How did you learn DataStage?

[lpadrta]

Learned DataStage, QM, MetaStage, SAP Extract, BW Load Pack, etc. with Ardent/Informix and on to Ascential, then a couple of years at a company as the wearing-all-the-hats Ascential product support and DataStage architect/designer/bottle-washer, then off to independent consulting. dsxchange has been an INVALUABLE source of knowledge and tips/tricks over the years (and the oliver.com web site, too). Not having much luck breaking the 8.0 experience barrier, tho.

[Offshored2002]

On the fly training, "here's the software, here are the .pdf files and here is a large project for you to do."

So by experimenting, reading the manuals (somewhat useful) and reading posts here (very useful) since early 2008, I am getting the hang of things.

[stotman]

Hi All,
Recently Arnd poped an interesting question,
How did our community learn to use this product?

Please take a minute to answer this poll

Regards,

Lol while I'm not quite as old a timer as Ernie, Arnd, Ray and others I was the second ardent employee hired in the uk and attended one of the first engineering training courses in MK along with Wesley & Bupesh & Arron but then to be honest I really learnt from Nigel Terry, Sunil Patel, Mat Ludlam, Andrew Webb, Len Greenwood, Chris McGill, These Ostic & Wussing blokes, Mike Ruland, Danny Owens, Mike Carney

All the smart old gits

Cheers

Steve

[rjhcc]

I learned from a mix of most of choices you offer. Since I can't claim any single one and there is no way to pick more than one answer, I'm posting.

[bcarlson]

I learned Torrent Orchestrate first on my own then took DataStage classes from Ascential when the product was assimilated into DataStage.

Ditto (same company). We also had a custom class several years ago from local training company.

Brad

[bikan]

Oracle PL/SQL etl codes -> DataStage jobs. Thats how it happened, no formal training.

[RodBarnes]

Once DataStage Server had been selected as our ETL tool, I attended a one week class with an Ascential instructor. Personally, I felt the class was worthless to a great extent. The class took us through running the clients (which I could have just have easily done on my own) and went through building the demo jobs but never explained why we were doing what we were doing. I still came away with nearly no idea of what DataStage could do or, more importantly, when I should do what.

I spent a good deal of time with each stage to see what they did, read the help, built some jobs, etc. -- and then happened upon DSXchange. It has done more to help me understand DataStage and use it effectively than anything else I've encountered.

[Aravindhan]

Hello experts,

I never had worked with DataStage but I know to backup jobs using Manager (v7.5.2). With this knowledge I was sent to client's place where I failed in the face-to-face interview but until I get a replacement I was asked to wait. Meanwhile, I used the chance to open and see what the tool comprises of. The project is to implement HCM, no development, so I got a chance to see (pre-designed) jobs... On just looking the job I could visualize some idea behind the design. On opening each stage's properties, I could collect some info and understand about each stage in every job.

On those days, ETL developers were in great demand, which delayed my client to find a replacement. I sent a document (which I understood and developed from the jobs) to my client and they were impressed and grant me a chance to continue in the same project. I succeeded in the product implementation and at the end I did it individually. Like how my DS career had started and now I'm working in 7th DataStage project and in Malaysia.

Best Regards,
Aravindhan D

[rameshrr3]

Datastage is a great tool to solve business problems of data integration, Key to any successful implmentation of a BI project is understanding the rationale and business reason /logic for it, which is what any client is really interested in. The Client needs to be confident that we're not there just to work on any fancy technology, but to implement a BI/Data Integration solution, and Datastage is just a tool, although amazing on its own in terms of technical complexity and underlying architecture. Its becoming a tougher market to sell speciality skills as most clients use out of the box solution, with little customization or due to resourcing constraints. So not breaking the 8.0 barrier is not necessarily a handicap as long as you can assimilate the requirements quickly and apply problem solving skills to implement a solution.

As for me i sstarted off by learning on the job with a seasoned DataStage professional (version 4.0 Server Edition on Windows in 2001 was my first experience with datastage, I currently work on 7.52 Server Edition and 8.01 Enterprise Edition, ( Solaris and AIX).), havent broken the z/OS or AS/400 barrier

[DeepakCorning]

Good Stuff !!!

[chaks]

Mine is very funny...! I was on bench for 3 months with VB.NET Skills, then installed DataStage on my laptop and learnt on my own and happy ever after....

[sysmq]

hi
i have learned DS from the manuals and how to since the former DS system guy left


so.... i stepped in .

[cwillems]

Learned server from manuals using version DS3.2 after becoming warehouse director in 1998 and then joined Ardent in 2000, learned how to use enterprise edition again from manuals after some practical experience become certified in 2004. Have started using 8.1 release at my current engagement.

[anshul_roy]

I am still on the process of learning. My basic learning process is questioning the forum & trying to solve the questions posted by others, reading the datastage books & stuffs like that. In nutshell, it is completely trial & error as there was no training for me when i was asked to work on datastage.

[Abhijeet1980]

Believe me, many of us learnt from colleagues and seniors but hesitant to admit that.

Hardly, any org goes for such trainings by putting lot of money. Instead, they hire a couple of seniors and makes a bunch of juniors join them and learn.

Out of curiosity, we arrange for some cracked or pirated verions on our desktops and add to our knowledge.

Admitting your fallacy is not crime (but to hide it is certainly).

Kind regards,
Abhijit Gaikwad