Data Interchange Services uses an export process to move information out of Data Interchange Services client. During the export process, the data is extracted from a database, then formatted and put into a file. Data Interchange Services client also has the ability to export information from one Data Interchange Services client database to another database without the intermediate import step. Data Interchange Services client uses an import process to move previously exported data from a file into the Data Interchange Services client database. The import process can also import XML schemas and XML DTDs.
You use the export and import process when you need to:
The file created by the export process and input to the import process is interchangeably called an export file or an import file. Though the two terms are commonly used, they refer to the same file.
Data Interchange Services client provides an additional function that combines the export and import processes. Use the "Export to Other Database" function to export data out of one database and import it directly into another database. Export to another database when you want to duplicate items in various databases. For instance, if you create a translation table in a test database and want to duplicate it in a production database, use the "Export to Other Database" command.
COBOL copybooks can also be imported into Data Interchange Services client. Importing a COBOL copybook can be used to produce a ROD document definition and ROD records used in a ROD document definition.