MDM Architecture and Datamodel 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In Informatica MDM Hub, what is the difference between a 'landing table' and a 'staging table'?
- Landing tables hold raw loaded data; staging tables hold cleansed data ready for matching (Correct answer)
- Landing tables are in the source system; staging tables are in the MDM Hub ORS
- Landing tables store rejected records; staging tables store approved records
- There is no difference — they refer to the same table
Correct answer: Landing tables hold raw loaded data; staging tables hold cleansed data ready for matching
Landing tables receive raw source data as loaded, while staging tables contain the cleansed and standardized version of that data, ready for the match and consolidation process.
Question 2: Which MDM Hub feature allows multiple source records from different systems to be linked to a single golden record while retaining their individual source values?
- Cross-reference (XREF) tables (Correct answer)
- Relationship base objects
- Hierarchy Manager nodes
- Pending records queue
Correct answer: Cross-reference (XREF) tables
Cross-reference (XREF) tables retain each source system's original record and link it to the corresponding golden master record, preserving full source lineage.
Question 3: What is the purpose of 'match columns' in the MDM Hub match configuration?
- They define which columns are displayed in the Merge Manager UI
- They specify which base object fields are used for comparison during the match process and how they are weighted (Correct answer)
- They determine the column order in landing table loads
- They configure which fields are subject to trust-based survivorship
Correct answer: They specify which base object fields are used for comparison during the match process and how they are weighted
Match columns define which base object fields participate in the match comparison and assign match strategies and weights to each field, driving the overall match score calculation.
Question 4: In the MDM Hub data architecture, what is the role of the 'Pending' state (CONSOLIDATION_IND = 'N') for a base object record?
- The record has been manually edited by a steward and awaits re-matching
- The record has been loaded to staging but not yet processed through match and consolidation (Correct answer)
- The record has been matched but the merge is awaiting steward approval
- The record has failed cleansing and is queued for error correction
Correct answer: The record has been loaded to staging but not yet processed through match and consolidation
A CONSOLIDATION_IND value of 'N' (or equivalent pending state) indicates the record exists in the base object but has not yet completed the match and consolidation batch processing cycle.
Question 5: Which MDM Hub architectural pattern is used when integrating real-time transactional systems that need immediate master data lookup or updates?
- Batch ETL pattern using landing tables and staged loads
- SIF (Services Integration Framework) real-time API pattern (Correct answer)
- Hierarchy Manager publish-subscribe pattern
- ORS replication via database triggers
Correct answer: SIF (Services Integration Framework) real-time API pattern
The SIF real-time API pattern allows transactional systems to query and update master data synchronously via web services, supporting latency-sensitive integration scenarios.
Question 6: In Informatica MDM Hub, what is a 'base object extension' and when is it used?
- A child table that stores overflow attributes for records exceeding the base object column limit
- An additional set of columns added to a base object to store domain-specific attributes beyond the core entity definition (Correct answer)
- A separate schema used to archive historical versions of base object records
- A configuration file that extends the default match rules with custom logic
Correct answer: An additional set of columns added to a base object to store domain-specific attributes beyond the core entity definition
A base object extension is used to add supplementary columns to a base object without altering its core structure, allowing domain-specific attributes to be stored alongside the master record.
Question 7: What is the significance of the 'HUB_STATE_IND' column found in MDM Hub cross-reference tables?
- Indicates whether the cross-reference record is from a trusted or untrusted source system
- Tracks the active/inactive/deleted state of a cross-reference record in the MDM lifecycle (Correct answer)
- Stores the geographic state/region associated with the cross-reference record
- Represents the match confidence score assigned to this source's contribution
Correct answer: Tracks the active/inactive/deleted state of a cross-reference record in the MDM lifecycle
HUB_STATE_IND tracks the lifecycle state of a cross-reference record, indicating whether it is active, pending, inactive, or logically deleted within the MDM Hub processing pipeline.
MDM Architecture and Datamodel 5
In Informatica MDM Hub, what is the difference between a 'landing table' and a 'staging table'?