BI Practice March-2006 COGNOS 8BI TOOLS COGNOS 8 Framework Manager TATA CONSULTANCY SERVICES SEEPZ, Mumbai

BI Practice March-2006 COGNOS 8BI TOOLS Agenda FM Details ( new features ) Workshops

BI Practice March-2006 COGNOS 8BI TOOLS Framework Manager Process/Workflow Framework Manager Import Report Studio Query Studio Analysis Studio Other (SDK) 3 rd Party Metadata Sources Data Sources Architect models Impromptu Catalogs Framework Manager Models XML Data Source Publish Consume Content Store Content Manager CWM file Export Common Warehouse Metamodel

BI Practice March-2006 COGNOS 8BI TOOLS Framework Manager Metadata Modeling tool. An application that runs in Microsoft Windows and provides a model development environment. Objects you work with: –Projects –Models –Namespaces –Packages –Dimensions –Query Subjects –Query Items

BI Practice March-2006 COGNOS 8BI TOOLS Framework Manager Best Practices Take a multiple layer approach i.e. –Database Layer : Data source query subjects Define query item properties Define all relationships Calculations and filters where possible Shields presentation layer from data(base) changes –Performance Layer: Dimensional model consisting of Regular and Measure Dimesions. For creating complex query subjects to resolve SQL traps before creating dimension objects –Presentation Layer: Business of Data with Star Schema Grouping makes it easier for report authors to find and understand their data Customize Metadata at run-time Set up Query Item properties for Business Intelligence use …Contd

BI Practice March-2006 COGNOS 8BI TOOLS Framework Manager Best Practices All Relationships exist in Database Layer, any discrepancies in cardinality or relationships are correctly reflected by Determinants. Begin creating simplified, abstracted model query subjects/ dimensions and measures for your business view. Resolve ambiguous relationships by creating multiple query subjects for role playing dimensions. Create dimensions with levels, hierarchies and keys to enable automatic aggregation capabilities and OLAP query functionality on relational sources. Create Measure Dimensions and adjust/set scope relationships. Create a Business View with the Star Schema Grouping Wizard Secure the Model for deployment.

BI Practice March-2006 COGNOS 8BI TOOLS Workshop 1 Create a Simple ( Use Framework Manager Workshop 1 - Create a Simple Model.doc) –Create project –Import data source –Project view –Project objects and properties –Organize project –Diagram view –Create model query –Create short-cut –Publish package –Access information

BI Practice March-2006 COGNOS 8BI TOOLS Cognos 8 Framework Manager Dimensional Modeling

BI Practice March-2006 COGNOS 8BI TOOLS Working with Dimensions Broad grouping of descriptive data about a major aspect of a business Types are –Regular e.g. Product, Time –Measure e.g. Sales Regular Dimension organizes the information in a hierarchy, from the highest level of granularity to the lowest.

BI Practice March-2006 COGNOS 8BI TOOLS Working with Dimensions Specify the Default Roles _businessKey : key for the level in a hierarchy _memberCaption: Presents the caption for a member that will be shown in the report authoring tools. _memberDescription : Returns the description for a member within a dimension.

BI Practice March-2006 COGNOS 8BI TOOLS Working with Dimensions Measure dimension is a collection of facts Cannot define hierarchies or levels for a measure dimension. Define Scope Relationships between the Measure and Regular Dimensions. Measure and Regular Dimensions organized into cluster is referred as Star Schema Group

BI Practice March-2006 COGNOS 8BI TOOLS Filters A filter is an expression that specifies the conditions that rows or instances must meet to be retrieved for the dimension, query subject, calculation, or report to which the filter is applied. Two types of filters: –Stand-alone : to reuse the expression. –Embedded: to use a filter with only one dimension or query subject. Filters can be defined: –Using Prompts Values –Creating Parameter Maps

BI Practice March-2006 COGNOS 8BI TOOLS Using Prompt Values to Filter Data Substitute a prompt for a value so that users can filter data by typing a value when the report opens One can use prompts in –parameter maps –session parameters –stored procedure arguments –expressions, including filters, calculations, and relationships

BI Practice March-2006 COGNOS 8BI TOOLS Parameter Maps Use parameters to create conditional query subjects that allow for substitutions when the report is run. Parameter maps are objects that store key-value pairs. These are similar to data source look-up tables. Each parameter map has two columns, one for the key and one for the value that the key represents. Examples of Parameter map Usage are: –Specifying a Language Value for Relational Metadata –Moving a Relational Model from One Environment to Another Session Parameter is a variable associated with a session. E.g. User Id, Preferred Language Environment Session Parameters are predefined and stored in Content Manager. E.g. runLocale, account.DefaultName, account.personalInfo.userName Model Session Parameters are custom parameters created while creating the model. These are stored in a parameter map named _env.

BI Practice March-2006 COGNOS 8BI TOOLS Security Three different types of Security: –Data security: Create a security filter and apply it to a specific query subject. –Object security: Secure an object directly by allowing users access to the object, denying users access to the object, or keeping it hidden for all users. –Package security: Apply security to a package and identify who has access to that package Security is added using Users, Groups and Roles.

BI Practice March-2006 COGNOS 8BI TOOLS Manage the Business View Central business view Establish and enforce business rules Manage the end-user view of business information Create and Publish metadata