Overview of alternative methods of acquiring baseline data for use with PPM

In the previous topic, you learned how to set up a connection to a host computer using the Data Subscription Facility so that baseline data is pushed to PPM and populates the namespace nightly. You also learned to download specific data sets on demand.
This section describes the following alternative methods of acquiring baseline data for use with PPM.

• Download baseline data from mainframe computers using FTP to do either of the following Manual Data Population utility (MDP) operations:
  • Populate baseline files into the PPM namespace using the Add/Overwrite option. If the files contain new data, it is added to the namespace; if they contain data for intervals already stored in the namespace, it overwrites that data.
  • Populate baseline files using the Merge data operation. This operation merges separate baseline files for the same date /time stamp interval that were derived from multiple UIE hosts into a single model using MDP. 
• Populate sample baselines included with PPM for testing or learning activities.

You can execute the Add/Overwrite and Merge data operations interactively or schedule them to run automatically according to the time and frequency that you preset, as described later in this section.