IBM ETL Informatica Developer Interview Questions and Answers

Drop command deletes the table structure along with data, while truncate command deletes only the data.

• Drop command removes the table structure and all its data, while truncate command only removes the data but keeps the table structure intact.

• Drop command is a DDL (Data Definition Language) command, while truncate command is a DML (Data Manipulation Language) command.

• Drop command is slower than truncate command as it ...read more

In my project, I perform validations such as data completeness, data accuracy, data transformation, and data integrity checks.

• Data completeness checks to ensure all required fields are populated

• Data accuracy checks to verify the correctness of data

• Data transformation checks to validate the transformation rules are applied correctly

• Data integrity checks to maintain data consistency and reliability

Star Schema is a type of database schema where a central fact table is connected to multiple dimension tables. Snowflake Schema is a normalized form of Star Schema where dimension tables are further normalized into sub-dimension tables.

• Star Schema has a central fact table connected to multiple dimension tables

• Snowflake Schema is a normalized form of Star Schema with sub-dimension tables

• Star Schema is denormalized for b...read more

Fact tables contain quantitative data while dimension tables contain descriptive attributes.

• Fact tables store measurable, quantitative data such as sales revenue or quantity sold

• Dimension tables store descriptive attributes related to the data in the fact table, such as product name or customer details

• Fact tables are typically normalized while dimension tables are denormalized for easier querying

• Example: In a sales dat...read more

Project architecture refers to the overall structure of a software project, including components, modules, and their interactions.

• Project architecture defines how different components of a software project are organized and interact with each other.

• It includes the high-level design of the system, such as the database structure, data flow, and integration points.

• Project architecture also involves decisions on technologi...read more

Challenges in ETL testing include data quality issues, complex transformations, and handling large volumes of data.

• Data quality issues such as missing or incorrect data can impact testing results

• Complex transformations can be difficult to validate and may lead to errors in the ETL process

• Handling large volumes of data can slow down testing processes and require efficient testing strategies

Roles and responsibilities refer to the tasks and duties assigned to an individual within a specific job or position.

• Roles define the position or job title of an individual within an organization.

• Responsibilities outline the specific tasks, duties, and expectations associated with that role.

• Roles and responsibilities help clarify expectations, define boundaries, and ensure accountability.

• Examples include testing data e...read more

Use a dictionary to find duplicate values in an array of strings in Python.

• Create an empty dictionary to store the count of each string in the array.

• Iterate through the array and for each string, check if it exists in the dictionary. If it does, increment the count. If not, add it to the dictionary with a count of 1.

• After iterating through the array, check the dictionary for any strings with a count greater than 1. The

Use OFFSET and FETCH in SQL to retrieve specific records from a table.

• Use OFFSET to skip the first n-1 records

• Use FETCH to limit the number of records to be retrieved

• Example: SELECT * FROM table_name OFFSET 4 ROWS FETCH NEXT 5 ROWS ONLY

Constraints are rules or conditions that must be followed in order to ensure data integrity and accuracy.

• Constraints define the limits or restrictions on data values in a database table

• Examples of constraints include primary key, foreign key, unique key, and check constraints

• Constraints help maintain data quality and consistency in a database

Low, Medium, and High priority defects are categorized based on their impact on the system and urgency of fixing.

• Low priority defects are minor issues that do not significantly impact the system's functionality.

• Medium priority defects are issues that have a noticeable impact on the system but are not critical.

• High priority defects are critical issues that severely impact the system's functionality and need immediate at...read more

Joins are used to combine rows from two or more tables based on a related column between them.

• Joins are used in SQL to retrieve data from multiple tables based on a related column.

• Common types of joins include INNER JOIN, LEFT JOIN, RIGHT JOIN, and FULL JOIN.

• Example: SELECT * FROM table1 INNER JOIN table2 ON table1.column = table2.column;

A domain name from an email refers to the part after the @ symbol in an email address.

• The domain name is typically the name of the organization or service provider associated with the email address.

• For example, in the email address example@gmail.com, 'gmail.com' is the domain name.

dense_rank() assigns a unique rank to each distinct row, row_number() assigns a unique sequential integer to each row.

• dense_rank() is used to assign a unique rank to each distinct row based on the specified order.

• row_number() is used to assign a unique sequential integer to each row in the result set.

• Example: dense_rank() - SELECT dense_rank() OVER (ORDER BY salary) AS rank FROM employees;

• Example: row_number() - SELECT...read more

SCD types refer to slowly changing dimensions in data warehousing. Star schema is denormalized while snowflake schema is normalized.

• SCD types refer to how dimensions change over time in a data warehouse

• Type 1: Overwrite existing data with new data

• Type 2: Keep track of historical data with new records

• Type 3: Keep track of some historical data with limited history

• Star schema is denormalized with a central fact table conn...read more

Group by clause is used in SQL to group rows that have the same values into summary rows.

• Group by clause is used with aggregate functions like SUM, COUNT, AVG, etc.

• It is used to group rows based on one or more columns specified in the query.

• Group by clause must be used after the WHERE clause and before the ORDER BY clause.

• Example: SELECT department, COUNT(*) FROM employees GROUP BY department;

Seeking new challenges and growth opportunities in a different environment.

• Desire for career advancement

• Interest in learning new technologies

• Seeking a more challenging role

• Company restructuring or downsizing

• Relocation to a different city

My strengths include attention to detail and problem-solving skills. My weakness is sometimes being too critical of my own work.

• Strength: Attention to detail - I always ensure that all aspects of the testing process are thoroughly checked.

• Strength: Problem-solving skills - I am able to quickly identify and resolve issues that arise during testing.

• Weakness: Being too critical of my own work - I sometimes spend too much

ETL Developers are responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining ETL processes to extract, transform, and load data from various sources into a data warehouse.

• Designing ETL processes to extract data from multiple sources

• Transforming data to meet business requirements

• Loading data into a data warehouse or other target systems

• Developing and maintaining ETL jobs using tools like Informatica, Talend, or SSIS

SCD Type 1 in IICS involves overwriting existing data with new data without maintaining historical changes.

• In IICS, use the Mapping Designer to create a mapping that loads data from source to target.

• Use a Lookup transformation to check if the record already exists in the target table.

• If the record exists, update the existing record with new data using an Update Strategy transformation.

• If the record does not exist, inse...read more

Entry criteria and exit criteria are conditions that must be met before and after testing, respectively.

• Entry criteria are the conditions that must be fulfilled before testing can begin

• Exit criteria are the conditions that must be fulfilled before testing can be considered complete

• Entry criteria can include having test data ready, test environment set up, and test cases prepared

• Exit criteria can include all test cases ...read more

Filter source data by department id and store in unique files

• Use Talend components like tFilterRow to filter data based on department id

• Create a unique file for each department using tFileOutputDelimited component

• Loop through all department ids to process data for each department

Optimizing SQL queries can improve query performance by using indexes, avoiding unnecessary joins, and optimizing the query structure.

• Use indexes on columns frequently used in WHERE clauses

• Avoid using SELECT * and only retrieve necessary columns

• Optimize joins by using INNER JOIN instead of OUTER JOIN when possible

• Use WHERE clause to filter data early in the query

• Avoid using functions in WHERE clauses as they can preven

I am an experienced ETL Developer with a strong background in data integration and transformation.

• Over 5 years of experience in ETL development

• Proficient in using tools like Informatica, Talend, and SSIS

• Strong SQL skills for data querying and manipulation

• Experience in designing and implementing data warehouses

• Familiar with data modeling and ETL best practices