Essbase Faqs

1.Can we have multiple meta outlines based on one OLAP model in Integration services?
Ans: Yes
2.What are LROs( Linked Reporting Objects)?
Ans: They are specific objects like files, cell notes or URLs associated with specific data cells of Essbase
database. You can link multiple objects to a single data cell. These linked objects are stored in the server.
These LROs can be exported or imported with the database for backup and migration activities.

3.What are the three primary build methods for building dimensions?
Ans:
Generation references
Level references
Parent-Child references
4.How does UDAs impact database size?
Ans: There will be no impact on the database as the UDAs doesnt store data in the database.
5.Can we have an meta outline based on two different OLAp models.
Ans: No.
6.Can we create UDAs and apply it to Dense as well as Sparse dimensions?
Ans: Yes
7.Types of Partitions available in Essbase?
Ans: Three types of partitions are there.
Transparent partition: A form of shared partition that provides the ability to access and manipulate
remote data transparently as though it is part of your local database. The remote data is retrieved from
the data source each time you request it. Any updates made to the data are written back to the data source
and become immediately accessible to both local data target users and transparent data source users
Replicated Partition:
Linked Partition:
8.What is hybrid analysis?
Ans: Lower level members and associated data remains in relational database where as upper level members
and associated data resides in Essbase database.
9.Why top-down calculation less efficient than a bottom-up calculation? Being less efficient, why do we
use them.

Ans: In the process it calculates more blocks than is necessary. Sometimes it is necessary to perform

top-down calculation to get the correct calculation result10.On what basis you will decide to invoke a
serial or parallel calculation method.
Ans: If we have a single processor, we will use serial calculation but if we have multiple processors we
can break the task into threads and make them run on different processors.
11.How can you display UDAs in reports?
Ans: UDAs values are never displayed in the reports and hence do not impact report performance.
12.While loading the data, you have applied both the selection criteria as well as rejection criteria to a
same record. What will be the outcome?
Ans: The record will be rejected.
13.What are the specified roles other than Administrator to view sessions, disconnect sessions or kill
users requests for a particular application?
Ans: You should have the role of Application manager for the specified application.
14.What is block locking system?
Ans: Analytic services(or Essbase Services) locks the block and all other blocks which contain the childs
of that block while calculating this block is block locking system.
15.What are the three options specified in Username and Password management under security tab in
Essbase server properties.
Ans: 1. Login attempts allowed before username is disabled.
2. Number of inactive days before username is disabled.
3. Number of days before user must change password.
16.Can we have multiple databases in one single
application? Ans: Yes. But only one database per
application is recommended.
Depend on which database that you are going to create. For Example: If you are creating ASO then we
cant create more that 1 db per application. If you are creating BSO then you can create more than 1 db
per application
17.How is data stored in the Essbase database?
Ans: Essbase is an file based database where the data is stored in PAG files of 2 GB each and grows
sequentially.
18.We have created an application as unicode mode. Can we change it later to non-unicode mode.
Ans: No

19.What are the types of partitioning options available in Essbase?

Ans: 1. Replicated partition.
2. Transparent partition
3. Linked partition.
20.Dynamic calc decreases the retreival time and increases batch database calculation time. How true is
the statement?
Ans: The statement should be just opposite. As dynamic calc members are calculated when requested, the
retreival time should increase
21.What is the role of provider services.
Ans: To communicate between Essbase and Microsoft office tools.
22.A customer wants to run two instances of an Essbase server on a same machine to have both test
environment and Development environment on the same server. Can he do that?
Ans: Yes. We can have multiple instances of an Essbase server on a single machine and there will be
different sets of windows services for all these instances.
23.Can we have one ASO database and one BSO database in one single application. If yes, how and If
No, why.
Ans: No. Because we define ASO or BSO option while creating the application and not database. Hence
if the application is ASO, the databases it contains will be that type only.
24.What are the file extensions for an outline, rule file and a calc script.
Ans: .OTL, .RUL and .CSC
25.What is an alternative to create meta outline, rule file and load data.
Ans: Integration services and in version 11, we have Essbase studio.
26.What is data file cache?
Ans: A buffer in memory that holds compressed data (.PAG) files.
27.What is custom defined function?
Ans: Essbase calculation functions that you develop in the Java programming language and then add to
the standard Essbase calculation scripting language by means of MaxL.
28.Can we start and stop an application individually. How can this be used to increase performance.
Ans: Yes. We can manage our server resources by starting only the applications which receive heavy user
traffic. When an application is started, all associated databases are brought to the memory.

29.How can I migrate an application from my test environment to the production environment.
Can I still do this if my test environment is a windows one and my production env is UNIX one. Also can
I still do it if my test env and prod env versions are different.
Ans: Hyperion Administrative services console provides a migration utility to do this but only the
application, database objects are migrated and no data is transferred. the answers to other two questions
are Yes.
30.Suppose I have a dimension A with members B and C and I do not want B and C to roll up to A. how
can I do this.
Ans: Using (~) exclude from consolidation operator.
31.What is custom based macro?
Ans: Essbase macros that we write with Essbase calculator functions and special macro functions.
Custom-defined macros use an internal essbase macro language that enables you to combine calculation
function and operate on multiple input parameters.
32.What do you mean by dirty block?
Ans: A data block containing cells that have been changed since the last calculation. Upper level blocks
are marked as dirty if their child blocks are dirty (that is, have been updated)
33.When do we generally use build rules files?
Ans: To automate the process of creating dimensions with more members, where it will take a lot of time
in creating manually.
34.What does never consolidate operator(^) do?
Ans: It prevents members from being consolidate across any dimension.
35.Can we create more than 2 dimensions using only one build rule file.
Ans: Yes, we can do that but it is recommended to use separate rule file for each dimension.
36.What is UDA( user defined attributes). How are they different than Aliases.
Ans: UDA represents the class of the members. Aliases are just another names of the members. both are
different and has different usage.
37.What is the Extension of Cal Scripts, Batch files, outline, and Rule
File?
Ans: Rule file is .rul
Outline is .otl
Batch files is .bat
Cal Scripts is .csc

38.Why are Filters used?

Ans: If you want to grant access to all dimensions then you wouldnt use a filter. Just grant read access
for the database to the user and/or group. The only reason you would use a filter is if you wanted to
restrict access.
39.What are Dense and Sparse Dimensions?
Ans: Dense: A dimension which has the high probability that data exists for every combination of
dimension members
Sparse: A dimension which has low probability that data exists for every combination of dimension
members
40.Can we query a member for its UDA in a calculation script.
Ans: Yes. You can query a member for its UDA in a calculation script.
41.How does Essbase recover from a database crash?
Ans: After a database crash or server interruption, Essbase automatically recovers a database after rolling
back the transactions that were active at that time.
42.Can we build dimensions directly from data sources without using rule files.
Ans: No.
43.What is the difference between ASO & BSO?
Ans: i. We cannot create more than 1 database in ASO, but we can create more than 1 db per application.
If we have more dimensions (generally more than 10) then we will go for ASO
ii. we cannot write back in ASO, but we can write back in BSO.
iii. Most of the dimensions are sparse in ASO whereas in BSO most of them are dense.
44.How can we backup an aggregate storage database?
Ans: To back up an aggregate storage database,
ARBORPATH/app/appname.

copy

the

application

directory

45.How can you make a Max L script run at a specified time?

Ans: MaxL scripts can be called from a BAT file which is used for scheduling.
46.I have created an application with one database in Essbase at test environment and now needs to copy
the entire application with all security permissions to the production server which is not connected to the
test server. How can I do that?
Ans: You can acheive this using migration wizard to migrate an application to a text file which you can
take physically to the production server.
To know how you can do that, take a look at this post Essbase Application Migration.

47.In what case we can define generation 1 to a field in generation build method.
Ans: We cannot define that as Generation 1 is not valid.
48.What is Incremental Dimensional Built and one time Dimension Built?
Ans: Incremental Dimensional Build: Builds and reads from different data sources for dimension builds
and delay restructuring until all data sources have been processed.
49.What are the two storage options available in Essbase and what are the differences?
Ans: ASO (Aggregate Storage Option) - Used for

2. If we have large number of dimensions (generally more than 10)

0 Most of the dimensions are sparse
3. We cannot write back in ASO. I heard recently that ASO will also have the write back capability.
BSO (Block Storage Option)-

1. Dimensions are less and dense (recommended values for no of dim are between 4 and 8) .
2. We can write back hence much suited for planning applications.
Financial applications are generally dense structures and normal analytical cubes are sparse. Here we also
need to understand what these dense and sparse members are. When the intersections or cells of two
dimensions mostly contain a value it is dense. Say for example we have two dimensions period(Month or
quarter) and region and we are calculation the sales amount. Generally maximum regions(countries,
cities) will have some sales value for a particular month or quarter. Hence we can say that our period
dimensions would be dense. But now instead of period, consider another dimension product. Now there
are some products which are sold in only some particular regions hence for them there will be no values
in other regions or will have very low percentage of data values hence the structure will become sparse.
Now the question arises what is the use of calling them dense or sparse. What difference does it
make. Do some research and try to find the answer.
50.Suppose we have assigned Generation 2 and Generation 4 as of now and think of adding
generation 3 later some time. Can we build the dimension.
Ans: No. If gen 2 and gen 4 exists, we must assign gen 3.
51.What is the difference between UDA's and Attribute dimensions?

Ans : Attribute dimensions provides more flexibility than UDA's. Attribute calculations dimensions
which include five members with the default names sum, count, min, max and avg are automatically
created for the attribute dimensions and are calculated dynamically.
52.How does Attribute dimensions and UDA's impact batch calculation performance?
Ans: UDA's- No Impact as they do not perform any inherent calculations. Attribute dim- No
Impact as they perform only dynamic calculations.
53.How does Attribute dim impact report performance?
Ans: They highly impact the report performance as the attributes are calculated dynamically when
referenced in the report. For very large number of att dim displayed in the report, the performance could
drastically reduce.
54.Dynamic calc decreases the retrieval time and increases batch database calculation time.
How true is the statement?
Ans: The statement should be just opposite. As dynamic calc members are calculated when requested,
the retrieval time should increase.
55.Can we create UDAs and apply it to Dense as well as Sparse dimensions? Ans: Yes
56.What are the different types of LOG Files?
Ans: So many log files are there in essbase, but the important log files are

1. Application log
2. Essbase.log
3. Configtool.log
4. eas_install.log
5. essbaseserver-install.log
57.What are attributes?
Ans: A classification of a member in a dimension. You can select and group members based on their

associated attributes. You can also specify an attribute when you perform calculations and use calculation
functions. Eg: The database in Sample Basic which has product dimension has some attributes like size,
package type, and flavor. We can add these attributes to the dimensions where we can retrieve the data
like for example to retrieve coke with 8 Oz with bottles, this is useful for generating reports.
58.Why do objects gets locked and when does this happens?
Ans: Objects gets locked to prevent users to make simultaneous and conflicting changes to Essbase
database objects. By default whenever an object is accessed through Administrative services console or
Excel spreadsheet add-in, it
59.What are different types of attributes?
Ans: Essbase supports two different types of attributes.

1. User-Defined attributes
2. Simple attributes
User-Defined attributes: The attributes that are defined by the user.
Simple attributes: Essbase supports some attributes, they are: Boolean, date, number, and string.
60.What is TB First and TB Last?
Ans: TB First: in the Sample Basic database, the accounts member Opening Inventory is tagged as TB
First. Opening Inventory consolidates the value of the first month in each quarter and uses that value for
that months parent. For example, the value for Qtr1 is the same as the value for Jan.
TB Last: in the Sample Basic database, the accounts member Ending Inventory is tagged as TB Last.
Ending Inventory consolidates the value for the last month in each quarter and uses that value for that
months parent. For example, the value for Qtr1 is the same as the value for Mar.
61.How do you optimize outline?
Usually the outline is optimized using the hourglass design for dimension ordering i.e,

Dimension with Accounts tag

Dimension with Time tag

 Largest Dense dimension

Smallest dense dimension
Smallest Sparse dimension
Largest Sparse dimension
62.What are the ways to improve performance during data loads?
There are several ways to optimize load

1. Grouping of Sparse member combinations

2. Making the data source as small as possible
3. Making source fields as small as possible
4. Positioning the data in the same order as the outline
5. Loading from Essbase Server
6. Managing parallel data load processing
63.What are the design considerations for calculation optimization?
You can configure a database to optimize calculation performance. The best configuration for
the site depends on the nature and size of the database.
Block Size(8Kb to 100Kb) and Block Density

Order of Sparse Dimensions

Incremental Data Loading
Database Outlines with Two or More Flat Dimensions.
Formulas and Calculation Scripts
64.When does Fragmentation occur?
Fragmentation is likely to occur with the following:
Read/write databases that users are constantly updating with data
Databases that execute calculations around the clock

Databases that frequently update and recalculate dense members

Data loads that are poorly designed
Databases that contain a significant number of Dynamic Calc and Store members
Databases that use an isolation level of uncommitted access with commit block set to zero
65.How can you measure fragmentation?
You can measure fragmentation using the average clustering ratio or average fragmentation
Quotient.
Using the average fragmentation quotient
Any quotient above the high end of the range indicates that reducing fragmentation may help
performance
Small (up to 200 MB) 60% or higher
Medium (up to 2 GB) 40% or higher
Large (greater than 2 GB) 30% or higher
Using the average clustering ratio:
The average clustering ratio database statistic indicates the fragmentation level of the data (.pag)
files. The maximum value, 1, indicates no fragmentation.
66.How do you can prevent and remove fragmentation?
You can prevent and remove fragmentation:

To prevent fragmentation, optimize data loads by sorting load records based upon sparse dimension
members. For a comprehensive discussion of optimizing data load by grouping sparse members.
To remove fragmentation, perform an export of the database, delete all data in the database with
CLEARDATA, and reload the export file.
To remove fragmentation, force a dense
67.Why is database restructuring?

As your business changes, you change the Essbase database outline to capture new product lines,
provide information on new scenarios, reflect new time periods, etc. Some changes to a database
outline affect the data storage arrangement, forcing Essbase to restructure the database.
68.What are the types of database restructuring?
The two ways by which a database restructure is triggered:
Implicit Restructures
Dense restructure
Sparse restructure
Outline-only restructure
Explicit Restructures
69.What are the files used during Restructuring?
When Essbase restructures both the data blocks and the index, it uses the files described
essxxxxx.pag
Essbase data fileessxxxxx.ind Essbase index
filedbname.esm
Essbase kernel file that contains control information used for db recoverydbname.tct Transaction
control tabledbname.ind
Free fragment file for data and index free fragmentsdbname.otl
Outline file in which is defined all metadata for a database and how data is stored
70.What are the actions that improve performance for restructuring?
There are a number of things you can do to improve performance related to database restructuring:
If you change a dimension frequently, make it sparse. Use incremental restructuring to control when
Essbase performs a required database restructuring.
Select options when you save a modified outline that reduce the amount of restructuring required
28.Q: Is it possible to have several meta outlines in the Integration services that are built on a single
OLAP model?

A: The answer is yes.

71.What are the conditions affecting Database restructuring?
Intelligent Calculation, name changes, and formula changes affect database restructuring:
If you use Intelligent Calculation in the database, all restructured blocks are marked as dirty
whenever data blocks are restructured. Marking the blocks as dirty forces the next default Intelligent
Calculation to be a full calculation.
If you change a name or a formula, Essbase does not mark the affected blocks as dirty. Therefore, you
must use a method other than full calculation to recalculate the member or the database.
72.Which restructure operations are faster?
These types of restructure operations are listed from fastest to slowest:
Outline only (no index or data files) Sparse (only index files) Dense (index files and data files) as a
result of adding, deleting, or moving members and other operations Dense (index and data files) as a
result of changing a dense dimension to sparse or changing a sparse dimension to dense
73.What is Implicit Restructures?
Essbase initiates an implicit restructure of the database files after an outline is changed using Outline
Editor or Dimension Build. The type of restructure that is performed depends on the type of changes
made to the outline
74.What is Explicit Restructures?
When you manually initiate a database restructure, you perform an explicit restructure. An explicit
restructure forces a full restructure of the database. A full restructure comprises a dense restructure plus
removal of empty blocks.
75.What is Dense restructure?
If a member of a dense dimension is moved, deleted, or added, Essbase restructures the blocks in the data
files and creates new data files. When Essbase restructures the data blocks, it regenerates the index
automatically so that index entries point to the new data blocks.
Empty blocks are not removed. Essbase marks all restructured blocks as dirty, so after a dense
restructure you need to recalculate the database.
76.What is Sparse restructure?

If a member of a sparse dimension is moved, deleted, or added, Essbase restructures the index and
creates new index files.
Restructuring the index is relatively fast; the amount of time required depends on the size of the index.
77.What is data compression?
Essbase allows you to choose whether data blocks that are stored on disk are compressed, as well as
which compression scheme to use. When data compression is enabled, Essbase compresses data blocks
when it writes them out to disk. Essbase fully expands the compressed data blocks, including empty cells,
when the blocks are swapped into the data cache.
Generally, data compression optimizes storage use. You can check compression efficiency by
checking the compression ratio statistic.
78.What are types of data compression?
Essbase provides several options for data compression:
1. Bitmap compression, the default. Essbase stores only non-missing values and
uses a bitmapping scheme. A bitmap uses one bit for each cell in the data block, whether the cell value is
missing or non-missing. When a data block is not compressed, Essbase uses 8 bytes to store every nonmissing cell. In most cases, bitmap compression conserves disk space more efficiently. However, much
depends on the configuration of the data.
2. Run-length encoding (RLE). Essbase compresses repetitive, consecutive values --any value that
repeats three or more times consecutively, including zeros and #MISSING values. Each data value that is
repeated three or more times uses 8 bytes plus a 16 byte repetition factor.

3. zlib compression. Essbase builds a data dictionary based on the actual data being compressed. This
method is used in packages like PNG, Zip, and gzip. Generally, the more dense or heterogeneous the data
is, the better zlib will compress it in comparison to bitmap or RLE compression.

4. Index Value Pair compression. Essbase applies this compression if the block density is less than
3%.Index Value Pair addresses compression on databases with larger block sizes, where the blocks are
highly sparse. zlib does not use this.

5. No compression. Essbase does not compress data blocks when they are written to disk
79.When do you use RLE over Bitmap Compression?

Use RLE over Bitmap When,

Average block density very low (< 3%).
Database has many consecutive repeating Values.
80.When do you disable compression?
You may want to disable data compression if blocks have very high density (90% or greater) and have
few consecutive, repeating data values. Under these conditions, enabling compression consumes
resources unnecessarily. Don't use compression if disc space/memory is not an issue compared to your
application. It can become a drain on the processor.
81.What is a transaction?
When a database is in read/write mode, Essbase considers every update request to the server (such
as a data load, a calculation, or a statement in a calculation script) as a transaction.
82.What is transaction control file?
Essbase tracks information about transactions in a transaction control file (dbname.tct).
The transaction control file contains an entry for each transaction and tracks the current state of each
transaction (Active, Committed, or Aborted).
83.What is isolation level and what are the types of isolation levels?
Isolation levels determine how Essbase commits data to disk. Essbase offers two isolation levels for
transactions --committed access and uncommitted access (the default).
84.What is commited access?
When data is committed, it is taken from server memory and written to the database on disk. Essbase
automatically commits data to disk. There are no explicit commands that users perform to commit data
blocks.
85.Talk about committed and uncommitted access?
Committed:
Committed at the end of a transaction. Data retained till then.

All blocks in question locked.

Pre-Image Access: If enabled, Read only access allowed
Wait Times:
Indefinite
Immediate Access or no Wait
No. of Seconds Specified
Uncommitted:
Committed only at synchronization points.
Block by Block Locks.
Commit Row: No of rows of data loaded when Sync point occurs.
Commit Block: No. of Blocks Modified when Sync Point occurs.
For Rollback, Commit Row=0 and Commit Block=0
86.What are the advantages and disadvantages of using committed access?
You can optimize data integrity by using committed access.
Setting the isolation level to committed access may increase memory and time requirements for database
restructure.
87.Which transaction is always in committed mode?
The Spreadsheet Add-in lock and Send and the Grid API are always in Committed Access Mode
88.What are the memory caches used by Essbase to coordinate memory
usage? Essbase uses five memory caches to coordinate memory usage 1. Index Cache 2. Data File
Cache 3. Data Cache 4. Calculator Cache 5. Dynamic Calculator Cache
89.What is Index cache?

The index cache is a buffer in memory that holds index pages. How many index pages are in
memory at one time depends upon the amount of memory allocated to the cache.
90.What is Data file cache?
The data file cache is a buffer in memory that holds compressed data files (.pag files). Essbase allocates
memory to the data file cache during data load, calculation, and retrieval operations, as needed. The data
file cache is used only when direct I/O is in effect.
91.What is Data cache?
The data cache is a buffer in memory that holds uncompressed data blocks. Essbase allocates
memory to the data cache during data load, calculation, and retrieval operations, as needed.
92.What is Calculator cache?
The calculator cache is a buffer in memory that Essbase uses to create and track data blocks during
calculation operations.
93.What is Dynamic calculator cache?
The dynamic calculator cache is a buffer in memory that Essbase uses to store all of the blocks needed
for a calculation of a Dynamic Calc member in a dense dimension (for example, for a query).
94.What are the memory caches used by Essbase to coordinate memory usage?
Essbase uses five memory caches to coordinate memory usage
Index Cache: Min -1024 KB (1048576 bytes) Default - Buffered I/O : 1024 KB (1048576 bytes);Direct
I/O : 10240 KB (10485760 bytes) Opt -Combined size of all essn.ind files, if possible; as large as
possible otherwise. Do not set this cache size higher than the total index size, as no performance
improvement results.
Data File Cache: Min - Direct I/O: 10240 KB(10485760 bytes) Default -Direct I/O: 32768
KB(33554432 bytes)Opt -Combined size of all essn.pag files, if possible; otherwise as large as possible.
This cache setting not used if Essbase is set to use buffered I/O.
Data Cache: Min - 3072 KB (3145728 bytes) Default - 3072 KB (3145728 bytes) Opt - 0.125 * the
value of data file cache size.
Calculator Cache: Min - 4 bytes Max: 200,000,000 bytes Default - 200,000 bytes Opt -The best size for

the calculator cache depends on the number and density of the sparse dimensions in your outline. The
optimum size of the calculator cache depends on the amount of memory the system has available.
95.What is the structure of currency applications?
In a business application requiring currency conversion, the main database is divided into at least two
slices. One slice handles input of the local data, and another slice holds a copy of the input data
converted to a common currency.
Essbase holds the exchange rates required for currency conversion in a separate currency database. The
currency database outline, which is automatically generated by Essbase from the main database after you
assign the necessary tags, typically maps a given conversion ratio onto a section of the main database.
After the currency database is generated, it can be edited just like any other Essbase database.
96.What are the three dimension that should be present in main database of currency
application?
The main database outline can contain from 3 to n dimensions. At a minimum, the main database must
contain the following dimensions:

A dimension tagged as time.

A dimension tagged as accounts.
A market-related dimension tagged as country.
97.What are the dimensions that should be present in currency database of currency
application?
A currency database always consists of the following three dimensions, with an optional fourth
dimension:
A dimension tagged as time, which is typically the same as the dimension tagged as time in the
main database.

A dimension tagged as country, which contains the names of currencies relevant to the
markets (or countries) defined in the main database.
A dimension tagged as accounts, which enables the application of various rates to members of the
dimension tagged as accounts in the main database.
A currency database, which typically includes an optional currency type dimension, which

enables different scenarios for currency conversion.

98.What are the conversion methods supported by Essbase for currency applications?
Different currency applications have different conversion requirements. Essbase supports two
conversion methods:

Overwriting local values with converted values.

Keeping local and converted values.
Either of these two methods may require a currency conversion to be applied at report time. Report
time conversion enables analysis of various exchange rate scenarios without actually storing data in
the database.
99.What is the process to build a currency conversion application and perform conversions?
To build a currency conversion application and perform conversions, use the following process:
1. Create or open the main database outline. 2. Prepare the main database outline for currency
conversion. 3. Generate the currency database outline. 4. Link the main and currency databases. 5.
Convert currency values. 6. Track currency conversions. 7. If necessary, troubleshoot currency
conversion.
100.What is CCONV?
After you create a currency conversion application, you convert data values from a local currency to a
common, converted currency by using the CCONV command in calculation scripts Ex: CCONV
USD;CALC ALL;
101.Can we convert the converted currency back into its local currency?
You can convert the data values back to the original, local currencies by using the CCONV
TOLOCALRATE command.
102.When you convert currencies using the CCONV command, are the resulting data blocks are
marked as dirty or clean?
When you convert currencies using the CCONV command, the resulting data blocks are marked as
dirty for the purposes of Intelligent Calculation. Thus, Essbase recalculates all converted blocks when
you recalculate the database.
103.What is CCTRACK?
You can use the CCTRACK setting in the essbase.cfg file to control whether Essbase tracks the
currency partitions that have been converted and the exchange rates that have been used for the

conversions. By default CCTRACK is turned on.

104.What are the reasons to turn off CCTRACK?
For increased efficiency when converting currency data between currency partitions, you may want to
turn off CCTRACK. For example, you load data for the current month into the local partition, use the
DATACOPY command to copy the entire currency partition that contains the updated data, and then
run the conversion on the currency partition.
105.How can you turn off CCTRACK?
You can turn off CCTRACK in three ways: Use the SET CCTRACKCALC ONOFF command in a
calculation script to turn off CCTRACK temporarily Use the CLEARCCTRACK calculation command
to clear the internal exchange rate tables created by CCTRACK.
Set CCTRACK to FALSE in the essbase.cfg file.
106.Does adding or removing links to a cell does not affect the cell contents?
No. LROs are linked to data cells --not to the data contained in the cells. The link is based on a
specific member combination in the database.
107.Give a few examples of LRO's?
Ex1: A sales manager may attach cell notes to recently updated budget items. Ex2: A finance manager
might link a spreadsheet containing supporting data for this quarter's results. Ex3: A product manager
might link bitmap images of new products. Ex4: A sales manager may link the URL of a company's
Web site to quickly access the info on the Web
108.Do shared members share LRO's?
Shared members share data values but do not share LROs. This is because LROs are linked to specific
member combinations and shared members do not have identical member combinations. To link a given
object to shared members, link it to each shared member individually.
109.Why do we need to limit the LRO file sizes for storage conversion?
Because Essbase stores linked files in a repository on the server and, by default, the size is unlimited.
Limiting the file size prevents users from taking up too much of the server resources by storing
extremely large objects. You can set the maximum linked file size for each application. If a user attempts
to link a file that is larger than the limit, an error message displays.
The maximum file size setting applies only to linked files and does not affect cell notes or URLs. The
lengths of the cell note, URL string, and LRO descriptions are fixed.

110.What is partitioning?
A partition is the piece of a database that is shared with another database. An Essbase partitioned
application can span multiple servers, processors, or computers.
111.What is Essbase Partitioning?
Essbase Partitioning is a collection of features that makes it easy to design and administer databases that
span Essbase applications or servers. Partitioning is licensed separately from Essbase
112.What is the process for designing a partitioned database?
Here is the suggested process for designing a partitioned database.

1. Learn about partitions.

2. Determine whether the database can benefit from partitioning.
3. Identify the data to partition.
4. Decide on the type of partition.
5. Understand the security issues related to partitions.
113.What are the parts of partition?
Partitions contain the following parts,

Type of partition: A flag indicating whether the partition is replicated, transparent, or linke
Data source information: The server, application, and database name of the data source.
Data target information: The server, application, and database name of the
data target.

Login and password: The login and password information for the data source and the data target.
Shared areas: A definition of one or more areas, or sub cubes, shared between the data source and the
data target.

 Member mapping information: A description of how the members in the data source map to members
in the data target.

State of the partition: Information about whether the partition is up-to-date and when the partition
was last updated.
114.What are benefits of partitioning?
Partitioning applications can provide the following benefits:

Improved scalability, reliability, availability, and performance of databases

Reduced database sizes
More efficient use of resources
Data synchronization across multiple databases.
Outline synchronization across multiple databases.
Ability for user navigation between databases with differing dimensionality.
115.Can you define different types of partitions between the same two databases?
No
116.Can a single database serve as the data source or data target for multiple partitions?
Yes
117.What is overlapping partition?
An overlapping partition occurs when similar data from two or more databases serve as the data source
for a single data target in a partition.
118.Is overlapping partition valid in all the partitions?
An overlapping partition is allowed in linked partitions, but is invalid in replicated and
transparent partitions and generates an error message during validation.

119.When do you use substitution variables in partitions?

Using substitution variables in partition definitions enables you to base the partition definition on
different members at different times.
120.Can we use attribute values to partition a database?
Yes, You can use attribute functions for partitioning on attribute values. But you cannot partition an
attribute dimension.
121.Can we partition an attribute dimension?
No, we cannot partition an attribute dimension.
122.What is the limitation on version and mode during partition?
Both ends of a transparent, replicated, or linked partition must be on the same release level of Essbase
Server. For example, if the source of a linked partition is on a Release 7.1.2 server, the target must also
be
on a Release 7.1.2 server.
In addition, for transparent and replicated (but not linked) partitions, the application mode of both ends
of the partitions must be the same--either Unicode mode or non-Unicode mode.
123.How do you differentiate ASO applications?
You can easily differentiate the ASO database in the Administrative Services Console by the red star
beside the application name.
124.How do you create an ASO database using ASO Outline Conversion Wizard ? You can also
create an ASO database using ASO Outline Conversion Wizard. This wizard uses the existing BSO
database to convert to an ASO database. This is advantageous because we do not need to create an ASO
database from the Scratch. However we need perform reengineering of dimensions and hierarchies.
125.What is Essbase OLAP server?
An OLAP server is a multidimensional database for storing data with an unlimited number of
dimensions such as time, region, accounts, channel or products. Essbase server manages analytical data
models, data storage, calculations, and data security.
126.What are the Essbase Application tools?

Applications tools are used for extending Essbase applications

Spreadsheet Add-in
Smart view for Microsoft applications
Currency Conversion
Essbase SQL interface
Essbase Application Programming Interface (API)
127.What are administrative requests and client requests?
Administrative requests such as
Logging in and logging out

Starting and stopping applications and databases,

Viewing users security information
are handled by the Essbase server agent
Client requests such as
Data loads
Spread sheet reports Data
lock and unlock
are handled by the application server (ESSVR)
128.What are Standard dimensions?
Standard dimensions are those which represent the core components of the business plan an often
relate to the departmental functions
Examples of standard dimensions are as follows Time
Accounts
Products
Market
Dimension
Dimensions are static in most databases. DB dimensions rarely change over the life of an application.
129.What is an Outline?
Outline is the structure that defines all elements of the Database. It dictates how data is to be stored
into the database. Outline defines the structural relationship between the members in DB. Organizes
all data in the DB
Defines consolidations and mathematical relationships between members It defines type
of dimensions. Aliases, member formulas etc.

The order of the outline is that how dimensions are arranged is as follows:
Dense dimensions followed by sparse dimensions followed by Attribute dimensions.
130.How do you order the Outline?
All the attribute dimensions should be placed at the end of the outline. Dense dimensions should
be placed in the first then followed by the sparse dimensions The order determines
How quickly calculations are run
How long it takes users to retrieve information
The order of the outline for query performance

Dense
Most queried Sparse
Least queried Sparse
Most queried Attribute
Least queried Attribute
The order of Outline for Calculation time
Dense

Smallest Sparse dimension

Largest Sparse
Smallest Attribute
Largest Attribute
131.What is the highest level of consolidation in the outline?
Dimension
132.Is there any limitation on number of members?
No. Essbase does not limit the number of members within a dimension and allows you to add new
members as needed.

Parent is a member, which has a branch below it. Child is a

member, which has a parent above it.
Siblings are the child members of same immediate parent, at the same generation. Descendants are all
members in branches below a parent.
Ancestors are all members in above a member. Root is a
top member in a branch.
Leaf member has no children.
Generation number refers to the consolidation levels within a dimension. Level also
refers to a branch within a dimension.
133.What is a cell/data value?
A data value is defined by the intersection of all standard dimensions in the database.
134.What is the maximum number of values in the database?
Product of members in each dimension
135.Why do we need to have classification as dense and sparse dimensions?
As the data is no smoothly and uniformly distributed and data does not exist for the majority of
members. Essbase speeds up data retrieval while minimizing the memory and disk requirements.
A sparse dimension is a dimension with a low percentage of available data positions filled.
A dense dimension is a dimension with a high probability that one or more data points are occupied in
every combination of dimensions.

136.What are the two types of internal structures in Essbase?

Data blocks
Index system
The two types of internal structures are to store data and access data.
137.How does Essbase calculate the data?
Top down order
138.What is an Index entry?
The index entry provides a pointer to the data block
Essbase creates Index entry for each data block. The index entry represents the combinations of sparse
standard dimensions. It contains an entry for each unique combination of sparse standard dimension
members for which atleast one data value exists.
139.What happens if you make all dimensions sparse?
Data blocks are created for each unique combination of sparse standard dimension members. Thus a
large number of dense blocks are created, and thus a huge index containing pointers (or addresses) for
all those data blocks.
Huge index consumes large amount of memory. The more index entries the longer Essbase searches to
find a specific block.
140.What happens if you make all dimensions dense?
Only one huge sparse block is created with only one index entry. This block is very sparse. This
configuration requires thousands of times more storage than other configurations. Essbase need to load
the entire data block into memory when it searches for a data value, which requires enormous amounts
of memory.
141.What is the Design Process?
Analyze business needs and plan the database
Define the database outline
Check the system requirements
Load the test data into the database
Define calculations

Define reports
Verify with the users
Repeat the process

142.What are the different types of data sources?

Flat files (column formatted)
Spreadsheet files
Any RDBMS files
143.What is a shared member?
The shared member concept lets two members with the same name share data. The shared member stores
only pointer to the data contained in the other member, so the Essbase only stores the data once. Shared
members should be in the same dimension.
144.What dimension can be given time balance properties?
Only accounts dimensions can be given time balance, expense reporting, and country and currency
properties.
145.What is the use of variance reporting?
Variance reporting properties defines how Essbase calculates the difference between actual and budget
data in members with @VAR, @VARPER functions in their member formula.

Expense reporting (Budget-Actual)

Non-Expense reporting (Actual-Budget) What
is a Function?
It is a predefined routine to carry on specific task or calculation.
146.What is a formula?
Formulas are used to calculate relationships between members in the DB Outline.
147.What is a dynamic Calc?

When you tag a member as dynamic calc, Essbase calculates the combinations of the member only
when user retrieves data, instead of pre calculating member combinations during the regular DB.
Dynamic calc shorten the regular calc time, but may increase the retrieval time for dynamically
calculated data values.
148.What are the advantages of Dynamic calc?
Low disk space
Reduced database restructure time
Reduced back up time
Optimum regular calculation time

149.What are the members for which Two-pass calculations can be given?
Accounts
Dynamic calc
Dynamic calc and store
150.How does a user can view data?
Spread sheet
Printed reports
Reports published on web web
analysis
smart view
151.Can you load data or calculate data on client machine?
No.
Applications and Databases created on client machine are used only to store database objects, such as
outlines and calc scripts. You cannot load or calculate data on a client machine.
152.What are Database Objects?
Files that are related to databases are called Objects. Common types of objects are: Database Outlines
(.OTL)

Report Scripts (.REP)

Calculation Scripts (.CSC)
Data Load rules and Dimension build rules (.RUL) Data
sources
Security definitions
LROs (Linked Reporting Objects)
Partition definitions
153.What is a rule file?
Data load rules are set of operations that Essbase performs on the data from external data source file as it
is loaded, or copied into the Essbase database.
Specifying the data load rules is the most common way to load data into the Database.
Dimension build rule files create or modify an outline dynamically based on the data in the external
source file.
154.What is a calculation script?
Calc script is a text file with set of instructions telling Essbase how to calculate data in the database. It
has . csc extension.
What is a Report script?
Report script is a text file with a set of instructions on data retrieval, formatting and output to create a
report from the database.
Report script has .REP extension.
155.What are .EQD files?
Within spreads sheet add-in, users can create queries using query designer (EQD). Users can save
the reports in the form of queries (.EQD files)
156.What are .sel files?
With the spreadsheet add-in, users can define member retrievals with the member select feature. If users
want to save member select specification, they can do so with a .sel file.

157.How can you create a database?

Application manager file>new>database
Essbase administrative services console
ESSCMD (CREATE DB)
Maxl (create database)
Application and database names should be less than 8 characters.
create application
CREATEAPP------------

------maxl
ESSCM
D

158.What is annotating database?

It is a database note that can provide useful information in the situations where you need to broadcast
messages to users about status of the database deadlines for updates and so on
Select database>set note
159.What are substitution variables?
Substitution variables act as global placeholders for the information that changes regularly.
Each variable has a value assigned to it. The value can be changed at any time by the DB designer, thus
manual changes are reduced. Ex :- currmnth.
You cannot use the substitution variables in formulae that are applied to the DB outline. The value of
the substitution variable cannot be more than 256 characters.
Substitution variables can be used only in
Calculation scripts
Report scripts

160.How do you force block marking without calculating?

SET CLEARUPDATESTATUS ONLY command instructs Essbase to mark as clean all data blocks that
were previously marked dirty.
162.How do blocks become dirty?
In the following cases the data blocks are marked as dirty.
Block creation during data input
Data modification (Lock and send)
Creation or modification of descendant blocks
Database Restructure (both dense and sparse)
163.What are False negative and False positive?
Occasionally, clean data blocks are marked dirty (False negative). In such cases calculation efficiency
suffers. A more serious problem, however, is a false positive condition, in which dirty blocks are
marked as clean. In such case of false positives, data integrity can suffer.
164.Calculation only a subset of a data block:
Essbase marks at block level not at the cell level, so a calculation that I executed on a subset of cells can
cause a false positive condition. Only a few cells are calculated but the block is marked clean, although
uncalculated cells remain.
165.Where we can Use a FIX statement?
Ancestors of a dirty block are not marked as dirty until the descendant dirty block is calculated. A false
positive can result if the descendant dirty block is calculated within a FIX statement that does not
include the dirty ancestor block. After calculation, essbase marks the descendant block clean, and the
ancestor block remains marked clean, although it should be marked dirty.
166.Following SET CLEARUPDATESTATUS ONLY with unrelated calculations :
You should follow SET CLEARUPDATESTATUS ONLY with repetition of the section of the script for
which you want to force data block marking , A false positive can occur if SET
CLEARUPDATESTATUS ONLY touches blocks that are otherwise dirty and that are not calculated.

The Intelligent calc can provide significant performance benefits kin certain situations but require vigilant
maintenance of the clean and dirty status of data blocks to avoid skipping the wrong blocks on
calculation.
The intelligent calc function most productively used in interactive or iterative situations in which small,
incremental changes are made to a database and in which it is not necessary to recalculate the entire
database. For example you can use intelligent calc in following situations:
During quarter close periods, allocation rates and adjusting entries may be update multiple times. You
use intelligent calc to view update results without recalculating the entire database.
In budgeting or forecasting application, typically, many users update units and drivers on a regular basis.
In such applications, for users to analyze the impact of their updates, a short calculation time is
imperative.
167.What is the difference between FIX and IF statements? In what situations they are used and
what are its pros and cons?
This is the favorite question, which everyone will be asking. If should be used for Dense dimensions
and FIX for sparse dimensions.
Reason: If you FIX on a Dense dimension. Remember dense dimension member will be present in every
block of essbase. so if you FIX on dense dimension you are asking to pull all blocks, so the purpose of
"FIX" (where you want to pull only some blocks) is lost. If you FIX on sparse dimensions, only required
blocks are pulled and calculation will be fast.
168. In what situation I cannot use AGG MISSING ON setting?
.
In some cases you may need to load data into parent level. Like allocations, for example you load
expense data into east region and allocate the expenses to various cost centers under east region based on
the headcount or other factors.

If you have AGG MISSING ON and when we aggregate the database. it will clear the parent value if
there are no data for children. In such cases we don't use AGGMISSING ON option
169. Give me an estimate of the largest Essbase db you have worked on (Number of dims, members,
calcs, etc)
In my past experience, the biggest databases for BSO Essbase databases were below 10GB in most cases
less than 5 GB. And number of dimensions are 8 to 10 with maximum 4 attribute dimensions. In most
cases account and period are dense dimensions. number of members are around 5000 for entities. Any
dimension members are below 10000.
170. What process do you follow when developing calc scripts?

a. Analyze the requirements documents.

b. Decide whether it is required to write calc script or can we create formulae in the
database outline.

c. Write the calculation script in the incremental method i.e. calculating some members and test for
optimization.
171 .What is the major difference between CALCDIM and AGG commands?
CALCDIM will only rollup only thru one dimension or specified set of dimension and also calculates
the formulae associated with the members
AGG will roll up all dims ignoring formulae

172.What are new features in 7.x version?

Aggregate Storage option
Hyperion Hub
Triggers
173.What is MOLAP? What is MDDB? What are features available with Multidimensional
Data base?
Essbase OLAP Server contains multidimensional databases that support analysis and
management reporting applications that are described as online analytical processing (OLAP)
applications.
A multidimensional database supports multiple views of datasets for users who need to analyze
the relationships between data categories.
Multidimensional databases consolidate and calculate data to provide different views
. Only the database outline, the structure that defines all elements of the database, limits the
number of views.

 With a multidimensional database, users can pivot the data to see information from a different
viewpoint, drill down to find more detailed information, or drill up to see an overview.
174.What Essbase Administration Services will do In Essbase?
Ans: Essbase Administration Services is for managing and maintaining Essbase. Essbase
Administration Services consists of a client console and a middle tier server that communicate
directly with Essbase OLAP Servers.
175. Essbase Client/Server Architecture1.What server agent will do?
The server runs a Server Agent (ESSBASE) process that acts as a traffic coordinator for all user
requests to Essbase applications.
Administrative requests, such as logging in and logging out, starting and stopping applications
and databases, and viewing user security information, are handled by the Essbase Server Agent
(ESSBASE).
176. What ESSSVR process will do?
Application server (ESSSVR) handles client requests for data, such as dataloads, calculations,
spreadsheet reports, and data lock and unlock..III.

177.Application/database Creation and settings1.What files will be created once you

created application?
.app, .apb, and application log file.2.
178. I have 4 databases in my application then how many database log files can be created
in Application?
Only one application log(Note: Only one app log is created for one application)
179. What files will be created once you created database?
ANS: db, .dbb,.esm, .tct, and .ind
essn.pag Essbase data fileessn.ind Essbase index filedbname.esm Essbase Kernel file that
contains control information used for database recoverydbname.tct Transaction control
tabledbname.ind Free fragment file for data and index free fragmentsdbname.otl Outline file,
which does not store data but does store all metadata for a database and defines how data is
stored
180. Outline creation and settings1.What is outline and what is it contains?

Database outlines define the structure of a multidimensional database, including all the
dimensions, members, aliases, tags, types, consolidations, and mathematical relationships. The
structure defined in the outline determines how data is stored in the database. When a database is
created, Essbase creates an outline for that database automatically. The outline has the same
name as the database (dbname .OTL).
181. What is difference between non-attribute/standard and attribute dimensions?
Standard dimensions represent the core components of a business plan and often relate to
departmental functions. Attribute dimensions are a special type of dimension and are associated
with standard dimensions. Through attribute dimensions, you group and analyze members of
your standard dimensions. It doesnt associate any data.3.
182. Why they classified standard dimensions as dense and sparse? What isdifference
between Dense and Sparse dimensions?
Essbase maximizes performance by dividing the standard dimensions of an application into two
types: dense dimensions and sparse dimensions
.Most multidimensional databases are inherently sparse: they lack data values for the majority of
member combinations. A sparse dimension is a dimension with a low percentage of available
data positions filled. Most multidimensional databases also contain dense dimensions. A dense
dimension is a dimension with a high probability that one or more data points is occupied in
every combination of dimensions.
183. What is difference between generation and level?
Generation:
Any member can have only one generation and Top to Bottom Level:

Any member can have more than one level and Bottom to Top