Essbase Analytics Option Welcome to the exciting world of Essbase Analytics known as the Aggregate Storage Option (ASO). In the rst nine chapters of this book, we have taken you from being a competent IT professional that is an Essbase novice, to that same competent IT professional who is now a capable Essbase programmer/administrator as well. All along this journey, we've been using the Block Storage Option (BSO) database architecture. We have presented all of the instructions, teachings, and examples based on the BSO, in Essbase. All of the efcient methods of processing, performance tuning, and database design have been geared towards using the BSO. In fact, prior to Essbase version 7.x, your only option was the use of the BSO architecture for building Essbase applications. Well, now you're ready to take everything one step further. You see, the BSO architecture used by Essbase is the original database architecture as the behind the scenes method of data storage in an Essbase database. Remember, we have already discussed that the block construction can be conceptually compared to a Rubik's Cube for how the data is stored in the cells of a data block, like the cells of color on a Rubik's Cube. The ASO method is entirely different. Let's learn all about the ASO which is now also used to store data in an Essbase database. We will learn exactly what ASO is, how it works, and when to use ASO instead of BSO. We will explain the use of the special industry standard multidimensional data query language known as MDX that is employed by Essbase, and is particularly effective with ASO. Finally, we'll go over the pros and cons of ASO and BSO. This material is copyright and is licensed for the sole use by Paul Corcorran on 5th July 2009 8601 ave. p #1, , lubbock, , 79423 Download at Boykma.Com Essbase Analytics Option [ 366 ] What is ASO ASO is Essbase's alternative to the sometimes cumbersome BSO method of storing data in an Essbase database. In fact, it is BSO that is exactly what makes Essbase a superior OLAP analytical tool but it is also the BSO that can occasionally be a detriment to the level of system performance demanded in today's business world. In a BSO database, all data is stored, except for dynamically calculated members. All data consolidations and parent-child relationships in the database outline are stored as well. While the block storage method is quite efcient from a data to size ratio perspective, a BSO database can require large amounts of overhead to deliver the retrieval performance demanded by the business customer. The ASO database efciently stores not only zero level data, but can also store aggregated hierarchical data with the understandings that stored hierarchies can only have the no-consolidation (~) or the addition (+) operator assigned to them and the no-consolidation (~) operator can only be used underneath Label Only members. Outline member consolidations are performed on the y using dynamic calculations and only at the time of the request for data. This is the main reason why ASO is a valuable option worth consideration when building an Essbase system for your customer. Because of the simplied levels of data stored in the ASO database, a more simplied method of storing the physical data on the disk can also be used. It is this simplied storage method which can help result in higher performance for the customer. Your choice of one database type over the other will always depend on balancing the customer's needs with the server's physical capabilities, along with the volume of data. These factors must be given equal consideration Creating an aggregate storage Application|Database Believe it or not, creating an ASO Essbase application and database is as easy as creating a BSO application and database. In case you have forgotten how to do it from the information we've given you in earlier chapters, all you need to do is follow these simple steps: This material is copyright and is licensed for the sole use by Paul Corcorran on 5th July 2009 8601 ave. p #1, , lubbock, , 79423 Download at Boykma.Com Chapter 10 [ 367 ] 1. Right-click on the server name in your EAS console for the server on which you want to create your ASO application. 2. Select Create application | Using aggregate storage as shown in the following screenshot: 3. Click on Using aggregate storage and that's it. The rest of the steps are easy to follow and basically the same as for a BSO application. To create an ASO application and database, you follow virtually the same steps as you do to create a BSO application and database. However, there are some important differences, and here we list a few: • A BSO database outline can be converted into an Aggregate Storage database outline, but an Aggregate Storage database outline cannot be converted into a Block Storage database outline. This material is copyright and is licensed for the sole use by Paul Corcorran on 5th July 2009 8601 ave. p #1, , lubbock, , 79423 Download at Boykma.Com Essbase Analytics Option [ 368 ] Steps to convert a BSO application into an ASO application: ° Open the BSO outline that you wish to convert, select the Essbase database and click on the File | Wizards | Aggregate Storage Outline Conversion option. You will see the rst screen Select Source Outline. The source of the outline can be in a le system or on the Essbase Server. In this case, we have selected the OTL from the Essbase Server and then click Next as shown in the following screenshot: ° In the Next screen, the conversion wizard will verify the conversion and display a message that the conversion has completed successfully. Click Next. ° Here, Essbase prompts you to select the destination of the ASO outline. If you have not yet created an ASO application, you can click on the Create Aggregate Storage Application on the bottom-right corner of the screen as shown in the next screenshot: This material is copyright and is licensed for the sole use by Paul Corcorran on 5th July 2009 8601 ave. p #1, , lubbock, , 79423 Download at Boykma.Com Chapter 10 [ 369 ] Enter the Application and the Database name and click on OK. Your new ASO application is created, now click on Finish. Your BSO application is now converted into an ASO application. You may still need to tweak the ASO application settings and outline members to be the best t for your needs. • In an ASO database, all dimensions are Sparse so there is no need to try to determine the best Dense/Sparse settings as you would do with a BSO database. • Although Essbase recommends that you only have one Essbase database in an Essbase application, you can create more than one database per application when you are using the BSO. When you create an ASO application, Essbase will only allow one database per application. There is quite a bit to know about ASO but have no fear, with all that you know about Essbase and how to design and build an Essbase system, it will seem easy for you. Keep reading for more valuable information on the ASO for things like, when it is a good time to use ASO, or how do you query ASO databases effectively, or even what are the differences between ASO and BSO. If you understand the differences, you can then understand the benets. This material is copyright and is licensed for the sole use by Paul Corcorran on 5th July 2009 8601 ave. p #1, , lubbock, , 79423 Download at Boykma.Com . sole use by Paul Corcorran on 5th July 20 09 8601 ave. p #1, , lubbock, , 794 23 Download at Boykma.Com Essbase Analytics Option [ 366 ] What is ASO ASO is Essbase& apos;s alternative to the sometimes. and is licensed for the sole use by Paul Corcorran on 5th July 20 09 8601 ave. p #1, , lubbock, , 794 23 Download at Boykma.Com Essbase Analytics Option [ 368 ] Steps to convert a BSO application. licensed for the sole use by Paul Corcorran on 5th July 20 09 8601 ave. p #1, , lubbock, , 794 23 Download at Boykma.Com Chapter 10 [ 3 69 ] Enter the Application and the Database name and click