Connecting to a Microsoft SQL Server Database from Windows
You can connect to a Microsoft SQL Server database through the ODBC or the OLEDB provider type.
Configuring Native Connectivity
You can configure native connectivity to the Microsoft SQL Server database by using the ODBC (default) or OLEDB provider types.
If you choose the ODBC provider type, you can enable the Use DSN option to use the DSN configured in the Microsoft ODBC Administrator as the connect string. If you do not enable the Use DSN option, you must specify the server name and database name in the connection properties.
If you choose the OLEDB provider type, you must install the Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Native Client to configure native connectivity to the Microsoft SQL Server database. If you cannot connect to the database, verify that you correctly entered all of the connectivity information.
You can download the Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Native Client from the following Microsoft website:
http://www.microsoft.com/en-in/download/details.aspx?id=29065.
After you upgrade, the Microsoft SQL Server connection is set to the OLEDB provider type by default. It is recommended that you upgrade all your Microsoft SQL Server connections to use the ODBC provider type. You can upgrade all your Microsoft SQL Server connections to the ODBC provider type by using the following commands:
- •If you are using PowerCenter, run the following command: pmrep upgradeSqlServerConnection
- •If you are using the Informatica platform, run the following command: infacmd.sh isp upgradeSQLSConnection
For specific connectivity instructions, see the database documentation.
Rules and Guidelines for Microsoft SQL Server
Consider the following rules and guidelines when you configure ODBC connectivity to a Microsoft SQL Server database on Windows:
- •If you want to use a Microsoft SQL Server connection without using a Data Source Name (DSN less connection), you must configure the odbcinst.ini environment variable.
- •If you are using a DSN connection, you must add the entry "EnableQuotedIdentifiers=1" to the ODBC DSN. If you do not add the entry, data preview and mapping run fail.
- •When you use a DSN connection, you can configure the DataDirect specific properties. For more information about how to configure and use the Data Direct specific properties, see the DataDirect documentation.
- •You can use the Microsoft SQL Server NTLM authentication on a DSN less Microsoft SQL Server connection on the Microsoft Windows platform.
- •If the Microsoft SQL Server table contains a UUID data type and if you are reading data from an SQL table and writing data to a flat file, the data format might not be consistent between the OLE DB and ODBC connection types.
- •You cannot use SSL connection on a DSN less connection. If you want to use SSL, you must use the DSN connection. Enable the Use DSN option and configure the SSL options in the odbc.ini file.
- •If the Microsoft SQL Server uses Kerberos authentication, you must set the GSSClient property to point to the Informatica Kerberos libraries. Use the following path and filename: <Informatica installation directory>/server/bin/libgssapi_krb5.so.2.Create an entry for the GSSClient property in the DSN entries section in odbc.ini for a DSN connection or in the SQL Server wire protocol section in odbcinst.ini for a connection that does not use DSN.
- •If you use the DataDirect ODBC driver to connect to Microsoft SQL Server, the Decimal data rounds off within the target database based on the scale values in the database tables. For example, if the scale is 5, the target Decimal data round-off occurs after the fifth digit that follows the decimal point. When the scale is 5, the input value 12.3456789 rounds off to a target Decimal value of 12.34568.
- •If you use Microsoft SQL Sever Native client to configure native connectivity to Microsoft SQL Server databases, the Decimal data truncates based on the specified scale in the target database tables. For example, if the scale is 5, the Decimal data truncation occurs after the fifth digit that follows the decimal point. When the scale is 5, the input value 12.3456789 truncates to a target Decimal value of 12.34567.
Configuring Custom Properties for Microsoft SQL Server
You can configure custom properties for Microsoft SQL Server to improve bulk load performance.
1. Launch the PowerCenter client and connect to Workflow Manager.
2. Open a workflow and select a session that you want to configure.
3. Click the Config Object tab.
4. Change the value of the Default Buffer Block size to 5 MB. You can also use the following command: $INFA_HOME/server/bin/./pmrep massupdate -t session_config_property -n "Default buffer block size" -v "5MB" -f $<folderName>
To get optimum throughput for a row size of 1 KB, you must set the Buffer Block size to 5 MB.
5. Click the Properties tab.
6. Change the Commit Interval to 100000 if the session contains a relational target.
7. Set the DTM Buffer Size. The optimum DTM Buffer Size is ((10 x Block Buffer size) x number of partitions).