Setting Environment Variables

Make sure that the following environment variables are set correctly: If Essbase is installed in the default location, set the variables as follows: For other environment variables, see the Essbase Installation Guide.


Checking for Corruption

Check to see if the database is corrupt.
  1. Issue the VALIDATE command in ESSCMD.
  2. If the VALIDATE command has errors, fix the corrupt database.
  3. If the VALIDATE command does not have errors, check the application log for Invalid Block Header and AVL Tree errors.
  4. If there are Invalid Block Header or AVL Tree errors in the application log, the database is corrupt. Fix the corrupt database.
  5. If there are no Invalid Block Header or AVL Tree errors, the database is not corrupt. Back up the database.

Fixing Corruption

To fix a corrupt database, try the following:
  1. Clear the database.
  2. Reload from backups.
  3. Recalculate the data.
  4. Issue the VALIDATE command in ESSCMD.
If the database is still corrupt:
  1. Stop OLAP Server.
  2. Delete the following files:
  3. If any of the following temporary files are present, delete them as well:
  4. Create a new application and database.
  5. Reload from backups.
  6. Recalculate the new database.
  7. Restart OLAP Server.

Checking the User Limit Profile

If you are on a UNIX computer using the Korn shell, check the user limit profile using the ulimit -a command. If you are using another shell, check the flags for the limit command by typing man limit or man ulimit.

Setting NETDELAY and NETRETRYCOUNT

Increasing the values for NETDELAY and NETRETRYCOUNT can solve network problems. To set NETDELAY and NETRETRYCOUNT:
  1. If you do not have an $ARBORPATH/bin/essbase.cfg file on the server computer and client computer in the $ARBORPATH\bin directory, create one using a text editor.
  2. In the $ARBORPATH/bin/essbase.cfg file on the server computer and the client computer, set NETDELAY to at least 800.
  3. In the $ARBORPATH/bin/essbase.cfg file on the server computer and the client computer, set NETRETRYCOUNT to at least 1000.
  4. Stop and restart OLAP Server.

Ending the Server Task

If you cannot stop OLAP Server using the standard method, consult the following list:
After you end the server task, follow the procedures for an abnormal shutdown.


Unlocking Objects

Users lock objects while performing some operations on them. If an object that you need is locked, try the following solutions, in order.
  1. Wait for the user request to finish normally.
  2. Check to see which users have requests running. If necessary, terminate those requests.
  3. Check to see which users have objects locked. If necessary, unlock those objects at the client.
  4. If this does not solve the problem, unlock the object at the server.
    1. In the Agent window, use the DUMP command to get a list of locked objects. If you are on a UNIX platform, you must run Essbase in the foreground.
    2. Open the text file generated by the DUMP command. Information about locks is at the end of the file in the Locked Objects section.
    3. Unlock objects not currently being used.
  5. If the object remains locked, stop and restart OLAP Server.

Determining Operating System Privileges

The Essbase Agent must be assigned the correct operating system privileges to run, regardless of the privileges of the user who starts the Agent.
  1. If Essbase is running on a UNIX computer, the Agent runs as the ESSSVR process. The ESSSVR process must have root privileges. To check the privileges:
    1. In the $ARBORPATH/bin directory, type ls -l ESSBASE. The file should have the following read, write, and execute privileges:
    2. 159749 -rwxr-xr-x   1 essbase staff     730168 Aug 31 05:06 ESSBASE
  2. If Essbase is installed on a Windows computer, the Agent runs as the essbase.exe process. The essbase.exe process must be assigned Administrator privileges. To check the privileges:
    1. In the $ARBORPATH\bin directory, select essbase.exe, right click, and select Properties to open the essbase.exe dialog box.
    2. In the essbase.exe dialog box, click the Security tab.
    3. On the Security tab, click the Advanced button to open the Access Control Settings dialog box.
    4. In the Access Control Settings dialog box, click the Owner tab.
    5. In the Owner tab, the owner should be Administrator.
  3. If the Agent is not assigned the correct privileges, change the privileges using the operating system or reinstall Essbase using the correct privileges.