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FAQs

Why use CloverETL?
CloverETL can effectively and comfortably process data operations like collection, integration, consolidation, transfer, transformation etc.

Why use CloverETL Designer?
CloverETL Designer can vastly improve and simplify user interaction with CloverETL.

Why use CloverETL Server?
CloverETL Server builds on top of successfull & proven CloverETL engine and brings enterprise features which the engine lacks. For details, go to the CloverETL Enterprise Edtitions page.

What does "ETL" mean?
ETL is an abbreviation for extract, transform, load. Usualy, we use the term ETL in Business Intelligence as a specific part of the BI process where we collect data from different sources, transform data into a desired result and load such result into a data warehouse.

Describe CloverETL Designer environment please.
CloverETL Designer is a graphical modul implemented in the Eclipse framework as a plugin. The CloverETL Designer runs on any platform with JVM (Java Virtual Machine) - version 6 or higher.

What kind of data can CloverETL process?
CloverETL can process any structured data, whether stored in a database, file or other system. Data sources and data targets alike can be a combination of various independent databases and files.

Which databases can I use?
Just about any database with JDBC driver (DB2, Derby, MS SQL, MySQL, Oracle, PostgreSQL, SQLLite, Sybase and 15 others). CloverETL also offers native bulk loaders for several databases (Oracle, MSSQL, Informix, DB2, MySQL, PostgreSQL). MSAccess database can be easily accessed through JDBC-ODBC bridge.

Which files can be processed?
Files with structured data: flat files using delimiters, files with fixed record length, mixture of delimited & fix-lengh, XML files, Excel sheets, dBase files, etc.

Can I read/write data remotely?
CloverETL supports access to remote data through FTP, HTTP/S, SFTP/SSH protocols (even through proxy servers). It also supports R/W on middleware's message queues and read/write access through LDAP protocol.

Does Clover handle zip/gzip files?
Yes, Clover supports reading/writing data from/to ZIP, GZIP and TAR (only read) archives.  Moreover, it supports reading or writing of remote archives (accessed through HTTP/FTP/SFTP protocols).

What about XML data
Clover allows both reading & writing XML data. It offers fast access through so-called SAX parsing which works with very large (>GBs) XML data files or convenient XPath access. It has two specialized components for creating XML files. Clover also supports transforming XML data through XSLT.

Can I access Web Services ?
Yes, Clover supports accessing Web Services through robust SOAP protocol or more lightweight REST style.

Is CloverETL Designer free?
CloverETL Designer is a commercial/paid software. CloverETL Community is a free of charge variant with some limited functionality.

Is it possible to specify a user-defined or customized component?
Yes. When you develop your own component definition (XML file), you should import it through Windows-Preferences-CloverETL-Components.

What does "metadata" mean?
Metadata means data, which describes other data, like the real data processed by the CloverETL engine.

What is the difference between an external and internal metadata?
Metadata defined as internal (part of graph file) can be used inside its transformation graph only. External metadata (external file in fact) can be used in any transformation graph within its project.

What is the difference between an external and internal connection?
Connection defined as internal can be used inside its transformation graph only whereas connection defined as External can be used in any transformation graph within its project.

Where can I find documentation or installation instructions?
You can find documentation under Resources section. Use Download section to evaluate or get purchased product. You can follow these installation instructions.

I downloaded CloverETL Designer, but my transformation graphs do not run.
Please check all of the following: You have defined the Project that your graph is created in. You have added external JARs (cloveretl-engine,log4j and commons-loggin) in Project-Properties-Java Build path. For detailed information see section on Documentation. If using Windows check also JAR tools.

My evaluation license expired. Is it posssible to extend the evaluation period?
Yes, you can send us a request for another evaluation license. If the request is approved, you will recieve an email with reactivating information.

I have lost my password. What can I do ?
You may recover you password if you still remember the e-mail under which you registered. Please go to Password recovery page.