1. Automating the Cube Build/Publish Process Using CognosScript Brian Morris, CBIP BI-340 – Cutting Costs in Half by Automating the Cube Build ProcessCognos Forum 2004 (June 27-30, Orlando, Florida)

2. Brian Morris Data Warehousing Advisor Kerr-McGee Shared Services, LLC. Over 1,100 Cognos users & growing Building & Publishing 60+ Cubes Daily Cognos Products in Production: PPES, IWR, CQ, Viz, NoticeCast, CMM, Web Services, Planning, Consolidation. ReportNet in Dev Data Warehousing Advisor Kerr-McGee Shared Services, LLC. Over 1,100 Cognos users & growing Building & Publishing 60+ Cubes Daily Cognos Products in Production: PPES, IWR, CQ, Viz, NoticeCast, CMM, Web Services, Planning, Consolidation. ReportNet in Dev

3. Requirements Automated Cube Build / Publish 24/7 BI Production Environment Build & Publish Cubes based on: Scheduled Date & Time Flag Files SQL Criteria Email Notification of: Success Called-Off Failure Automated Cube Build / Publish 24/7 BI Production Environment Build & Publish Cubes based on: Scheduled Date & Time Flag Files SQL Criteria Email Notification of: Success Called-Off Failure

4. Solution Automated Cube Build / Publish CognosScript  Bundled with Cognos Transformer  Procedural Based  Completely Customizable  Examples available in Knowledge Base  Can be ran Unattended in MS Scheduler Automated Cube Build / Publish CognosScript  Bundled with Cognos Transformer  Procedural Based  Completely Customizable  Examples available in Knowledge Base  Can be ran Unattended in MS Scheduler

5. Files and Structure Master Script, 12 Steps – ~ 2700 lines LogToDatabase – ~ 1200 lines SendCDOEmail – ~ 100 lines NewDateTimeStamp – ~ 100 lines DeleteFiles – ~ 100 lines Master Script, 12 Steps – ~ 2700 lines LogToDatabase – ~ 1200 lines SendCDOEmail – ~ 100 lines NewDateTimeStamp – ~ 100 lines DeleteFiles – ~ 100 lines

6. Process Flow Step 1 – Rename Old Macro Log File Step 2 – Flag File Processing Start Step 3 – SQL Condition Processing Step 4 – Rename Old Transformer Cube Build Log Step 5 – Backup the Existing Cubes Step 6 – Delete Expired Logs and MDC Files

7. Process Flow (continued) Step 7 – Backup the Transformer Model Step 8 – Build from Transformer Model Step 9 – Cube Validation Step 10 – Cube Build Move to Production

8. Process Flow (continued) Step 12 – Flag File Processing Finish On Macro Completion – Send Email Notifications Success – Macro & Transformer Logs Called-Off – Macro Log Only Failure – Macro & Transformer Logs On Macro Completion – Send Email Notifications Success – Macro & Transformer Logs Called-Off – Macro Log Only Failure – Macro & Transformer Logs Step 11 – SQL Update of Flag Record

9. Success Email

10. Called-Off Email

11. Failed Email

12. Prerequisites For this script to operate the following must be installed: Windows NT 4.0 SP5 or 2000 Server SP1 PowerPlay Transformation Server (trnsfrmr.exe) CognosScript Editor (RunMac32.exe) PowerPlay Enterprise Server Administration Tools (PPAdminTool.exe) SMTP (Simple Mail Transport Protocol) Enabled on Server (KB: 117908) For this script to operate the following must be installed: Windows NT 4.0 SP5 or 2000 Server SP1 PowerPlay Transformation Server (trnsfrmr.exe) CognosScript Editor (RunMac32.exe) PowerPlay Enterprise Server Administration Tools (PPAdminTool.exe) SMTP (Simple Mail Transport Protocol) Enabled on Server (KB: 117908)

13. Macro Header

14. Step Header

15. Setting of Variables All Variables for this script are set in one location (Except Email Body) Variables are grouped by Category File / Folder Location Cube Build Conditional Email Notification Recipients PowerPlay Enterprise Server All Variables for this script are set in one location (Except Email Body) Variables are grouped by Category File / Folder Location Cube Build Conditional Email Notification Recipients PowerPlay Enterprise Server

16. Variable Declaration

17. Flag Files & SQL Query Conditional Cube Build Variables

18. Email Notification Email Notification Variables

19. PPES Variables PowerPlay Enterprise Server

20. Additional Resources CD Provided at Conference http://www.bmorrishome.org Cognos Support Website Other Forums (Yahoo Groups, etc) CD Provided at Conference http://www.bmorrishome.org Cognos Support Website Other Forums (Yahoo Groups, etc)

21. Question & Answer ? ? “It’s not Difficult, just Complex” (Morris, 2002)