Create Informatica Mappings From/To an ODBC Data Source for PostgreSQL

Informatica provides a powerful, elegant means of transporting and transforming your data. By utilizing the CData ODBC Driver for PostgreSQL, you are gaining access to a driver based on industry-proven standards that integrates seamlessly with Informatica's powerful data transportation and manipulation features. This tutorial shows how to transfer and browse PostgreSQL data in Informatica PowerCenter.

Connect to PostgreSQL as an ODBC Data Source

Information for connecting to PostgreSQL follows, along with different instructions for configuring a DSN in Windows and Linux environments.

To connect to PostgreSQL, set the Server, Port (the default port is 5432), and Database connection properties and set the User and Password you wish to use to authenticate to the server. If the Database property is not specified, the data provider connects to the user's default database.

SSH Connectivity for PostgreSQL

You can use SSH (Secure Shell) to authenticate with PostgreSQL, whether the instance is hosted on-premises or in supported cloud environments. SSH authentication ensures that access is encrypted (as compared to direct network connections).

SSH Connections to PostgreSQL in Password Auth Mode

To connect to PostgreSQL via SSH in Password Auth mode, set the following connection properties:

• User: PostgreSQL User name
• Password: PostgreSQL Password
• Database: PostgreSQL database name
• Server: PostgreSQL Server name
• Port: PostgreSQL port number like 3306
• UserSSH: "true"
• SSHAuthMode: "Password"
• SSHPort: SSH Port number
• SSHServer: SSH Server name
• SSHUser: SSH User name
• SSHPassword: SSH Password

SSH Connections to PostgreSQL in Public Key Auth Mode

To connect to PostgreSQL via SSH in Password Auth mode, set the following connection properties:

• User: PostgreSQL User name
• Password: PostgreSQL Password
• Database: PostgreSQL database name
• Server: PostgreSQL Server name
• Port: PostgreSQL port number like 3306
• UserSSH: "true"
• SSHAuthMode: "Public_Key"
• SSHPort: SSH Port number
• SSHServer: SSH Server name
• SSHUser: SSH User name
• SSHClientCret: the path for the public key certificate file

Windows

If you have not already, first specify connection properties in an ODBC DSN (data source name). This is the last step of the driver installation. You can use the Microsoft ODBC Data Source Administrator to create and configure ODBC DSNs.

Linux

If you are installing the CData ODBC Driver for PostgreSQL in a Linux environment, the driver installation predefines a system DSN. You can modify the DSN by editing the system data sources file (/etc/odbc.ini) and defining the required connection properties.

/etc/odbc.ini

[CData PostgreSQL Source]
Driver = CData ODBC Driver for PostgreSQL
Description = My Description
User = postgres
Password = admin
Database = postgres
Server = 127.0.0.1
Port = 5432

For specific information on using these configuration files, please refer to the help documentation (installed and found online).

Create a Linked Table to Orders Data

Follow the steps below to create a linked table, which enables you to access live Orders data.

Create the ODBC Connection

Follow the steps below to connect to PostgreSQL in Informatica PowerCenter:

1. In the Informatica Developer tool connect to your repository and create a project.
2. In the Connection Explorer pane, right-click and click Create a Connection.
3. In the New Database Connection wizard that is displayed, enter a name and Id for the connection and in the Type menu select ODBC.
4. In the Connection String property, enter the DSN.

NOTE: If you are working in a Linux operating system, set the Driver Manager for Linux property to unixODBC 2.3.x.

Create the PostgreSQL Data Object

After you have created an ODBC connection to PostgreSQL, you can now access PostgreSQL entities in Informatica. Follow the steps below to add Orders entities to your project.

1. In the Object Explorer, right-click your project and then click New -> Data Object.
2. In the wizard that is displayed, select the Relational Data Object option.
3. Click the Browse button next to the Connection box and select the ODBC connection you created in the previous step.
4. Select the option to create a data object from an existing resource and click the Browse button next to the Resource box.
5. In the dialog that is displayed, clear the Show Default Schema Only option and expand the node for the ODBC connection. Select the entity that you want. 👁 The driver models PostgreSQL entities as relational tables. (Salesforce is shown.)
   

You can now browse the table in the Data Viewer: Right-click the node for the table and then click Open. On the Data Viewer view, click Run.

👁 Table data and metadata in the Data Viewer. (Salesforce is shown.)

Create the Mapping

Follow the steps below to add the PostgreSQL source to a mapping:

1. In the Object Explorer, right-click your project and then click New -> Mapping.
2. Expand the node for the PostgreSQL connection and then drag the data object for the table onto the editor.
3. In the dialog that appears, select the Read option.

👁 The source PostgreSQL table in the mapping. (Salesforce is shown.)

Follow the steps below to map PostgreSQL columns to a flat file:

1. In the Object Explorer, right-click your project and then click New -> Data Object.
2. Select Flat File Data Object -> Create as Empty -> Fixed Width.
3. In the properties for the PostgreSQL object, select the rows you want, right-click, and then click copy. Paste the rows into the flat file properties.
4. Drag the flat file data object onto the mapping. In the dialog that appears, select the Write option.
5. Click and drag to connect columns.

To transfer PostgreSQL data, right-click in the workspace and then click Run Mapping.

👁 The completed mapping. (Salesforce is shown.)