Cognos Administration Interview Questions & Answers
1.Why need staging area database for DWH?
Ans:
Staging area needs to clean operational data before loading into data warehouse. Cleaning in the sense your merging data which comes from different source.
2.What is metric store database?
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A metric store database is a special case of a query database. A metric store database is used to store the information associated with metrics that appear in scorecards, including targets performance metrics , thresholds , ember ship in sore-cards links to related reports.
3.Characterize datastores in Cognos?
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Information sources, otherwise called question databases, are social databases, dimensionalcubes, documents, or other physical information stores it can be gotten to through IBM Cognos8. Application Tier Components utilize information source associations with get to information sources.
4.What is distinction between content store and substance chief?
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A substance store is an information base which stores the meta information of the reports.
Be that as it may, where as a substance director is an administration which is accessible in dispatcher. which it deals with the security.
5.What is snapshot?
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A Snapshot is the copy of data, when we create a snapshot it copies the exact data that’srelated to the at perticular report, we use snapshot when ever we want to compare reports.
6.Explain components of Report Net?
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Framework manager ,Cognos connection, Query Studio, Report Studio.
7.How to generate cubes in cognos?
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Power Play Transformer contain dimension,measure,model and cube. we can generate cube different way. > Just right click on cube name and build.
we can write script in unix. using that we can generate cube.
8.What is catalog and types of catalogs in cagnos?
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A catalog is a file containing the information (Database tables) that Impromptu users need to create reports. > personal > distributed > hared > secured
9.What is the contrast between big business information distribution center and information stockroom?
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Huge Organizations have a great deal of expanded wellsprings of data.There may be a dataware house solely for transport and others for information identified with the venture the organization runs.In such case the total enterprise’s(company’s) date product house is a major mix of all and is known the Enterprise information Warehouse(EDW)
10.How to join multiple db in catalog?
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Mutiple database could not be connected in a single catalog. So that we use hotfile for this purpose.
11.What is difference between Informatica power mart and power center?
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Using power center we can create global repository
Power mart used to create local repository
Global repository configure multiple server to balance session load
Local repository configure only single server
12.What is transformer?
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Transformer is used for building the Cubes (Multidimensional Structure used for OLAP
13.What is Cognos Connection?
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It is a Web portal for Cognos 8 and a component which interracts with the Content Store. It is a frontend to publish, find, manage, organize, and view organization’s business intelligence data.
14.What is the difference between static and dynamic conditions?
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Static Condition
Whenever you run the report the condition will not change.
Dynamic Condition
Condition which keep on change whenever you run the report.
15.Name the responsibilities of Cognos Administrator?
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Creating the Repository
Performing the task of backup and recovery of the Meta Data.
Tuning the servers.
Installations and configurations in distributed network environment
Developing the user Administration
Deployment
16.What is Cognos Reporting tool?
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Cognos is a Reporting tool from IBM which helps in reporting and analysis of various data from a data warehouse.
17.What is Cognos Powerhouse and what is it used for?
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Cognos Powerhouse is High-Productivity Application Development Solutions equips you with high-productivity development environments for creating your data-driven business solutions faster,whether for Web-based, client/server, or traditional terminal-based access. PowerHouse has gained a worldwide reputation for productivity, reliability, performance, and flexibility.
18.What is difference between view and materialized view?
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Views contains query whenever execute views it has read from base table Where as M views loading or replicated takes place only once which gives you better query performance.
19.What is the difference between a cascading report and drillthru report?why do we go for drill thru report?
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Cascading report works based on the condition but drill thru work based on the data item what we select as a drill thru options
20.Characterize Cognos Reporting apparatus?
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It’s a detailing apparatus of IBM which help us in announcing and investigation of various information from an information warehouse. Read this blog to discover why Business Intelligence devices are basic to the present endeavors.
21.What is the way to generate IQD file from framework manager?
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Create a Query Subject
Using properties pane select externalize.
We have four options in that select IQD
22. How Framework Manager Uses Cardinality
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Cardinality is used by the query engine to:
Identify query subjects that behave as facts and dimensions
1..n cardinality implies fact data on the n side and dimension data on the 1 side
Avoid double counting fact data
Support loop joins in star schema models
Cardinality is applied in the context of a query
Query subjects may be facts or dimensions depending on the other query subjects included in query
23. What are Determinants?
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Determinants Feature first introduced in Cognos 8 used to provide control over granularity when aggregating
Reflects granularity by identifying groups or subsets of data in a query subject
Used to ensure that repeating data is aggregated correctly
Are set during import based on unique key and index information in a database
Used by Framework Manager to determine levels in default hierarchy when auto-generating regular dimensions from query subjects
24. When and how should you use Determinants?
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When do I need to use determinants:
When dimensions connect to fact tables at levels of granularity that have repeating keys
When there is a need to count or perform aggregate functions on a key or attribute that is repeated
To avoid generating a ‘distinct’ clause on distinct keys
25. What is Modle Advisor?
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Use Model Advisor – Check early and often
Model Advisor is a useful tool for detecting common modeling issues
Cardinality issues
Potential join path conflicts
Incorrect determinants
Easy to configure to check as for as much or as little as desired
Run after import to check for areas that need further investigation
Run again periodically to identify potential issues as you work
Direct links to the problem area and Help
26. What is Dimensional Modeling for Report and Analysis?
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Dimensionally modeled relational (DMR) constructs in Classic Query Mode
Logical dimensional layer over top of a relational model
Single measure dimension and one or multiple regular dimensions
Enables drill-up/drill-down analysis in the studios
Dimensional layer can be applied over any star schema model
Not a requirement that the underlying data source be a star schema design
Dimensions and measure dimensions are constructed from model query subjects or database query subjects
At runtime, queries are run to spin a virtual cube on disk to simulate the OLAP style analysis capabilities
27. What are Regular Dimensions?
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Regular dimensions created from model query subjects or database query subjects
Define hierarchies to organize levels and define drill paths
You can specify multiple hierarchies in a single dimension
Define levels, business keys and caption
Create from scratch using Dimension Definition dialog
Use “Merge in New Regular Dimension” or “Convert to Regular Dimension” capabilities
Dimension will be auto-generated based on query subject definition
Default hierarchy created
Levels derived from determinants set
May need to be adjusted based on requirements
28. What is Measure Dimension?
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Create measure dimension
Collection of facts
Create measure dimension using Dimension Definition dialog or “Convert to Measure Dimension” capability
Add existing measures or create calculations
Define scope relationships
Dictates level at which measures are available for reporting
Scope relationship will be detected by Framework Manager using the underlying join paths between query subjects and fact query subject
Scope relationships can be defined and reviewed in the Dimension Map
29. What is Query Generation?
Ans:
By default, Framework Manager will use Cognos SQL to create Query Subjects
In Classic Query Mode, at runtime, native SQL optimized for the data source is generated and passed down through to the data source
RQP (Relational Query Planner) plans the query and then passes it off to UDA (Universal Data Access)
UDA component has a series of gateway files that control SQL generation for specific RDBMS (DB2, Oracle, MS SQL Server, etc)
UDA generates the native SQL and executes it against the RDBMS
Copy of the query engine local in the Framework Manager install
Used for importing metadata, testing query subject, generating SQL and validation of expressions
In Dynamic Query Mode, requests are sent to the Query Service for processing
No query service running locally on the FM side
Framework Manager will include passing the necessary elements in the model to Query Service on the server
Result set and generated SQL for the query will be part of the response back to FM.
This is the case testing objects and evaluating expressions
30. What is SQL Generation?
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Use minimized SQL when possible
Certain conditions will trigger as view SQL and override this setting:
Determinants on a model query subject
Relationships between model query subjects
Filters, macros or calculations in data source query subjects
“As view” SQL not always bad
Sometimes required to force certain behaviors
Can be necessary to ensure predictable query results
Know your requirements and your data
31. What is Dynamic Query Mode (DQM)?
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A new Dynamic Query Processing Mode (DQM) to the existing query service designed to improve query performance.
1. Enhanced Java-based query execution mode introduced in 10.1 to support select OLAP sources
2. Leverages JDBC access to supported data sources
Support has been extended in 10.1.1 to include the following relational sources
3. DB2, Netezza, Teradata, Oracle, MS SQL Server
4. Can be used with 64-bit report server included in 10.1.1 to enable administrators to better leverage memory
5. Has robust caching capabilities to help improve query performance
In-memory caching of query plan and query results
Security aware
6. SQL generation optimization for relational sources
7. A new implementation to support dimensional modeling of relational data sources
OLAP over Relational
8. Not the same implementation as DMR incompatible mode
9. Simpler, more efficient queries than DMR
10. Null suppression optimizations
11. Master-detail optimizations available in reports
Treats OLAP over Relational as a true OLAP source
12. Enables report authors to fully leverage member functions and OLAP style reporting techniques
Dramatic performance benefits available by leveraging caching capabilities
32. What is the package in Cognos?
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IBM Cognos Package or Report. You can import query items, and the associated filters and prompts, from IBM Cognos packages and reports. You do this by choosing the Package or Report data source type and browsing and selecting from the available metadata.
33. What is Impromptu in Cognos?
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Cognos Impromptu is an intuitive, user-friendly system that enables non-technical personnel to quickly and easily design and distribute business intelligence reports.
34. What is the use of Cognos tm1?
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IBM Cognos TM1 (formerly Applix TM1, formerly Sinper TM/1) is enterprise planning software used to implement collaborative planning, budgeting and forecasting solutions, as well as analytical and reporting applications.
35. What is a Cognos Controller?
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IBM Cognos Controller is part of an integrated Financial Close Management (FCM) solution, built on an efficient, purpose-built platform. It helps you deliver complete financial results, create financial and management reports, and provide the CFO with an enterprise view of key ratios and metrics.
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