Introduction to Model Advisor in IBM

Cognos 8 Framework Manager

Pratyush Praveen & Maitrayee Sinha
 Agenda

> Model Adviser.

• Introduction
• Constraints
• Options
• Relationship Analysis
• Determinants Analysis
• Miscellaneous Analysis
 Model Adviser: Introduction

> An automated tool analyze the metadata in a model

> Applies current modeling guidelines and identifies inconsistencies
and areas that you need to examine
> Provides new modelers with an assistive tool and more
experienced modelers with a diagnostic tool.
 Model Adviser: Constraints

> Not all items flagged by the Model Advisor are indicative of a
problem.
> Do not recommend running the Model Advisor against an entire
model.
> Not intended for use with SAP BW or other OLAP sources.
 Model Adviser: Options

> Relationship Analysis

> Determinants Analysis
> Miscellaneous Analysis
 Facts identified by cardinality

> Looks for query subjects that have only the many (n)
cardinality.
 Facts identified by cardinality

Fact Dimension Dimension Fact

1..1 1..1 1..1 ORDER_DETAILS
SALES_STAFF SALES_BRANCH ORDER_HEADER
1..n 1..n 1..n
Query subjects that can behave as facts or dimensions

> Looks for query subjects that have a combination of the many (n)
and one or zero (1,0) cardinality.
Query subjects that can behave as facts or dimensions
ORDER_HEADER
ORDER_DETAILS
Blind Spot ORDER_NUMBER
ORDER_DETAIL_CODE RETAILER_NAME
ORDER_NUMBER RETAILER_NAME_MB
1..n 1..1
PRODUCT_NUMBER RETAILER_SITE_CODE
ACTUAL_REVENUE SALES_STAFF_CODE
QUANTITY SALES_BRANCH_CODE
UNIT_COST ORDER_DATE
UNIT_PRICE ORDER_CLOSE_DATE
UNIT_SALE_PRICE ORDER_METHOD_CODE

1..n 1..n
SALES_TARGET

SALES_STAFF_CODE
SALES_YEAR
SALES_PERIOD
RETAILER_NAME
PRODUCT_NUMBER
SALES_TARGET 1..1
RETAILER_CODE 1..n
1..n SALES_STAFF

1..1 SALES_STAFF_CODE
1..1
FIRST_NAME
1..1 FIRST_NAME_MB
PRODUCT LAST_NAME
LAST_NAME_MB
PRODUCT_NUMBER POSITION_EN
INTRODUCTION_DATE POSITION_FR
PRODUCT_TYPE_CODE POSITION_DE
POSITION_NL
PRODUCTION_COST
MARGIN Query Subjects POSITION_JA
PRODUCT_IMAGE
Query subjects that can behave as facts or dimensions

Fact Dimension Dimension Fact

1..1 1..1 1..1 ORDER_DETAILS
SALES_STAFF SALES_BRANCH ORDER_HEADER
1..n 1..n 1..n

Fact Dimension Fact

1..1 1..1
SALES_STAFF SALES_BRANCH ORDERS
1..n 1..n
 Query subjects with multiple relationships

> Looks for query subjects with multiple valid relationships between itself
and another query subject.
Query subjects with multiple relationships

Order Date = Day Key

Ship Date = Day Key
Orders Time
Close Date = Day Key

Day Key Time

e r Date =
Ord

Ship Date = Day Key

Orders Ship Time
Clos
e Date
= Day
Ke y

Close Time
 Query subjects that join to themselves

> Looks for reflexive and recursive relationships.

 Query subjects that join to themselves

Employee Query Subject

Recursive Relationship Employee ID
Between Employee ID Manager ID
and
Manager ID Phone Number
Ext.
…

Employee Query Subject

Shortcut to Employee
Employee ID Query Subject
1..1
Manager ID
Employee ID
1..n
Phone Number
Manager ID
Ext.
Phone Number
…
Ext.
Recursive Relationship
…
Can now be edited
 Model Adviser: Options

> Relationship Analysis

> Determinants Analysis
> Miscellaneous Analysis
 Determinants that conflict with relationships

> Looks for determinants that conflict with the relationships defined
between query subjects
 Model Adviser: Options

> Relationship Analysis

> Determinants Analysis
> Miscellaneous Analysis
 Factors that will override the minimized SQL setting

> Looks for various factors that override the SQL Generation type setting of
Minimized, such as modified data source query subjects, relationships
between model query subjects, or determinants for model query subjects

Cont...
 Factors that will override the minimized SQL setting

> SQL for query subject as a whole:

Cont...
 Factors that will override the minimized SQL setting

> SQL for Items from one table with effect of minimized SQL. :

Cont...
 Factors that will override the minimized SQL setting

> SQL after join overrides the minimized SQL setting:

 Embedded calculations that use the calculated aggregation type

> Looks for embedded calculations where the value of the Regular
Aggregate property is set to ‘Calculated’.
Embedded calculations that use the calculated aggregation type

> Expression by using the Production Cost and Revenue of the Sales
(model) query subject

> When its aggregation is set to automatic, the Margin is aggregated as:
• SUM( Production Cost / Revenue )

> We want Margin to be computed as:

• SUM( Production Cost ) / SUM( Revenue )
Embedded calculations that use the calculated aggregation type

> Use Production Cost and Revenue of the Sales measure dimension
 Query subjects that can cause a metadata caching conflict

> Looks for factors that override cached metadata, such as data source query
subjects whose SQL has been modified or query subjects that contain
calculations or filters
Q&A