Impact Analysis - A Deep Dive

Overview

Impact Analysis feature analyzes and traces the impact of changes for source metadata and profiled results to all other identified source systems within the lineage. The Impact Analysis tracks the data elements that are impacted, both upstream and downstream to the affected data objects.

Note: It is required to build the Lineage for all the data objects before performing Impact Analysis for complete information.

In OvalEdge, the data object on which the impact analysis is performed is called the Affected Data Object. OvalEdge Impact Analysis can be performed on six different data object types:

• Tables
• Files
• Reports
• Table columns
• File columns
• Report columns

Navigating Advanced Tools

Users (Admin user with Author license having MW permission) can access the Impact Analysis feature in OvalEdge by navigating to the Advanced Tools section, located in the left panel. Upon clicking on Advanced Tools, users will find a dedicated tab for Impact Analysis. This tab will lead the user to the main Impact Analysis screen. Here, users can explore a comprehensive list of all impact analyses.

Impact Analysis

• View Impact Analysis Records

The main screen of Impact Analysis presents users with a comprehensive list of analysis records, offering insights into various details mentioned below: 

• • Impact Analysis Name

This field displays the user-provided name of the impact analysis created during the record's initiation. 

• • Title

Users input a title for the record during its creation, and this title is showcased in this field.

• • No. of Source Objects

Reflecting the total count of source objects added in the specific impact analysis record for discovering its impact on the upstream and downstream objects in the lineage. 

• • Number of Impacted Objects

This field reveals the total count of impacted objects within the analysis records, derived from the analysis of impacted objects originating from the source objects within that analysis.

• Adding impact analysis

The user can add new impact analysis by clicking on “Add Impact Analysis," available in the 9 dots.

 

• • Summary

Upon accessing a specific analysis record, users will be directed to the Summary page of the Impact Analysis. This page provides an overview of the analysis, with detailed explanations available in the following sections of this document.

• • Business Description

Users can input a business description, offering contextual information related to the business for the impact analysis.

• • Impact Analysis Properties

• • • Number of Downstream Objects 

Indicates the count of source objects with the analysis type Downstream.

• • • Number Of Upstream Objects

Displays the count of source objects with the analysis type Upstream.

• • • Number of Downstream Objects with Association

Represents the count of source objects with the analysis type Downstream with association.

• • • Number of Upstream Objects with Association

Shows the count of source objects with the analysis type Upstream with association.

• • • Total number of Source Objects

Presents the overall count of source objects added in the impact analysis, encompassing all analysis types.

• • Source Objects

• • • Viewing Source Objects

In the Impact Analysis page, the Source Object section provides detailed information about the objects that has been added for performing Impact analysis, including:

• • • • Object Details: This section reveals various details about the object, such as the connector and schema name associated with the object. It also specifies the name and type of the source object.

• • • • Analysis Type: Displays the chosen type of analysis for the added object.

• • • • Job Status: Shows the status of the last job, indicating the discovery of impacted objects for that specific object.

• • • • Impact Count: Displays the count of objects impacted by the particular source object.

• • • • Impact Level: Specifies the level of lineage entered for the impact analysis. 

• • • Adding Source Object

• • • • Ways to add Source Object

There are various methods through which a user can include source objects in an impact analysis to identify affected objects.

• • • • • Through the impact analysis screen

Users can add source objects to an impact analysis by using the impact analysis module found in Advanced Tools. On the screen, there's a "+" icon that makes it easy to include source objects in the analysis. Users can also  specify the type of analysis and its impact level during this process.

• • • • • Through Data Catalog

Users can choose the object they want to include in the impact analysis from the data catalog. By clicking on the 9 dots, they can find the option "Add to impact analysis." Clicking on this option prompts the user to select the impact analysis job where they wish to add the chosen objects. During this process, the user has to specify the analysis type and impact level for the selected objects.

• • • • • Through Compare Schema 

Users also have the capability to incorporate objects into the Impact Analysis using the Compare Schema module found in Advanced Tools. Following the comparison of two schemas, users receive the comparison results in a tabular format. Within this display, users can add the desired object to the impact analysis by clicking on the icon associated with each object name. This icon becomes visible when the user hovers over the object name in the table.

Additionally, users can add objects to the impact analysis directly from the 9 dots menu available on the result page. The 9 dots menu offers four options:

• • • • • • Add deleted tables to Impact Analysis: This choice adds the deleted tables from the compared schemas to the impact analysis.
          • Add deleted columns to Impact Analysis: This option includes the deleted columns from the compared schemas in the impact analysis.
          • Add changed columns to Impact Analysis: Users can select this option to add the changed columns from the compared schemas to the impact analysis.
          • Add To Impact Analysis: This option enables users to add the selected object directly from the result page to the impact analysis.

• • • • • Through LMDF

Users can add source objects to the impact analysis using the "Load Metadata from Files" feature in Advanced Tools. To do this, users need to fill in a template and then update it to insert the specified objects. For a more detailed explanation, refer to the instructions provided in the "Load Metadata from Files" document.

• • • • Analysis type

• • • • • Downstream

Analyze the total downstream dependencies of data objects (table, file, report). 

• • • • • Upstream

Analyze total upstream dependencies of the data object (Table, File, Report).

• • • • • Downstream with Associations

Analyze downstream dependencies of data objects along with executed queries and the objects that are associated with the query. Associations in impact analysis also includes references.

• • • • • Upstream with Associations

Analyze upstream dependencies of data objects along with executed queries.

• • • • Object Type

This feature enables users to precisely choose entities such as tables, files, reports, and APIs to  tailor the selection to their needs by selecting only the relevant object types for a more focused addition of the object in Impact Analysis.

• • • • Select by

The "Select by" feature in Ovaledge offers users two search options for adding data to the impact analysis: "Search by name" and "Search by ID." With "Search by name," users can easily locate and include data in the analysis by entering its name. Similarly, with "Search by ID," users have the option to search for and add data using its unique object ID. 

• • • Discover Impacted Objects

• • • • Impact Level

Users specify the "Impact Level" before conducting impact analysis, representing the level of lineage analysis. For instance, setting the level to 2 would analyze objects up to two levels in the lineage. To analyze all levels, users can input "-1" as the impact level.

• • • • Discover Impacted Objects for source Objects

This option enables users to explore impacted objects for selected items from the Source Object table in the impact analysis. It allows for a focused examination of the effects on specific source objects.

• • • • Discover Impacted Objects for all source Objects  

Users can choose to analyze the impact on all source objects added to the impact analysis. This option provides a comprehensive overview of the impact on every source object.

• • • Delete Source Objects  

Users can selectively remove source objects from the impact analysis using this option. It offers flexibility in refining the analysis scope by excluding specific objects.

• • • Invite User

The "Invite User" feature permits users to invite others to participate in the impact analysis. Invited users must have an Author License with the necessary Meta-Write permission on the data object to perform any operation on the analysis.

• • Impacted Objects
    

    • Navigating Impacted Objects view

• • • • Impact Type

The "Analysis Type" field reveals the type of impact analysis performed, specified by the user during the analysis execution. It could be categorized as Downstream, Upstream, Downstream with Association, or Upstream with Association, offering insights into the direction and scope of the impact.

• • • • Reviewed Status

This column features a checkbox allowing reviewers to mark objects as reviewed. Once checked, the adjacent "Reviewed by" and "Reviewed date" columns are automatically populated with reviewer information. This facilitates tracking the review status of impacted objects.

• • • • Impact Level

The "Impact Level" column showcases the position of the impacted object within the lineage. It provides a quick reference to understand the depth or height of the object in relation to the origin or destination in the data lineage.

• • • • Show/Hide Columns

The "Show/Hide Columns" option grants users the ability to customize their view by toggling the visibility of specific columns. This feature enhances user flexibility, allowing them to focus on the most relevant information and hide less pertinent details for a streamlined analysis experience.

• • • Operations on Impacted objects

• • • • Add to projects

The "Add to Projects" option empowers users to seamlessly include impacted objects into the default project. This operation ensures that relevant impacted objects are efficiently organized within the project

• • • • Remove from Projects

The "Remove from Projects" option allows users to exclude specific impacted objects from the default project.

• • • • Download Impacted Objects

The "Download Impacted Objects" option provides users with the ability to download information related to impacted objects. Upon selecting this option, a popup window prompts the user to choose between two download options:

• • • • • All: Download all impacted objects.
        • Custom Range: Specify a custom range, defined by lower and upper row numbers, to download a specific subset of impacted objects. This level of customization enhances the user's control over downloaded data, ensuring flexibility in data extraction based on specific requirements.

• • • • Invite Users

The "Invite User" feature permits users to invite others to participate in the impact analysis. Invited users must have an Author License with the necessary Meta Write permission on the data object to perform any operation on the analysis.

• Delete Impact Analysis 

The "Delete Impact Analysis" option in Ovaledge provides users with a straightforward means to remove an entire impact analysis. Upon selecting this option and confirming the delete operation, a job is submitted within the system to execute the deletion process. This ensures that users can efficiently manage their impact analyses by removing unwanted or outdated assessments.

•  System Settings 

impactanalysis.source.objects : User can access this setting from Administration → System Settings → Others. This setting is provided to limit the number of source objects that can be added in a single impact analysis.