optim Directory
objects — including Access Definitions, Table Maps, Column Maps, Primary
Keys, DB Aliases, Relationships, Calendars, and Convert, Delete, Extract,
Insert, and Load Requests — from one Optim Directory
to another.
Create
Use the Create Utility to create objects on the basis of
definitions in a source Extract or Archive File.
Personal Options
You can use Personal Options to customize Optim for use at each workstation.
Enhanced File Names
Optim allows you
to automatically generate file names for: Extract Files, Archive Files,
Archive Index Files, Compare Files, Control Files.
Exit Routines for Column Maps
When you create a process request to Convert, Create, Insert,
Load, or Restore data, you can specify a Table Map that includes one
or more Column Maps to derive the appropriate values for destination
columns.
Row List Files
Point and Shoot allows you to select individual rows (primary
key values) from a Start Table to begin Extract Processing. These
selected rows are stored in a Point and Shoot File. However, if you
need to extract values from data that does not reside in a database
table or resides in a database that is not easily accessible, you
can create a Row List File manually or by using a utility appropriate
for your data source.