Evaluate and Learn Pentaho Data Integration (PDI)

This section familiarizes you with PDI and introduces you to basic terminology and concepts. Then, you learn how to start and configure Spoon and take a spin through the interface.

• Get a basic understanding of what PDI does.
• View a video that explains how PDI fits into the Business Analytics Platform.
• Read about Pentaho Data Integration Architecture.

Spoon is the PDI design tool. In this section you will set up Spoon, take a tour of the Spoon interface, and learn about the different Spoon perspectives.

• Check out the hardware and software requirements for PDI.
• Download Trial version of the Pentaho Suite and install the software. (The platform includes PDI.)
• Learn how to install PDI only.
• Configure the Pentaho Server.
• Start the Pentaho Server.
• Access Spoon.
• Tour Spoon Perspectives interface.
• Read about Terminology and Basic Concepts.

Now that your environment is set up and you are familiar with Spoon, you are ready to build transformations and jobs. Work through the tutorial in this section.

• Create a connection to the Pentaho Repository.
• Work through the exercise on Creating a Transformation that involves a flat file. Click through the links that are on the bottom of the page to complete the exercise.
• Create a job to execute the transformation.
• Schedule a job to execute the transformation at a later time.
• Review commonly-used steps and job entries.

In this section, you will learn how to use transformation steps to connect to a variety of Big Data data sources, including Hadoop, NoSQL, and analytical databases such as MongoDB. You can then try working through the detailed, step-by-step tutorials, and peruse the out-of-the-box steps that Spoon provides. Learn how to work with Streamlined Data Refinery. Then, you will have an opportunity to move beyond the basics and learn how to edit transformations and metadata models.

• Watch one of our Big Data Videos.
• Learn how to work with Streamlined Data Refinery.
• Learn how to auto model using the Build Model job entry and how this feature intersects with Analyzer.
• Find out what Big Data steps are available, out-of-the-box.
• Find out which Hadoop Distributions are available and how to configure them. (Note, you should already have a cluster set up to perform this task.)
• Edit Transformations and Metadata Models.
• Watch a video about how to use PDI to blend Big Data.

• Use Pan and Kitchen Command Line Tools to work with Transformations and Jobs
• Use Carte Clusters to:
  • Run Transformations and Jobs on a Carte Cluster
  • Scheduled Jobs to Run on a Remote Carte Server
  • Stop or URLStop Carte from the Command Line Interface or URL
  • Run Transformations and Jobs from the Repository on the Carte Server