Training

In ShowCase Essbase, you can use the Aggregate Storage Outline Conversion Wizard to select a block storage outline as the source outline, and then create a new outline in aggregate storage that approximates the source outline.

Here’s what you’ll see when you begin to convert block storage to aggregate storage using the Wizard:

Figure 1.
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The Wizard preserves dimension names, member names, and their associated hierarchies; it also generates a list of the corrections that need to be made so that the new outline passes verification for aggregate storage. The Wizard leaves the old database in place in its original state, so testing can be done to see if aggregate storage will produce the desired results (such as a decrease in times for data loads and calculating the cube).

Since the old database still remains, be sure that there are there are plenty of resources available, including disk space, when using the Aggregate Storage Outline Wizard. The Wizard does not convert the data, but you will be loading the new aggregate storage database with data to test it. Be aware of the following:

• The Wizard will not convert any formulas to MDX, so once the outline is converted, the formulas will have to be corrected.


• The Wizard only converts the outline. After you have run the Wizard, the rules files will have to be copied to the new database and application. Review the rules files and change them, if necessary, to accommodate incremental data loads.

Aggregate storage clears the data for most changes to the outline, so most aggregate storage databases use rules for full data loads to ensure that there is no loss of data. The outline may need other modifications because some functions and features—such as dynamic time series, shared members, and calc scripts—are not supported in aggregate storage. The Wizard will prompt you to make these modifications.

Figure 2.
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Please consult ShowCase Essbase’s documentation, including the ShowCase Essbase Administrator’s Guide and the ShowCase Essbase Installation Guide, for a full review of the differences between block storage and aggregate storage.

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Click Create Aggregate Storage Application.

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Name your application and database.

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Click Finish to complete. Correct the formulas in the new outline. Copy the rules files. Correct any rules files. Load the data again. Aggregate the database and verify the data.