Northwestern University Business Intelligence Solutions Build Cubes in Cognos 8.4

New Data Source Types New Features –Transformer version 8.x supports IBM Cognos Series 7 data sources as well as packages and reports. –Transformer allows you to leverage metadata from other published OLAP packages Import query items from relational or dimensionally modeled relational (DMR) packages and reports, and the associated filters and prompts, by choosing the Package or Report data source

Methods to create cube using package Relational Package Relational package for dimensions and IQD for fact tables Dimensional Package for dimensions and facts from IQD’s

Design Considerations There are 2 methods create cube using Relational Package 1. Use package for dimensions and IQD’s for Fact Tables Add All dimensional queries required for Cube Add Fact table form IQD Create Fact,Dimension Relations Create Hierarchies Make lowest level as Unique Create Cube

Design Considerations 2. Use package for dimensions and IQD’s for Fact Tables Add One query at a time Add All dimensional queries required for Cube Add Fact table form IQD Create Fact,Dimension Relations Create Hierarchies Make lowest level as Unique Create Cube

Create Cubes Using Relational Package Publish the package to cognos connection Select Relational package from Data source

Select Query Subjects from Package Select single query dimension at a time and click ok Adding multiple query dimensions one time returns no values

Create Cube using Dimensional Package Go to the transformer click New model Right click the dimension map and click Create dimension using package. Enter sign on information Select package required for creation of cube Then select dimensions from the window

Dimensions and Measures

How to do it Add All queries required for Cube Add Facts from IQD’s Create Fact,Dimension Relations Create Hierarchies Make lowest level as Unique Create Cube

Pros and Cons Dimensional Package Relational Package Relational Package for dimensions and IQD’s from Fact Impromptu Query Definition Hierarchies and Levels already created Need to create hierarchies and levels Attributes are not imported for Level. Only source, label, description are imported No attributes Performance is low. Time to complete Granite Cube is around 11 hours Performance is good.Time to complete Granite Cube is around 5.5 Hours Performance is Medium. Time to complete Granite Cube is around 7.5 hours due to different data sources Performance is good.Time to complete Granite Cube is around 5.5 Hours Easy to MaintainEasy to maintainEasy to maintain package and one Fact IQD Difficulty to Maintain. Multi Select Statements, Multiple database connections in single Query

Pros and Cons Dimensional Package Relational Package Relational Package for dimensions and IQD’s from Fact Impromptu Query Definition IQD’s from Fact table, current date has to be used to get date categories Data sources for all dimensions and Fact tables coming from package IQD’s from Fact table, current date has to be used to get date categories All data sources are IQD’s Add surrogate keys in the dimensions, publish the package and use the package with ID as data source ID’s exists in IQD’s Alternate Drilldown in OLAP is dividing separate hierarchies in transformer Alternate drilldown are created manually Need to set up manually aggregate Properties for Measures Aggregate values are not imported from package Transformer defaults to sum Need to set up manually aggregate Properties for Measures Need to set up manually aggregate Properties for Measures

Best Approach to build Cube Create relational Package with IDs Publish that package to Cognos Portal Use that package as data source Create Levels, hierarchies, Measures Create Fact and dimension Relations Create Cube Performance will be good Easy to maintain

Publish cube Publish cube from transformer directly to Cognos Connection In the Power Cubes list, right-click the PowerCube, and click Publish PowerCube as Data Source and Package In the Publish cube dialog box, select the Start publish wizard radio button and click OK. Click next on the welcome page Enter signon information Create the Data Source Enter sign on information for data source Test the data source connection Click finish

Data source wizard Create Package Select the location Apply suppression settings Click finish Cube will be published to Cognos connection

Design process into the Nightly Loads To Enable Transformer use Cognos 8 signon automatically Go to the transformer click signon window Click the sign on properties Enter appropriate user id and password This is not net Id Click set as Autolog on Save Model as.PYJ file after modifying the sign on information

Automatic signon Window Sign on information

Modifications to Batch file Batch file to build the cube is almost similar like cognos 8.2 cogtr replaces the IBM® Cognos® Series 7 Transformer executables trnsfrmr.exe on Windows. the syntax is almost same cd C:\COGNOS8.4.1\bin ‘’;cogtr -n -m"C:\MODEL.mdl“ Above expression use to build the cube with auto signon

Command Line Options cogtr -a data_source : Runs AutoDesign then creates a cube cogtr -c -pfilename.py? : generates categories cogtr –h : Displays Help for the command line Cogtr-l signon=userid/password -pfilename.pyj::Specified Database signon information cogtr -nologo -pfilename.py? : prevents the display of the Transformer splash screen

Questions ? Xecutablnsfrmr.exe on Windows