Understanding PeopleSoft Data Mover

This section provides an overview of PeopleSoft Data Mover.

Note: PeopleSoft supports a number of versions of UNIX and Linux in addition to Microsoft Windows. Throughout this documentation, we make reference to operating system configuration requirements. Where necessary, the documentation refers to specific operating systems by name. However, for simplicity the word UNIX refers to all UNIX-like operating systems, including Linux.

PeopleSoft Data Mover enables you to:

  • Transfer application data between PeopleSoft databases.

  • Move PeopleSoft databases across operating systems and database platforms.

  • Execute Structured Query Language (SQL) statements against any PeopleSoft database, regardless of the underlying operating system or database platform.

  • Control database security and access.

  • Create, edit, and run scripts.

    These scripts may include any combination of SQL commands and PeopleSoft Data Mover commands for exporting and importing data.

Note: Data in PeopleSoft databases generally can't be transferred directly between major releases using PeopleSoft Data Mover. For example, you can't import data from a PeopleTools 7.x database into a PeopleTools 8.x database.

There are two ways to run PeopleSoft Data Mover:

  • Using the Data Mover development environment.

    This a graphical user interface (GUI), which runs only in Microsoft Windows. Use the Data Mover shortcut in the PeopleSoft program group. Select Start, Programs, your_PSFT_program_group, Data Mover.

  • Using the Data Mover command-line interface.

    The command-line interface is intended mainly for UNIX servers. You run PeopleSoft Data Mover from a console in Microsoft Windows and from a telnet session in UNIX.

Note: PeopleSoft Data Mover runs in two-tier mode only. You must sign in to the database directly, not through an application server.

You set Data Mover environment variables in PeopleSoft Configuration Manager on Windows and in the psconfig.sh for UNIX.

Operating modes determine how you are connected to the database. PeopleSoft Data Mover operating modes are:

  • Regular mode.

    Most of the time, you use regular mode. To sign in to regular mode, enter your PeopleSoft user ID and password during sign-in. In regular mode, all commands are valid.

  • Bootstrap mode.

    In bootstrap mode, you use a database access ID and password when signing in. Typically, you use bootstrap mode for database loading, because no PeopleSoft security tables are established yet. You also use bootstrap mode for running some security commands, such as ENCRYPT_PASSWORD.

    Note: In bootstrap mode, the following script commands are not valid: EXPORT and RENAME.