Introduction

This chapter explains the integration or Oracle Essbase (Essbase) with Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition (Oracle BI EE).

1. Using Administration Tool

You can use the Administration tool to add a Multidimensional data source to the physical layer of a repository. Oracle BI Server connects to Multidimensional data sources like Essbase, Hyperion Financial Management, Microsoft Analysis Services, SAP/Business Warehouse (SAP/BW). Data from multidimensional sources can be used in analyses and Oracle BI interactive dashboards.

2. Difference between Multidimensional and Relational Sources

The primary difference between setting up multidimensional data sources and setting up relational databases are in the Physical layer.

The setup processes in the business model and presentation layers for multidimensional data sources and relational data sources are almost identical.

3. Overview on Importing Multidimensional sources

Each cube imported from a multidimensional data source is created as a single physical cube table in the Physical layer.

Oracle BI Server imports cubes with corresponding metrics, hierarchies, and levels.

After importing cubes, make sure that physical cube columns have the correct aggregation rule and the default member type ALL is correctly imported for a hierarchy.

Remove hierarchies and columns from the Physical layer if they are not used in the business model.

4. Set up an Essbase data source

Oracle BI Server uses the Essbase client libraries to connect to Essbase data sources. You must install the Essbase client libraries on the computer that is running Oracle BI Server before you can import metadata from Essbase data sources. You also must ensure that the Essbase client libraries are installed on any computer where you want to run the Administration tool.

In a windows environment,

Set the ARBORPATH environment variable as follows:

Add an entry to the PATH environmental variable.

5. Import Metadata

Use known techniques to import from an Essbase source. Select data source> Connection Type: Essbase>Essbase server: localhost> User name: admin> Password> Select Metadeta objects

6. To Verify Import

When you import metadata from Essbase data sources, the cube metadata is mapped to the Physical layer such that it supports the Oracle BI logical model.

Metadata that applies to all members of the dimension, such as aliases, are modelled as dimension properties by default. Level-based properties such as Outline Sort/Memnor information are mapped as separate physical cube columns in the dimension.

Column types such as Outline Sort, Ancestor Reference, Member Key, Leaf, Root, and Parent Reference are used internally by the system and should not be changed.

7. Choose options to control model

• There are different options in the Physical layer that let you control how you want to model certain types of metadata.

• Choose the option that best meets the needs of your user base. For example many types of Essbase metadata are modelled as dimension properties by default in the physical layer.

• Alternately, you can choose to flatten the Essbase metadata in the Physical layer for ease of use with the attribute-style reporting.

• The example above shows the result of flattening the measure hierarchy. By default, measures are imported as measure hierarchies.

• Alternatively, you can choose to flatten the measure hierarchy to view each measure as an individual column. To do this, right-click the cube object and select “Convert measure dimension to flat measures”.

8. View Members

You can view members and update member count to verify connectivity. You must open the repository in online mode to update member count. You can view members in offline or online mode.

To determine if counts need to be updated, place your cursor over the hierarchy or level name. A message informs you that the counts need to be updated or shows you when they were last updated.

When you update member counts, the current number of members is returned from the selected hierarchy. After the member counter is updated successfully, it appears in a message when you place the cursor over the hierarchy or level name.

The message appears in the following syntax:<hierarchy name>(<x>members, last updated<time stamp>).

9. Create Business Model

Setting up a business model for multidimensional data sources is similar to setting up a business model for a relational data source. Drag the cube to the BMM layer

10. Horizontal Federation

The reports that can display data from both multidimensional and relational data sources can be created.

The modification in the BMM layer is required as follows:

Forecast: LTS maps to Essbase source

Fact_D1_ORDER_ASS1: LTS maps to relational source

Forecast Dollars: Column maps to Essbase source

Actual Dollars: Column maps to relational source

Dollars Difference: Column derived from Essbase and relational columns

11. Vertical Federation

It provides reports with the ability to drill through aggregate multidimensional data into detail relational data.

It requires modification of hierarchies in the BMM layer.

Selvi

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