Copyright © President & Fellows of Harvard College

Building a Reusable Data Integration FrameworkStrategic Agility

David AznavoorianDirector, Database Services HBS Information TechnologyJune 2011

Matt SianoPrincipal Database Engineer HBS Information TechnologyJune 2011

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Evolution of Enterprise Data Integration

The Need for a Data Integration Framework • Why Change? • Steps Taken by HBS

Enabling Change • Where to Start?• Key Considerations

The Result • A Look Inside• Success Cases • Lessons Learned

Questions

Agenda

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An evolution away from point solutions coding. While traditional data interfaces are ‘hardcoded’ solutions, specific to one use. A data integration framework is intended to define the components of a reusable information architecture, whereby publishing and consuming updates across the Enterprise are based on common Business Entity Objects (Master data).

What’s changing in Enterprise Data Integration at HBS?

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Why develop a Data Integration Framework?Information is an asset – as long as you can share it consistently

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Traditional data interfaces are ‘hardcoded’ solutions, specific to one use…

Even experienced developers have trouble managing the data flow at this level

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1. Application upgrades and new releases cause significant data integration re-development cycles – Database to Database

2. Business process improvements difficult to implement without changing code – Hardcode Business Rules

3. Only “Matt” knows how that works – Single points of failure!

What’s your favorite problem?

Bottom Line:• We all pay the price in Time ($), Credibility and Quality

What are the warning signs for change?

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1. Being a Change Agent

o Recognize you have a problem

o Communicate and build a group of internal advocates

2. Build a Clear Case/DI Strategy

o Market this as an Enterprise level strategy change

o Remediating current problems is only a short-term goal. Plan and invest for the

future, or you might never get that chance “next year”

3. Create a Governance model

o Identify the HBS Groups that will influence, either directly or indirectly, the

requirements upon which the HBS Enterprise Data Integration Strategy will be

developed and deployed.

The steps taken at HBS towards change

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Enabling ChangeTurning a Roadmap into Reality

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PowerCenter (Advanced Edition)

• An enterprise data integration platform for accessing, discovering, and integrating data

from virtually any business system, in any format, and delivering that data throughout

the enterprise.

Some major options procured:

• Power Exchange for Web Services to act as a web services provider and consumer with 3rd party

systems by using predefined transformations.

• Real Time Option to service requests on demand, as opposed to batch, for web services provider

or other event based protocols.

• High Availability Option minimizes service interruptions during hardware and/or software outages

and reduces costs associated with data downtime.

• Data Cleanse and Match Option features powerful, integrated cleansing and matching capabilities

to correct and remove duplicate customer data.

Where did we start?…Informatica is at the core of the DI Framework

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Thinking about data as a Business Object

• Shared Business Entity Objects within the HBS Enterprise database are defined by a common

object XSD, as an abstraction of the base tables that make up that entity. Thereby they relieve

the Source applications from having to understand the direct database table interrelationships.

Designing a reusable Transformation Layer

• Mappings are the details of the transaction data handling (i.e. Transformations) that occur from

Source to Target. Examples of typical transformations can include derived data capture, complex

calculations, data validation and cleansing.

Define an Interface Protocol

• The primary role of the interface, or abstraction layer is to transform Source data inputs into a

common format for transaction processing. The format we chose to represent these data inputs

in a common form is XML.

From building blocks to a DI Framework

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Let’s take a look insideInformatica and HEDEx

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HBS Enterprise Data Exchange (HEDEx)

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When to use a DI framework Guidelines for your team

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When to use a DI framework

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External Relations – Alumni Data Management

• An enhanced reporting solution for Donor Behavior which interfaces with our external

Alumni clubs (Alumni Magnet) and data from the Harvard University Advance system.

Type – Bulk Data Load Publisher

• “I am so grateful and excited that we finally have these reports to guide and evaluate our

fundraising strategies” – Charlotte Smith, Director, Development Marketing and

Production

Executive Education – Program Delivery

• Transfers participant and program data, and enables the transition from enrollment

(CRM) to program delivery tools that are Enterprise-based applications. Type – Change

Data Publisher

• Reduced maintenance hours - 40% drop from the same review period in the previous year

and provides early notification of errors and self-service correction.

Start with small success stories to build upon

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The real value in a DI Framework!

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Form a Data Integration Special Interest Group to address

• Define standards around Business Entity Objects for DI use across the enterprise.

• Create a framework for documentation, review, development and consumption of DI

components.

• Draft a DI Strategy and Roadmap: A DI framework is a product like any other!

Not everything works the way its advertised

• Informatica is an enterprise level tool suite (e.g. not Toad for Oracle). The greater the

effort put into building the Mappings and Workflows the first time, the better the

opportunity for re-use. Caution: allow for the unexpected

Training is not optional

• While skill and determination will get you into a new technical tool suite, there is no

substitute for formal training.

Lessons we’ve learned so far

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• Share Point Integration…

• Oracle PeopleSoft (Campus Solutions) Integration…

• Restate our HEDEx Roadmap…

So what’s next…