Oracle Business Intelligence Foundation - Commonly Used Features in Repository

March 6, 2009 Agenda –Present an overview of commonly used features of Repository Calculation Measures Organizing the Presentation Layer Initialization Block and Repository Variables Adding Multiple Sources Executing Direct Data Requests Using Aggregates Creating Time Series Measures

March 6, 2009 Calculation Measures Most common feature used invariably in every implementation Oracle BI Server has a calculation engine to perform a multitude of calculations. Different methods for creating calculation measures in the Administration Tool are –Use existing logical columns as objects in a formula –Use physical columns as objects in a formula –Using the Calculation Wizard to automate the process Additionally, Calculation Measures can be created within Answers

March 6, 2009 Lab In the lab you will perform the following activities: – Load a Prebuilt Repository – Create a New Measure – Create a Calculation Measure Using Answers – Create a Calculation Measure Using Logical Columns – Create a Calculation Measure Using Physical Columns – Create a Calculation Measure Using the Calculation Wizard

March 6, 2009 Creating Presentation Tables Presentation layer is built after the Physical layer and Business Model and Mapping layer. adds a level of abstraction over the Business Model and Mapping layer Presentation Tables help in Organizing data as per the user needs and understanding. Another imp. Aspect is the Ordering of Presentation Tables and Columns –Preferred to organize columns as per the hierarchy

March 6, 2009 Lab In the lab you will perform the following activities: – Create Calendar Presentation Table – Create Fiscal Presentation Table –Reorder Columns in existing Presentation Tables

March 6, 2009 Initialization Block and Repository Variables

March 6, 2009 Module Objectives After completing this module you will be able to: –Describe session variables –Describe repository variables –Describe initialization blocks –Implement a dynamic repository variable Why you need to know –Variables allow you to incorporate flexibility into your model

March 6, 2009 Variables Contain values in memory that are used by the Oracle BI Server during its processing Are created and managed using the Variable Manager feature in the Analytics Administration Tool Consist of two types –Session variables –Repository variables

March 6, 2009 Session Variables Persist only while a user’s session is active Receive values when users establish their sessions Come in two types –System –Non-System

March 6, 2009 System Session Variables Are predefined session variables that are used by the Oracle BI Server for specific purposes Have reserved names, which cannot be used for other kinds of variables –Example: USER holds the value the user entered for logon name For complete definitions, see the Oracle BI Server Administration Guide Right-click for list

March 6, 2009 Non-System Session Variables Are application specific variables that are created by the implementation team Example: –Capture the user’s Region and limit the records the user sees to only those for that Region

March 6, 2009 Repository Variables Persist from the time the Oracle BI Server is started until it is shut down Can be used instead of literals or constants in expression builders in the Administration Tool –Oracle BI Server will substitute the value of the repository variable for the variable itself in the metadata Come in two types –Static –Dynamic

March 6, 2009 Static Repository Variables Are repository variables whose values are constant and do not change while the Oracle BI Server is running Values are initialized in the Variable dialog box Static value

March 6, 2009 Dynamic Repository Variables Are repository variables whose values change according to a refresh schedule Values are initialized and refreshed using an initialization block

March 6, 2009 Initialization Blocks Are used to initialize session variables and dynamic repository variables Specify SQL to be run to populate one or more variables by accessing data sources Are invoked at Oracle BI Server startup and periodically rerun to refresh values for dynamic variables according to an established schedule New initialization block Select type of variable

March 6, 2009 Initialization Blocks Initialization blocks are used to –initialize dynamic repository variables –system session variables –nonsystem session variables

March 6, 2009 Lab In this lab, you will create initialization blocks, session variables, and dynamic repository variables: – Create an Initialization Block for Session Variables – Test the Initialization Block and Session Variables – Create a Dynamic Repository Variable

March 6, 2009 Adding Multiple Sources Data is often partitioned into multiple physical sources for a single logical table in a business model provide seamless and efficient access from the users' perspective Oracle BI Server can seamlessly access and process data from multiple sources in an efficient manner to satisfy users’ requests

March 6, 2009 Lab In this lab, sales quota numbers are stored in an Excel workbook. The workbook, SHQuota.xls, is stored on your machine. You incorporate the quota numbers into the business model and create business measures to report variance from quota and percent of quota. To add quota information to the business model, you perform the following steps: – Create an ODBC DSN –Import the Excel Source –Map Logical Dimension Columns –Create Quota Measures –Test

March 6, 2009 Executing Direct Data Requests Allows users to directly query the back-end database from Answers Appropriate permissions need to be given to users Following privileges need to be assigned: –Edit Direct Database Requests –Execute Direct Database Requests Edit Direct Database Requests - If this privilege is set for you, you can create direct database requests. By Default, Presentation Server Administrators have this privilege Execute Direct Database Requests - If this privilege is set for you, you can issue physical requests. By Default, this privilege is not assigned to anyone.

March 6, 2009 Using Aggregates Aggregate tables store pre-computed results – measures that have been aggregated (typically summed) over a set of dimensional attributes Used for speeding up query response times in decision support systems eliminates the need for run-time calculations and delivers faster results to users. Enables Query Rewrite

March 6, 2009 Lab In this lab, you will perform the following steps: –Assign “Execute Direct Database Requests” to everyone –Create a Direct Request –Use Direct Database Request to Create Aggregate Tables (Already Done)‏ AGG_ST_CAT_DAY_SALES_F AGG_CUSTOMER_STATE_D AGG_PRODUCTS_CATEGORY_D –Import Aggregate Tables –Create Physical Joins –Map Existing Logical Columns and Set Aggregation Content –Test in Answers and Examine Query Log

March 6, 2009 Creating Time Series Measures Time comparisons allow businesses to analyze data that spans multiple time periods, providing a context for the data model time series data in the Oracle BI repository –This allows users to make one request for the desired result. –Oracle BI Server runs multiple queries in parallel to get the results provides Ago and ToDate functions for time series comparisons. The Ago function calculates the aggregated value as of some time period shifted from the current time. –For example, the Ago function can produce sales for every month of the current quarter, along with the corresponding quarter ago sales. The ToDate function is used to aggregate a measure attribute from the beginning of a specified time period to the currently displaying time. –For example, the ToDate function can calculate Month to Date sales for a given year

March 6, 2009 Lab In this lab, you will perform the following steps: –Identify a Dimension as a Time Dimension –Create a Month Ago Measure –Create a Change Month Ago Measure –Create a ToDate Measure –Test the Time Series Measures

March 6, 2009 END OF DAY 1