Importing metadata by using InfoSphere Metadata Asset Manager

You can import by using a bridge or connector that is on any computer that is designated as a metadata interchange server. You specify connection information and information about the source metadata, and choose to run either an express import or a managed import.

Before you begin

You must have the role of Common Metadata Importer or Common Metadata Administrator.

Ensure that you meet all prerequisites for importing metadata:

About this task

You create an import area by running an import. The import area is created whether you run an express import or a managed import.

When you run a managed import, you can closely study the metadata assets in the import. You can preview the effects that the import might have on the repository. You can take time to fix problems in the source metadata, or reimport with other parameters.

An express import saves time when you have high confidence in the contents of your import source. By default, an express import requires that you preview the result of sharing to the metadata repository if repository assets will be deleted as a result of the import. Your administrator can change the defaults to allow automatic sharing in all cases or to require previews in all cases.

When you first import into an import area and share the import to the metadata repository, the metadata is reconciled with existing metadata in the repository. If an imported asset has the same identity as another asset that already exists in the metadata repository, the two assets are merged. Merge rules are used to determine the specific behavior, depending on the object type. When you reimport into the same import area, the reimport logic assumes that you are importing the same basic source metadata. Any assets that were imported in the previous import but are not present in the reimport are assumed to have been deleted in the source. The missing assets are deleted from the metadata repository when the reimport is shared.

Procedure

  1. On the Import tab, click New Import Area.
  2. In the New Import Area window, take the following steps:
    1. Specify a unique name and a description for the import area.
    2. Select the metadata interchange server from which you want to run the import.
    3. Select the bridge or connector to import with.
      You choose the bridge or connector depending on the source metadata that it imports. Help for the selected bridge or connector is displayed in the Import Help pane.
    4. Click Next.
  3. For connector imports, and imports with the HDFS bridge, select or create a data connection. You can edit the properties of a selected data connection.
  4. Specify import parameters for the selected bridge or connector.
    Help for each parameter is displayed when you hover over the value field.
    1. After you enter connection information for an import from a server, click Test Connection.
    2. For imports from databases and repositories, browse to select the specific assets that you want to import.
    3. Click Next.
  5. If required, on the Identity Parameters screen, specify identity parameters for database assets or data models that you are importing. Consult the help for each selected parameter. Click Next.
  6. Type a description for the import event and specify whether to run an express import or a managed import.
  7. Click Import.
    The import area is created. The import runs and status messages are displayed.

    Leave the import window open to avoid the possibility that long imports time out.

Results

When the import completes, if you ran a managed import, analyze the imported assets in the Staged Imports tab of the import area.

If you ran an express import, take one of the actions that are listed in the following table.
Table 1. Choices after an express import
In this case Take this action
If the analysis shows problems that you must fix The Staged Imports tab is displayed. Review the analysis results. If necessary, reimport the staged event.
If your administration settings require a preview The View Share Preview screen is displayed. Preview the result of sharing the import.
If your administration settings do not require a preview The assets are shared to the metadata repository. The Shared Imports tab is displayed. You can browse the assets on the Repository Management tab and work with them in other suite tools.

An import log is written to the metadata repository. For troubleshooting purposes, you can download a copy of the log from the Summary section of the Staged Imports tab.

What to do next

If you want to use imported database tables or data file structures in InfoSphere DataStage® and QualityStage® jobs, you must create table definitions. To create table definitions from the database tables or data file structures, in the Designer client, click Repository > Metadata sharing > Create table definition from shared table, and then select the imported asset that you want to create a table definition from.