Data Transformation Engine Getting Started

Chapter 1 - Introduction
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multiple inputs to multiple outputs. All of these capabilities supplement simple, drag-and-drop mapping
where needed.
Using Mercator’s E-Business Broker Suite, data in an output does not have to come from an input. You
can compute data, look up something in a database, sort, extract, merge or use any of dozens of
Mercator functions to create output.
You can map an output to another output. For example, you can map an output that was generated at the
top of an output, to the bottom of output—supporting the need to summarize, tally, or validate what has
been created. You can also map an output that was generated in one output, to another output. For
example, you can generate a message as one output and archive it as another output.
Multiple input sources and output targets can be used in a single map to provide any-to-any mapping in
terms of content. Any-to-any mapping includes any-to-many, many-to-any, and many-to-many data
sources and targets to support common integration needs, such as creating a sales distribution document
and an invoice from the same purchase order and perhaps updating the inventory database at the same
time.
Defining Data Sources and Targets
A data source is defined by specifying a resource adapter for an input. A data target is defined by
specifying a resource adapter for an output. Products in the Mercator family include resource adapters
for files, memory, databases, messaging middleware products, HTTPS, LDAP, FTP, e-mail, and more.
Still others provide for interfacing with specific applications. Furthermore, you can even develop your
own adapters, enabling new types of data sources and targets, by using the open adapter interface
provided.
The way business objects are defined and the way map rules are specified can be independent of the
actual data source or data target. Business objects deal with the format and content of the data, serving
to answer questions such as “what should the data look like?” and “what should the value of the data
be?” Maps deal with the transformation logic required to create new business objects from existing
ones. By contrast, resource adapters answer the questions “where should the data come from” and
“where should the data go to.”
During interface design, you specify a resource adapter for each input and for each output. These
resource adapters are the default adapters to be used during execution. You can always change the