Preface
Welcome to the Essbase Database Administrator's Guide:
Purpose
This guide provides you with strategic and detailed technical information:
- A presentation of the strategies and techniques necessary to implement, design, and maintain an optimized Essbase multidimensional database
- A technical discussion of Essbase concepts to help you think about and manage data in a multidimensional environment and to enable you to design a Hyperion Essbase database on your own
- Step-by-step procedures on how to use Application Manager
Use this guide to complete any of the following tasks:
- Learn about Essbase architecture, philosophy, and concepts
- Design a multidimensional application
- Define users and security
- Perform data loads and outline updates
- Learn techniques for developing calc and report scripts for advanced applications
- Ensure data integrity
- Optimize a database
- Backup and restore data
- Manage large databases
Audience
This guide is primarily for the following:
- Essbase database administrators. An Essbase database administrator is a person who installs, controls, and maintains an Essbase system.
- People who design, create and maintain applications, databases, data load rules, calculation scripts, and report scripts.
Prerequisites
Before you use this guide to create or maintain Essbase databases, you should already know these items:
- The operating system your server uses and of the operating systems your clients use. For information on the supported operating systems, see the Essbase Installation Guide.
- The location of the data that your business uses and who is responsible for updating Essbase with current data.
- Your business's data requirements, so you can apply Essbase to your specific application.
- Typical database administration requirements and tasks, including designing security, setting up user accounts, how many users your server can accommodate and how to manage the space on your server.
Document Map
This guide is divided into volumes and parts that describe the major functional areas of Hyperion Essbase:
- Volume I: Essbase Basics
- Volume II: Loading, Calculatibg, and Retrieving Data
- Volume III: Maintaining, Automating, and Optimizing Essbase
To find any information not listed above, use the Information Map located in the ARBORPATH/docs directory of your Essbase installation.
Accessing Hyperion Documentation
All Essbase documentation is accessible from the following locations:
Document Conventions
This book uses several formatting styles to indicate actions you should take or types of information you need. The following table lists each document convention.
Table i: Document Conventions
Type |
Description |
Essbase Installation Guide
|
Titles of books appear in italics.
The earliest occurrence of a word from the glossary appears in italics.
|
parallel calculation
|
n, x
|
You will often see n or x in formulas. n represents a number, and x a letter
|
ARBORPATH (environment variabl)e
ARBORPATH/docs
|
You will often see the variable ARBORPATH, which is also an environment variable. When you see it in italics, substitute the value of ARBORPATH from your site.
|
File > Open
|
Choices from a menu item use the greater than symbol (>).
|
Time -> Qtr1
|
The dash and greater than symbol combined (->) indicate the Essbase cross-dimensional operator.
|
|
Arrows indicate the beginning of a procedure.
|
Brackets [ ]
|
In examples, brackets indicate that the enclosed elements are optional.
|
Bold
|
- Bold in procedural steps highlights major interface elements.
- MaxL commands are presented in bold.
|
CLEARBLOCK
|
Capital letters denote commands, functions, and configuration settings, except MaxL commands, which are in lower case and bold.
|
Ctrl + 0
|
Keystroke combinations shown with the plus symbol (+) indicate that you should press the first key and hold it while you press the next key. Do not type the + symbol.
|
essbase.cfg
|
Courier font denotes the names of files, directories, and sample code or example code.
|
Courier italics
|
Courier italic text indicates a variable in command syntax. Substitute a value in place of the variable shown in Courier italics.
|
(...)
|
Ellipsis points indicate that text has been omitted from an example.
|
This document provides examples and procedures using a right-handed mouse. If you use a left-handed mouse, adjust the procedures accordingly.
Sample Applications
This book provides examples. The examples are based on applications that are provided with the Hyperion Essbase server software and are called Sample, Demo, Samppart, and Sampeast. (Samppart and Sampeast are examples of partitioned applications. These applications are available only if your company has licensed Partitioning.) The individual who installs the server is responsible for making the example applications available to end users:
- Sample contains three databases: Basic, Interntl, and Xchgrate
- Demo contains one database: Basic
- Samppart contains one database: Company
- Sampeast contains one database: East
If, when you connect to the Essbase server, any of the following problems occur, contact your Essbase administrator:
- You cannot find the Sample or Demo applications.
- Your company has licensed Partitioning, and you cannot find the Samppart or Sampeast applications.
- You do not have adequate access to the applications.
- You do not see any data in the databases.
For more information about the sample applications, see the Essbase Installation Guide.
Additional Support
In addition to providing the documentation and online help, Hyperion offers the following support for product information:
Ordering Documentation
A complete set of documentation is included on the CD or as part of a software download in several formats, all accessible from the Information Map essdocs.htm in the ARBORPATH/docs directory of your Essbase installation:
- PDF stand-alone documents
- HTML stand-alone documents or online help
- WinHelp online help
To access documentation from the Hyperion Solutions Web site:
- Log on to http:/www.hyperion.com.
- Select Support from the menu bar.
Tip: Enter your username and password, and click Login. If you do not have a username and password, click New User Registration on the left side of the login page to request them.
- Select Order/Download Documentation.
- From the Product list box, select OLAP Server 6.5.
- From the Display list box, select Documentation, then click Submit.
To order printed documentation:
- Visit the Hyperion site: http:/www.hyperion.com.
- In the United States, call Hyperion Solutions Customer Support at 877-901-4975.
- From outside the United States, including Canada, call Hyperion Solutions Customer Support at 203-703-3600. If you do not receive support from North America, call your local support center.
Education Services
Hyperion offers a variety of training options, including instructor-led training, custom training, and eTraining. This education covers all Hyperion applications and technologies and is geared to administrators, end users, and information systems (IS) professionals.
Instructor-led training is delivered in formats and in locations suited to Hyperion's diverse, global customers. Hyperion Authorized Training Centers are certified to deliver courses developed by Hyperion. Custom Education Services-training on the configured and tailored applications that employees use on the job-is another option to enhance user productivity and to ensure smooth day-to-day operations. eTraining-including computer-based training, Web-based training, and interactive Virtual Classroom training-provides a cost-effective means of giving users a hands-on introduction to product features and functions. Computer-based training (CBT) and Web-based training (WBT) provide high-quality, self-paced training at the user's convenience, regardless of location.
For a list of courses, contact your Regional Education Manager, or visit the Hyperion site: http:/www.hyperion.com.
Consulting Services
Hyperion Consulting Services assists customers in maximizing the use of, and the return on investment in, Hyperion products. Experienced Hyperion consultants and Hyperion Alliance Partners assist organizations in tailoring solutions to their particular requirements, such as reporting, analysis, modeling, and planning. Specific services include implementation consulting, custom business solutions, data integration, and technical consulting. Additionally, Hyperion offers a variety of Services Packages and Reviews.
For more information about Consulting Services, Services Packages, and Reviews, as well as the services offered by Alliance Partners, contact your local consulting services representative, or visit the Hyperion site: http:/www.hyperion.com.
Technical Support
Hyperion provides Web-based and telephone support to ensure that clients resolve product issues quickly and accurately. This support is available for all Hyperion products at no additional cost to clients with a current maintenance agreement.
To access Hyperion technical support:
- For Web-based support, or to see complete information on available support options, visit the Hyperion Solutions site: http://www.hyperion.com.
- In the United States, call 877-901-4975 for Hyperion Solutions Customer Support.
- From outside the United States, including Canada, call Hyperion Solutions Customer Support at 203-703-3600. If you do not receive support from North America, call your local support center.