Informatica Cloud DI Foundation study plan

Map the Cloud Data Integration service surface: identify each major capability area (Source and Target connections, Mappings, Mapping Tasks, Taskflows, Synchronization tasks, and Secure Agent administration) and write a one-line purpose for each.

Install and register a Secure Agent, then confirm the agent shows as running in the runtime environment view and document the ports and outbound access it requires.

Create and test one source connection and one target connection for a relational database, and record the exact fields you had to supply for each.

Define the difference between a mapping and a mapping task in your own notes, including where parameters are bound and where scheduling lives.

Build a mapping that reads from one relational source, applies a Filter transformation, and writes to a target table.

Add an Expression transformation and create at least three output ports, including one that uses a conditional expression and one that uses a string function.

Configure a Lookup transformation against a second table, and deliberately test both a matched and an unmatched key to observe the behavior.

Run the mapping in a debug session and read the session log to locate row counts and any rejected rows.

Explain in writing why transformation order in the mapping canvas affects results when lookups depend on upstream fields.

Implement a Joiner transformation to combine two sources, and compare its behavior against an equivalent database-side join in terms of where processing happens.

Configure a Router or a set of Update Strategy style branches so that inserts and updates are handled differently by the target.

Add an Aggregator transformation with at least one group-by port and one aggregate port, and verify the output against a hand-computed value.

Practice using a Sequence Generator or expression-based surrogate key and explain when each approach is appropriate.

Document the difference between active and passive transformations and give two examples of each from your own mapping.

Parameterize a mapping using in-out parameters and mapping parameters, then override a parameter value at the mapping task level without editing the mapping.

Create a mapping task from your mapping, assign a schedule, and confirm the task runs and logs an instance.

Build a taskflow that runs two mapping tasks in sequence, and add a decision path or notification step.

Reproduce and then fix one common runtime failure (for example a datatype mismatch or a missing target privilege) and write the root cause.

Summarize how the Secure Agent executes tasks and where pushdown to the database can occur.

Configure a Synchronization task to replicate a source table to a target, including a defined insert, update, and delete behavior.

Compare full-load versus incremental-load options and state which source columns must exist to support incremental behavior.

Set up a second task type (for example a replication or masking style task) and note which connection and object prerequisites it demands.

List the monitoring views you would check to confirm a task succeeded, failed, or is still running, and what each view shows.

Practice reading a failed task instance and identifying the exact transformation or object named in the error.

Design a mapping that handles bad records explicitly, using an error-handling path or a reject-style output, and prove rejected rows land where intended.

Implement a slowly changing dimension style pattern or an equivalent history-tracking approach and explain the logic in writing.

Test performance behavior by running the same mapping with a small and a larger data set, and record runtime differences.

Identify at least three tuning levers available in the product and describe when each helps.

Review your mappings for hardcoded values and replace them with parameters or connection attributes.

Rebuild one earlier mapping from a blank canvas without notes, to test recall of transformation configuration steps.

Write a timed practice set of scenario questions covering connections, transformations, task types, and monitoring, and score it.

Review every missed item and trace each one back to the specific product behavior rather than memorizing the answer.

Explain the difference between mapping-level and task-level settings, and where each is overridden.

List the deployment and promotion considerations for moving assets between environments.

Re-drill the two weakest areas identified in week 7 until you can explain each without notes.

Walk through a full end-to-end scenario out loud: connection setup, mapping design, task scheduling, monitoring, and failure recovery.

Re-read your own troubleshooting and performance logs and convert them into quick-reference cue cards.

Take a final timed practice set and compare the score against week 7.

Confirm logistics: exam format, time limit, and any allowed reference material, and plan your pacing.