Glossary

The Informatica solution that bundles Data Subset, Data Generation, and Data Masking to protect sensitive data and create lean nonproduction systems for test and development purposes.

accelerator

An Informatica solution that contains predefined data subset and data masking components for major business applications.

ad hoc generation rule

A data generation rule that you can create within a project. You can use ad hoc generation techniques within an ad hoc generation rule.

advanced masking

A data masking technique that can include other masking techniques and multiple input and output ports.

auto cascade

A cascade type that masks the primary key in the parent table and the related foreign keys in the child tables with the same value.

blurring

A masking parameter for numeric and date values that creates an output value within a fixed or percent variance from the source data value. Configure blurring to return a random value that is close to the original value.

calculated masking

A masking technique that uses an expression to combine the values of multiple ports.

cascade

A data masking component that masks columns across tables based on column value. Define similar columns in Test Data Manager in order to mask them with the same rules.

column profile

A type of data analysis that determines the characteristics of columns in a data set, such as value frequency, percentages, and patterns.

custom generation rule

A data generation rule that uses PowerCenter mapplets to generate data.

data discovery

The process of discovering the metadata of source systems that includes content, such as data values and frequencies, and structure such as primary keys, foreign keys, and functional dependencies.

data generation

The process to generate realistic test data for the testing environment without using the production data.

data masking

The process of replacing sensitive columns of source data with realistic test data.

data subset

A small, targeted, and referentially intact copy of production data.

dependent masking

A masking technique that replaces the values of one source column based on the values of another source column.

dictionary

A flat file or relational table of data that substitution masking uses to replace a column of data with similar but unrelated data.

dictionary generation

A standard data generation technique that imports dictionary values into the target column.

effective dates generation

An ad hoc generation technique that generates related dates for two columns in the target database.

encryption masking

A data masking technique that applies encryption algorithms to mask source data. You can choose the algorithm to encrypt the data.

entity

Defines a set of tables that are related based on physical or logical constraints. An entity can contain parent tables and child tables. An entity maintains relational hierarchy in the tables. Define filter parameters for ports in the entity to extract the columns from the tables in an entity. When you run a workflow generated from a data subset plan, the PowerCenter Integration Service extracts source data based on the filter parameters defined in the entity and loads the data to the subset tables.

Expression Builder

A wizard in Test Data Manager that includes Informatica functions, variables, and operators to build expressions from the input and the output column values.

expression generation

An ad hoc generation technique that generates data based on the expression.

expression masking

A data masking technique that applies an expression to a port to change or create data.

foreign key profile

A type of data analysis that finds column values in a data source that match the primary key column values in another data source.

generation rule

A rule that you create to define how you want to generate data in the target table.

group

Defines a set of tables to copy to a target subset database.

ilmcmd

A command line program that you can use to complete TDM tasks from any machine. ilmcmd allows you to complete tasks that you can complete in Test Data Manager.

key masking

A data masking technique that produces deterministic results for the same source data, masking rules, and seed value.

mask format

A masking parameter that limits each character in the output column to an alphabetic, numeric, or alphanumeric character.

nullification masking

A data masking technique that replaces column data with null values.

pattern

A data masking component that uses a regular expression to filter the ports that you want to mask when you assign a rule to columns. Use a pattern to mask sensitive data such as IDs, telephone numbers, postal codes, and state names.

plan

Defines data subset, data masking, or data generation operations. You can add entities, groups, templates, policies, rules, and tables to a plan. When you generate and run workflows from a plan, the PowerCenter Integration Service generates and runs the workflows.

policy

Defines the data masking rules, the data to mask, and masking parameters for a source.

PowerCenter

An Informatica solution that can extract data from multiple sources, transform the data according to business logic you build in the client application, and load the transformed data into file and relational targets for data warehousing.

profile

Used in data discovery.

Defines the tables, fields, and keys to discover. You can create profiles to discover the following items in tables:

project

A container component for entities, groups, templates, and one or more sources that you want to use in data discovery, subset, and masking operations. When you create a project, you add one or more sources to the project. Any source that you add to a project is not available to other projects.

random generation

A standard data generation technique that generates random data for string, numeric, and date datatypes.

random masking

A masking technique that produces random, non-repeatable results for the source data and masking rules.

range

A data masking parameter that defines the minimum and maximum values to mask the numeric and date datatypes, and the minimum and maximum values for string lengths of string datatype.

reference lookup generation

An ad hoc generation technique that generates data from a reference table.

residual table

In a data subset plan, a table that is missing from entities and groups in the plan but which is part of the project. You can add residual tables to a data subset plan.

result string replacement characters

A data masking parameter that defines the substitute characters for masked data.

rule

Defines the data masking technique, an optional rule qualifier, and masking parameters.

rule qualifier

A rule component that filters the records that you want to mask.

seed

A start number that key masking uses to return deterministic data.

sequence generation

A standard data generation technique that generates numeric and date values in a sequence.

set of values generation

A standard data generation technique that defines a finite set of values to write to the target table.

shuffle masking

A data masking technique that masks the data in a column with data from the same column from another row of the table.

simulation masking

A masking type that generates a simulation report without masking any data. The report contains policies, rules, masking parameters, qualified ports, and column values that should be masked and their corresponding masked values.

source string characters

A data masking technique that masks the selected characters. You can choose to mask the selected source string characters or mask all characters except the source string characters.

standard generation rule

A data generation rule that applies a predefined data generation technique.

substitution masking

A data masking technique that replaces a column of data with similar but unrelated data.

TDM repository

A relational database that stores the components that you define in Test Data Manager, such as policies, projects, entities, and data masking rules. The TDM repository stores metadata that you import into Test Data Manager from a source database or from the PowerCenter repository. The TDM repository stores constraints that define relationships between the source tables in a project.

TDM Server

Server that runs Test Data Manager and integrates with Informatica application services to perform data subset, data masking, and data discovery operations.

tdwcmd

A command line program that you use to perform test data warehouse tasks. You can create a test data warehouse repository, create a data mart, and list all the test data warehouse details.

tdwquery

A command line program that you use to analyze data in a data set version. You can run queries with multiple joins and clauses to filter and search for data.

template

Used in data subset.

A reusable component that contains the entities and groups of a specific module that you want to subset based on common parameters.

Test Data Manager

The web-based user interface that you use to configure and run data subset, data masking, and discovery operations.

test data mart

A relational database that stores the test data warehouse data.

test data repository

A relational database that stores the test data warehouse metadata.

test data warehouse

A central and secure location to store and manage test data in TDM. You can store data from data subset, data masking, and data generation plans. Restore or reset data from the test data warehouse to a target connection in TDM. The test data warehouse consists of a test data repository and a test data mart.