In this guide, you will find all the information you need to know about the ETL software. You will learn about the main advantages of this program.
What is ETL?
ETL is a coding instrument that includes several functions that retrieve data from particular source relational database systems, and then convert the retrieved data into the required form using different methods. After this procedure, it transfers the obtained data to the destination database.
ETL software is a combination of three database functions: retrieve, convert, and upload.
Retrieval is the process of examining data from one or more databases, with all data retrieved from various sources being reformatted to the same data storage format to move on to the next step, conversion
Conversion is the forming process of converting the obtained data into a format that is required as an output or into a form that is appropriate for placement in other databases.
Uploading is the process of writing the required output to the destination database.
Why an ETL system is needed
The main goal of the ETL system is to assist in making your system database more organized and provide your users with reliable reporting. There are usually two problems in a database that make it difficult to perform the actions described above:
1. It can be random errors that occur at the data entry, data transfer, or error level
2. Or it is a mismatch between the information contained in the directories and the data details between the respective IT systems.
And if the first problem is quite solvable, the second can hardly be called a problem, because differences in the data structure are the norm.
Nevertheless, because of this feature, the ETL system must solve two problems:
1. To format all data into one system of values, to ensure its quality and reliability.
2. Provide an audit trail during data conversion, so that it is clear later on from which sources each line of formatted data came.
The best ETL tools and their features
1) QuerySurge – developed especially for testing automation of data warehouses and large data.
Features:
- High level of data quality and management
- Fast data delivery speed
- Performs manual testing automatically
- Delivers frequently used automatic email messages and data health information dashboards.
2) Xplenty is a cloud ETL software that offers simple rendered data feeds for automated data streams over a broad spectrum of sources and locations.
Features:
- Transfers and transforms data among internal databases or data warehouses
- Centers and prepares data for BI
- Recreational API plug-in for pulling data from any recreational API
3) CloverDX is a data integration platform built for people who need complete and precise control over what they do.
Features:
- Top-tier automation and process transformation
- Hosted in the cloud or locally, scaling by cores or cluster nodes
- Can work seamlessly with your existing IT environment
- Excellent customer support
- You can extend and create frameworks yourself to share with colleagues later.