Tools for Data Integration

The simplest data integration tasks can be accomplished by using SQL SELECT syntax to run queries against SQL views; however, you can also perform complex integration tasks using data services, virtual database operations, and view generators.

Sybase Data Federation appears to external applications and users as a virtual database when accessed via JDBC or ODBC. The simplest data integration tasks can be accomplished by using SQL SELECT syntax to run queries against SQL views that have been provisioned in the Data Federation virtual database.

However, in many cases, access to Data Federation will not be entirely ad hoc against “raw” provisioned SQL views. For example, you might want to expose a logical model that involves creating a combination of procedures and virtual tables that encapsulate operations against raw provisioned SQL views and database operations. The primary mechanisms for building up this logical layer of abstraction in Data Federation are as follows:

• You can use WorkSpace Data Federation to define view models, and then deploy those view models as data services. Like database operations, data services are accessible as stored procedures via ODBC and JDBC. They are also accessible via SOAP. In addition, you can generate SQL views from data services that return rowsets, thus exposing these logical abstractions as tables as well as stored procedures via SQL.

• You can create virtual database operations. A virtual database operation is just like a regular database operation, except that its source database is Data Federation itself. You can use virtual database operations to capture and reuse SQL SELECT queries against SQL views.

To cover more advanced situations where you need the full power of Java or you need to perform XML processing within Data Federation, you can also create data services that are implemented in Java, JavaScript, or XSLT directly without using WorkSpace Data Federation.

Finally, if you have data consumers or applications that require flat file output, you can route the output of database operations or data services to flat files using Data Federation view generators.

• ODBC or JDBC Access to the Data Catalog: Qualified Names
  To refer to a SQL view (table), database operation, or data service using ODBC or JDBC, you must specify its three-part qualified name.
• Data Services
  Data services are powerful integration tools that you can use to combine and transform data according to your requirements.
• Processing Distributed Data using XSLT, JavaScript, and Java: Advanced Data Services
  You can use a data service to process data from files, external web services, other data services, database operations, or virtual database operations. You can use WorkSpace Data Federation to generate and deploy data services, or you can write your own data service using XSLT or Java.
• Virtual Database Operations
  Virtual database operations query the Data Federation virtual database.
• Data Snapshots: View Generators
  If an application or end user needs data in the form of a flat file (in comma-separated values (CSV), HTML, XML, or another format), you can create a view generator to meet this need.

Send your feedback on this help topic to Sybase Technical Publications: pubs@sybase.com

Your comments will be sent to the technical publications staff at Sybase, Inc. For product-related issues or technical support, contact Sybase Technical Support at 1-800-8SYBASE.