What is our primary use case?
We use the solution primarily as an ETL.
How has it helped my organization?
It helps with the automation process. We have a lot of requests from the user to create for them data alerts. We have had some success using Informatica.
What is most valuable?
It is an excellent tool. It covers our needs.
The solution is used mostly to handle our daily data loads in our data warehouse. We've been successful so far using it.
It provides monitoring and we can therefore be aware of what is happening when we are handling jobs.
The ETL and monitoring tools are the most useful for us.
The transformations we need to do, to comply with user requests, is very easy with this product.
The solution is stable.
It can scale.
What needs improvement?
We also have a data integrator, and if we were to compare the software together, the one thing Informatica doesn't have is the ability to create the script inside the solution. We need to rely on Unix or Windows. We can't do the scripting in Informatica itself. We need better integration potential.
The FTP tools that the solution has are limited.
If you want to transfer a ZIP file, it is a pain. You need to use Command-Line. Sometimes we just want to transfer a file. It should be easy to move them from A to B.
I want to eliminate interdependencies on the script. If Informatica could do everything, it would be a more powerful tool.
We'd like to have all of the capabilities available in the cloud available also on PowerCenter.
The solution is expensive.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Sometimes we have problems, however, the problems are in the database, not Informatica. The solution is very stable. It's reliable. I'd rate it ten out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We're in the process of moving to the cloud.
PowerCenter itself can scale.
How are customer service and support?
I've never contacted technical support. Typically, I will Google an answer to my questions. It's easy to find what I need on their website or online.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I did not use a different solution. This is my first experience working with a data center. I did use the ETL from Microsoft that came with the SQL server.
How was the initial setup?
I didn't handle the installation. I did practice installing on my workstation to practice, and it was easy. However, for the entire company, it was handled by a third party.
While it is on-premises right now, we have plans to move everything to the cloud in the short term. We are working on that right now.
What about the implementation team?
The installation process is done by a third party.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I don't deal with licensing and have never seen an invoice. I am aware it is expensive, however. It's as expensive as Oracle. When you want to use the best brands, you have to pay.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I did not evaluate other solutions. By the time I came to the company, this solution was already in use.
When I was in another bank, we selected Informatica which was a recommendation of a consultant. Informatica at that time was one of the best ETL tools, even though it was expensive.
What other advice do I have?
I'm an end-user.
The solution is very popular. I'd rate it ten out of ten. It is an excellent tool.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.