Because the Teradata Database metadata is a central part of the Teradata MDS repository, it is vital to the use of MDS that the information be kept up to date and dynamically reflect any changes in the Teradata active data warehouse.
The Automatic DIM Update feature is an optional component that, when enabled and configured, dynamically keeps the MDS repository synchronized with the Teradata Database Systems it describes.
Beginning with MDS 13.0, the MDS DDL Gateway (which is part of the Automatic DIM Update feature) is Unicode-enabled. If the Automatic DIM Update feature is enabled for a Teradata system, the DDL Gateway resynchronization process will attempt to make a UTF-16 session character set connection to the databases on that system.
If the DDL Gateway resynchronization process can establish a UTF-16 connection, it does not require that MDS views be installed into the DBC database on that system with the metaviews program.
If the DDL Gateway resynchronization process cannot establish a UTF-16 connection, it will run in a mode that requires that MDS views be installed into the DBC database on that system with the metaviews program.
This chapter contains general information on the Automatic DIM update feature, and information on configuration tasks required to implement and administer the feature.