Introduction

JSON / REST API is becoming more and more popular each day as everyone embrace cloud-centric services. This article is primarily focused on Informatica users who want to access FTP/SFTP JSON File data or may be other API Integration in Informatica. However many tips and techniques described in this article will help you to understand how to integrate XML SOAP / JSON / REST API in other ETL / Reporting apps such as Tableau, Power BI, SSRS, Talend, Excel and many more.

After going through this article you will learn how to Read FTP/SFTP JSON File / JSON / REST API data in Informatica and understand the concept of JSON / REST API. We will go through many screenshots and step-by-step examples to demonstrate  JSON File or REST API integration in Informatica PowerCenter.

XML / JSON can come from a local file or REST API service (internal or public) so we will include both examples in this article (i.e. Read JSON files in Informatica,  Import REST API in Informatica). So let’s get started. Next article will focus on how to write data to API in Informatica (POST / PUT data)

Requirements

This article assumes that you have full filled following basic requirements.

1. Download Install ZappySys ODBC PowerPack (API Driver for FTP/SFTP JSON File included)
2. Install Informatica PowerCenter Client Tools (e.g. Workflow and Mapping Designers)
3. Access to a Relational database such as SQL Server (or use any of your choice e.g. Oracle, MySQL, DB2 ). If nothing available then you can use flat file target.

High level Steps for Import FTP/SFTP JSON File data using Informatica (Read FTP/SFTP JSON File API data)

Before we dive deep to learn how to load FTP/SFTP JSON File data in Informatica (i.e. FTP/SFTP JSON File to SQL Table), Here the summary of high-level steps you need to perform to import JSON Files or REST API in Informatica.

1. Download and Install ZappySys API Driver (for connecting to FTP/SFTP JSON File)
2. Create ODBC DSN using ZappySys API driver and choose FTP/SFTP JSON File Connector during Wizard
3. Create Relational > ODBC Connection in Informatica Workflow designer (Point to DSN we created in the previous step)
4. Import JSON Source Definition in the Informatica Mapping Designer > Sources Tab
5. Import Target Table Definition in the Informatica Mapping Designer > Targets Tab
6. Create source to target mapping in Mappings tab
7. Save mapping (name m_API_to_SQL_Load )
8. Create Session using the mapping we created in the previous step
9. Save Workflow and execute to load FTP/SFTP JSON File data into SQL Table. Verify your data and log.
   

   Loading FTP/SFTP JSON File data to SQL Table in Informatica (Import REST API or JSON Files)

Video Tutorial – Read any API / JSON data in Informatica (Load FTP/SFTP JSON File to SQL Table)

Getting Started – Import FTP/SFTP JSON File to SQL Server in Informatica

Now let’s get started. For example purpose, we will read data from FTP/SFTP JSON File and load data into SQL Server Table using Informatica Workflow.

Create ODBC Data Source (DSN) based on ZappySys SFTP JSON Driver

To get data from FtP/SftpjsonFileConnector using Informatica we first need to create a DSN (Data Source) which will access data from FtP/SftpjsonFileConnector. We will later be able to read data using Informatica. Perform these steps:

1. Install ZappySys ODBC PowerPack.

2. Open ODBC Data Sources (x64):
   

3. Create a User Data Source (User DSN) based on ZappySys SFTP JSON Driver

   ZappySys SFTP JSON Driver

   
   You should create a System DSN (instead of a User DSN) if the client application is launched under a Windows System Account, e.g. as a Windows Service. If the client application is 32-bit (x86) running with a System DSN, use ODBC Data Sources (32-bit) instead of the 64-bit version.

4. Create and configure a connection for the FTP/SFTP storage account.

   

5. You can use select your desired single file by clicking [...] path button.

   mybucket/dbo.tblNames.json

   dbo.tblNames.json

   
   
   
   ----------OR----------

   You can also read the multiple files stored in FTP/SFTP Storage using wildcard pattern supported e.g. dbo.tblNames*.json.
   

   Note: If you want to operation with multiple files then use wild card pattern as below 
   (when you use wild card pattern in source path then system will treat target path as folder regardless you end with slash)
   
   mybucket/dbo.tblNames.json (will read only single .JSON file)
   mybucket/dbo.tbl*.json (all files starting with file name)
   mybucket/*.json (all files with .json Extension and located under folder subfolder)
   

   mybucket/dbo.tblNames*.json

   
   
   
   ----------OR----------

   You can also read the zip and gzip compressed files also without extracting it in using FTP/SFTP JSON Source File Task.

   mybucket/dbo.tblNames*.gz

   

6. Now select/enter Path expression in Path textbox to extract only specific part of JSON string as below ($.value[*] will get content of value attribute from JSON document. Value attribute is array of JSON documents so we have to use [*] to indicate we want all records of that array)
   

   NOTE: Here, We are using our desired filter, but you need to select your desired filter based on your requirement.
   Go to Preview Tab.
   

7. Navigate to the Preview Tab and let's explore the different modes available to access the data.
   

   1. --- Using Direct Query ---

      Click on Preview Tab, Select Table from Tables Dropdown and select [value] and click Preview.
      

   2. --- Using Stored Procedure ---

      Note : For this you have to Save ODBC Driver configuration and then again reopen to configure same driver. For more information click here.
      Click on the Custom Objects Tab, Click on Add button and select Add Procedure and Enter an appropriate name and Click on OK button to create.
      

      1. --- Without Parameters ---

         Now Stored Procedure can be created with or without parameters (see example below). If you use parameters then Set default value otherwise it may fail to compilation)
         
         

      2. --- With Parameters ---

         Note : Here you can use Placeholder with Paramters in Stored Procedure. Example : SELECT * FROM $ WHERE OrderID = '<@OrderID, FUN_TRIM>' or CustId = '<@CustId>' and Total >= '<@Total>'
         

   3. --- Using Virtual Table ---

      Note : For this you have to Save ODBC Driver configuration and then again reopen to configure same driver. For more information click here.

      ZappySys APi Drivers support flexible Query language so you can override Default Properties you configured on Data Source such as URL, Body. This way you don't have to create multiple Data Sources if you like to read data from multiple EndPoints. However not every application support supplying custom SQL to driver so you can only select Table from list returned from driver.

      Many applications like MS Access, Informatica Designer wont give you option to specify custom SQL when you import Objects. In such case Virtual Table is very useful. You can create many Virtual Tables on the same Data Source (e.g. If you have 50 Buckets with slight variations you can create virtual tables with just URL as Parameter setting).

      vt__Customers
      DataPath=mybucket_1/customers.json
      
      vt__Orders
      DataPath=mybucket_2/orders.json
      
      vt__Products
      DataPath=mybucket_3/products.json
      

      1. Click on the Custom Objects Tab, Click on Add button and select Add Table and Enter an appropriate name and Click on OK button to create.
         
      2. Once you see Query Builder Window on screen Configure it.
         
      3. Click on Preview Tab, Select Virtual Table(prefix with vt__) from Tables Dropdown or write SQL query with Virtual Table name and click Preview.
         

8. Click OK to finish creating the data source

9. That's it; we are done. In a few clicks we configured the to Read the FTP/SFTP JSON File data using ZappySys FTP/SFTP JSON File Connector

Create Connection in Informatica Workflow Designer

Once you create DSN using API Driver our next step is to define a connection for FTP/SFTP JSON File source in Informatica PowerCenter Workflow designer.

1. Open Workflow designer [W] icon
2. Goto Connections > Relational
   

   Create a new connection for FTP/SFTP JSON File in Informatica

3. Click New and select ODBC
   

   Select ODBC connection type in Informatica (Using ZappySys API ODBC DSN)

4. Now on the ODBC connection setup enter connection name, some fake userid / password (this is a required field but its ignored by JSON Driver)
5. In the Connection String field enter the exact same name of DSN (Open ODBC Data Sources UI to confirm)
   

   Configure FTP/SFTP JSON File connection in Informatica for REST API – Using ZappySys API Driver

6. Click OK to close the connection properties.

That’s it. Now we ready to move to next step (define source and target in Mapping Designer).

Import FTP/SFTP JSON File Source Definition in Informatica Mapping Designer

Now let’s look at steps to import FTP/SFTP JSON File table definition.

1. Open Informatica Mapping Designer (Click [D] icon)
2. Click on Source Icon to switch to Sources designer
3. From the top menu > Click on Sources > Import from Database …
   

   Import FTP/SFTP JSON File Source definition in Informatica Mapping Designer (JSON file or REST API)

4. Select ODBC data source from the dropdown (Find out DSN we created earlier to use as JSON Source)
5. Click Connect button to get a list of tables. Any array node is listed as a table. Also, you will see array node with parent columns (e.g. value_with_parent). You may get some warning like below but they are harmless so just ignore by clicking OK.
   
   DLL name entry missing from C:\Informatica\PowerCenter8.6.1\client\bin\powrmart.ini Section = ODBCDLL Entry = ZappySys JSON Driver
   —————————————————-
   Using EXTODBC.DLL to support ZappySys JSON Driver. For native support of ZappySys JSON Driver make an entry in the .ini file.
   

   Select FTP/SFTP JSON File Source Table in Informatica Mapping Designer (JSON file or REST API)

6. Select Table you wish to get (You can filter rows by custom SQL query. We will see later in this article how to do)
7. Optionally once table structure is imported you can rename it
   

   Rename imported table definition in Informatica Source Designer

8. That’s it, we are now ready to perform similar steps to import Target table structure in the next section.

Import SQL Server Target Definition in Informatica Mapping Designer

Now let’s look at steps to import Target table definition (very similar to the previous section, the only difference is this time we will select DSN which points to SQL Server or any other Target Server).