You export the logical data model to an XML file and then run the discovery on the exported file. When you export the data model, you export the file in PowerCenter format. The ILM engine uses a PowerCenter DTD file to import the metadata from the XML file into the ILM repository. The PowerCenter DTD file is included as part of the Data Archive installation.

The ILM engine uses the imported source metadata in the ILM repository to drive the import of the metadata from the data model. You initiate the discovery from the application version or from the application module levels of the source metadata. You specify the tables that you want to import metadata for. When you discover relationships at the application version level, the discovery occurs across all schemas in the application version. When you discover from the application module level, then the discovery occurs for that schema only.

All of the information for the table discovery is contained in the exported XML file. You do not need to connect to the ERwin data model or to the source database. You can export data models from any ERwin version that PowerCenter supports.