New and Enhanced Features in PowerCenter Standard Edition 8.6

New Reference Table Manager

• Provide an easy-to-use interface for business analysts and other subject matter experts to create, edit, and delete reference tables
• Manually edit reference data, such as valid values and cross-references, individually or en masse
• Create an audit trail documenting the changes to the reference tables
• Designate default values and import and export reference tables as .csv

New Mapping Architect for Visio

• Automatically generate PowerCenter data integration mappings from best-practice templates and reverse-engineer existing mappings into reusable templates
• Accelerate and automate design using a data-flow design tool based on Microsoft Visio and mapping templates based on Informatica Velocity
• Increase developer productivity by reducing repetitive tasks and simplifying the data integration life cycle

New Mapping Analyst for Excel

• Automatically generate PowerCenter data integration mappings from source and target metadata imported directly from the PowerCenter repository
• Leverage Microsoft Excel and a rich client interface to build specifications and generate mappings in one easy step
• Preserve business requirements in a single technical specification by using annotations to ensure that no requirements are overlooked
• Save and reuse spreadsheet specifications to generate future mappings

New Application Services Mixed Version Support

• Support mixed versions of the repository service, integration service, and Web services hub in a single PowerCenter domain
• Upgrade application services to newer versions incrementally, simplifying the upgrade process and minimizing downtime
• Administer mixed versions of multiple application services from a single console

Improved Unified Administration

• Simplify administration of users, groups, privileges, and roles, and the deployment of assets across PowerCenter repositories
• Reduce IT costs by simplifying user and security management

Enhanced LDAP Integration

• Support secure authentication of users and groups through an enterprise directory system
• Select either PowerCenter or LDAP for authentication

Enhanced Enterprise-Grade Security

• Ensure security, particularly across large, globally distributed teams, with granular privileges and flexible permissions management
• Limit users’ access to only the minimal functionality and data they need, reducing the risk of potential security breaches
• Simplify the administration of privileges through customizable role-based security

New Operating System Profiles

• Ensure secure access to file system resources by PowerCenter workflows executed by different departments and users
• Track and monitor usage by specific groups within a shared environment, such as an Integration Competency Center
• Facilitate departmental charge backs

Extended Variables and Parameterization

• Get flexible access to design and run-time metadata within the data mapping, session, and workflow logic
• Improve reusability and developer productivity

New Predefined Wizards and Templates

• Reduce repetitive tasks with more predefined wizards and templates for common data integration scenarios, such as slowly changing dimensions and incremental loads
• Increase productivity and accelerate time to market by leveraging best practices