OBIEE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

Physical Layer
1. What is connection pool
1. Connection pool is a physical layer object is !se"!l to store #ata base
cre#entials li$e #atabase na%e !serna%e pass&or#..etc.
'. OBIEE oracle BI Ser(er contacts #ata base !sin) connection pool
'. *o& to i%port (ie&s+%ateriali,e# (ie&s-
1. While i%portin) &e nee# to enable (ie&s option
.. What is the isolation le(el in a connection pool
1. It applies only /or O0BC an# 0B' )ate&ays only. The (al!e sets the
transaction isolation le(el on each connection to the bac$1en# #atabase. The
isolation le(el settin) controls the #e"a!lt transaction loc$in) beha(ior "or all
state%ents iss!e# by a connection. Only one option can be set at a ti%e. It re%ains
set "or that connection !ntil it is e2plicitly chan)e#.
'. The "ollo&in) options are a(ailable3
1. Dirty read. I%ple%ents #irty rea# 4isolation le(el 5 loc$in)6. This
is the least restricti(e isolation le(el. When this option is set it is possible
to rea# !nco%%itte# or #irty #ata chan)e (al!es in the #ata an# ha(e
ro&s appear or #isappear in the #ata set be"ore the en# o" the
transaction. 0irty #ata is #ata that nee#s to be cleane# be"ore bein)
7!erie# to obtain correct res!lts 4"or e2a%ple #!plicate recor#s recor#s
&ith inconsistent na%in) con(entions or recor#s &ith inco%patible #ata
types6.
2. Committed read. Speci"ies that share# loc$s are hel# &hile the
#ata is rea# to a(oi# #irty rea#s. *o&e(er the #ata can be chan)e# be"ore
the en# o" the transaction res!ltin) in non repeatable rea#s or phanto%
#ata.
3. Repeatable read. 8laces loc$s on all #ata that is !se# in a 7!ery
pre(entin) other !sers "ro% !p#atin) the #ata. *o&e(er ne& phanto%
ro&s can be inserte# into the #ata set by another !ser an# are incl!#e# in
later rea#s in the c!rrent transaction.
4. Serializable. 8laces a ran)e loc$ on the #ata set pre(entin) other
!sers "ro% !p#atin) or insertin) ro&s into the #ata set !ntil the transaction
is co%plete. This is the %ost restricti(e o" the "o!r isolation le(els.
Beca!se conc!rrency is lo&er !se this option only i" necessary.
9. *o& %any connection 8ools yo! !se# in yo!r project
1. It is a )eneral 7!estion there is no "i2e# ans&er ho&e(er in each project
&e &ill ha(e %ini%!% three connection pools
1. One "or i%portin) tables an# e2ec!te reports
2. One "or e2ec!te session initiali,ation bloc$ s7l 7!eries
3. One "or !sa)e trac$in) p!rpose
'. Reco%%en#e# n!%ber is bet&een ' to 15.b!t j!sti"ication is i%portant.
:. To )et #ata o" another sche%a then &hat &e nee# to enable in connection pool
1. Re7!ire# "!lly 7!ali"ie# na%es
'. 0B per%issions
;. Can &e create %!ltiple connection pools !n#er one #atabase object
1. <es &e can
=. What is the #i""erence bet&een 0!plicate an# >lias in physical layer
1. We &ill !se >lias in physical layer to resol(e belo& proble%s
1. Sel" ?oin
2. To %aintain na%in) Stan#ar#s in physical layer
3. Resol(e loops or close# paths
'. 0!plicate nor%ally !se# in 8hysical layer to create a #!plicate copy o"
e2istin) Select table 4Opa7!e Vie&6 +store# 8roce#!re object
@. *o& %any types o" ?oins are there in 8hysical layer-
1. T&o types
1. Foreign ey !oin
1. E7!i(alent to E7!i join
'. >ccepts only A operator
.. Bost !se# join in physical layer
2. Comple" #oin
1. E7!i(alent to Non E7!i join
'. >ccepts all operators li$e 4ACDADAEE.etc6
.. Fess !se# join in 8hysical layer
G. Can &e create sel" join
1. By !sin) >lias table &e can create sel" join.
15. Can &e create o!ter join in physical layer.
1. In 8hysical Fayer O!ter join not possible ho&e(er &e can create o!ter
join in BBB layer .
11. *o& to re%o(e !n!se# objects "ro% physical layer
1. It &ill re%o(e objects &hich &e #i# not !se in BBB layer
'. Tools %en! $ Utilities $ Re%o(e !n!se# objects "ro% physical layer
1'. *o& to synchroni,e physical layer objects
1. It is !se"!l to synchroni,e R80 %eta#ata &ith 0B %eta#ata
'. Tools H Utilities H Up#ate 8hysical Fayer
1.. What is co%ple2 join in &hich scenario &e !se it.
1. I" "orei)n $ey is not possible then &e &ill )o "or co%ple2 join. /or
e2a%ple bet&een e%p an# sal)ra#e &e &ill !se co%ple2 join
'. In place o" non e7!i join co%ple2 join is !se#
19. In "orei)n $ey join can &e !se other than e7!al to operator
1. No
1:. What is Opa7!e (ie&
1. > SQF 7!ery or select state%ent is calle# as opa7!e (ie&.
'. I" &e nee# a ne& table then )o "or physical table 4or6 %ateriali,e# (ie&. In
&orst sit!ation )o "or opa7!e (ie&.
.. Opa7!e (ie&s are not s!pporte# by non relational #b.4e2a%ple BS
E2cel IBF ESSB>SE Eetc6
9. I" &e nee# to call #ata base "!nction then &e ha(e to )o "or Opa7!e Vie& .
1;. Is #eployin) opa7!e is %an#atory-
1. No. b!t it is reco%%en#e# #!e to belo& reason
'. Witho!t #eployin) (ie& into #atabase i" &e !se opa7!e (ie& in reports
then oracle BI ser(er nee#s to create comple" %&eries. To a(oi# co%ple2 7!eries
oracle reco%%en#e# to #eploy each an# e(ery opa7!e (ie& into #atabase.
1=. When a!to%atic joins &ill be create# in physical layer.
1. I" &e ha(e pri%ary $ey an# "orei)n Jey relation ship in #atabase le(el
an# &hile i%portin) i" &e enable 'oreign (ey options then a!to%atic joins &ill be
create# .
1@. What is >lias
1. > (irt!al physical table 4or6 re"erence o" physical table is calle# as alias.
'. On one physical table &e can create KnL no. o" aliases.
.. Whate(er chan)es occ!rre# in physical table that &ill i%%e#iately re"lect
in alias 4e2cept Jey #e"initions6
9. It is %ainly !se"!l to resol(e loops
1G. Can &e create or #elete a col!%n "ro% >lias.
1. No
'5. *o& to eli%inate Circ!lar ?oin or loop or close# path.
1. By Usin) >lias
)&siness *odel and *apping Layer
1. What is the b!siness %o#el
1. Is the hi)hest1le(el object in the BBB layer
'. Contains the b!siness %o#el #e"initions an# the %appin)s "ro% lo)ical to
physical tables
.. Si%pli"ies the physical sche%a
9. Capt!res ho& !sers thin$ abo!t their b!sinesses !sin) their o&n
(ocab!lary
'. Can &e create b!siness %o#el &ith sin)le lo)ical table i" no please let %e $no&
&or$ aro!n#.
1. +pproach 1, Creatin) #!plicate table in BBB layer
'. +pproach 1, Creatin) alias an# creatin) join bet&een ori)inal table an#
alias
.. Can &e create b!siness %o#el "ro% %!ltiple #atabases #i# yo! create# then tell
%e one scenario
1. <es
'. Scenario3 &hen &e &ant to co%pare the >ct!al #ata &ith tar)et #ata an#
these #ata co%in) "ro% so!rces li$e oracle #atabase an# BS1E2cel
respecti(ely
9. What is the Fo)ical Table So!rce an# &hen &e &ill )o "or %!ltiple lo)ical tables
1. Fo)ical table so!rces #e"ine the mappings "ro% sin)le lo)ical table to one
or %ore physical tables.
'. > lo)ical table contains one or %ore lo)ical table so!rce.
.. The %appin) bet&een physical col!%ns an# lo)ical col!%ns can %ana)e
!sin) FTS
9. By inte)ratin) %!ltiple physical tables to FTS or By inte)ratin) %!ltiple
FTS to FT &e can con(ert sno& "la$e sche%a into star sche%a
:. When &e nee# to inte)rate %!ltiple physical tables in FTS.
1. I" &e ha(e sno&"la$e sche%a then &ant to con(ert that into star sche%a
then &e &ill )o "or %!ltiple lo)ical tables.
;. 0i# yo! )et chance to %ap a lo)ical col!%n &ith %!ltiple physical col!%ns
1. <es I" &e &ant to con"i)!re a))re)ate tables then &e nee# to #o it .
=. What is lo)ical join an# &hy it is !se"!l-
1. >3 The join #e"ine# in the BBB Fayer is calle# lo)ical join
1. Fo)ical join is !se# to #e"ine# #ri(in) table
'. Fo)ical ?oin is !se# to #e"ine Inner Ri)ht Fe"t an# /!ll o!ter
joins
.. Use# to #e"ine# the car#inality
9. Fo)ical join is !se"!l to i#enti"y #i%ension an# "act table
:. Fo)ical join allo&s Oracle BI Ser(er to %a$e the best #ecision
abo!t the e2act physical SQF to )enerate base# on the lo)ical 7!ery
path.
@. =.Can &e ha(e a table &itho!t lo)ical join-
1. No
G. Can &e ha(e a #i%ension table &itho!t pri%ary $ey-
1. No
15. Can &e copy R80 objects &ithin the R80 an# "ro% one R80 to another
R80-
1. <es &e can copy R80 objects &ith in the R80.
'. We can copy one R80 to another R80 b!t &e nee# to
copy correspon#in) layers only i.e. 4physical to physical BBB to BBB an#
presentation to presentation6
11. What is Rena%in) &i,ar# an# &hich layers can be %o#i"ie#.
1. Rena%in) &i,ar# is !se# to rena%e all objects 4 e2a%ple 3 tables an#
col!%ns6 o" BBB an# 8resentation layer
'.
..
Presentation Layer
1. Can &e create a s!bject area "ro% %!ltiple b!siness %o#els
1. No
'. In &hich (ersion o" OBIEE presentation layer s!pportin) hierarchy object
1. OBIEE 11M
.. What is >liases
1. Jeep trac$ o" any chan)es to 8resentation layer objects
'.
9. What are neste# tables
1. 8re"i2 the na%e o" the presentation "ol#er to be neste# &ith a hyphen an# a
space. or type N 1 D Nin #escription o" the col!%n
'. 8lace it a"ter the "ol#er in &hich it nests
:. Can &e %ap a presentation col!%n &ith %!ltiple lo)ical col!%ns
1. &e can not
-esting . /alidating Repository
1. What is )lobal consistency chec$
1. Consistency chec$ is one o" the processes to chec$ &hether a repository is
yiel#in) proper res!lts in >ns&er reports. It chec$s &hetherO
1. >ll lo)ical col!%ns are %appe# correctly to physical col!%ns.
'. >ll lo)ical #i%ension tables ha(e a lo)ical $ey.
.. >re there at least t&o lo)ical tables in the b!siness %o#el 4one is a
lo)ical "act table an# the other is lo)ical #i%ension table &ith join
con#ition6.
9. There are no circ!lar lo)ical join relationships.
:. > presentation catalo) e2ists "or the b!siness %o#el.
'. *o& %any %essa)es are there in consistency chec$ %ana)er-
1. Upto OBIEE 11.1.1.: (ersion There are . %essa)es in consistency chec$
%ana)er s!ch as
1. Errors
'. Warnin)s
.. Best 8ractices
'. In OBIEE 11.1.1.; (ersion on&ar#s There are . %essa)es in consistency
chec$ %ana)er s!ch as
1. Errors
'. Warnin)s
.. In OBIEE ho& %any ser(ers are there
1. In OBIEE 11M &e ha(e ; ser(ers
1. Oracle BI Ser(er
'. Oracle BI 8resentation ser(er
.. Oracle BI ?a(a host ser(er
9. Oracle Oracle BI Sche#!ler ser(er
:. Oracle BI Cl!ster controller ser(er
;. Web lo)ic Ser(er 4ne&ly a##e# in OBIEE11M6
9. What is O8BNCTF an# ho& %any ser(ers are inte)rate# in it.
1. The Oracle 8rocess Bana)er an# Noti"ication Ser(er Control
1. Oracle BI Ser(er
'. Oracle BI 8resentation ser(er
.. Oracle BI ?a(a host ser(er
9. Oracle Oracle BI Sche#!ler ser(er
:. Oracle BI Cl!ster controller ser(er
:. NQSCON/IM.INI an# NQSERVER.lo) "iles are correspon#in) to &hich ser(er.
1. OBI ser(er
;. Can &e loa# %!ltiple R80s in Oracle BI ser(er
1. No &e canLt
=. Can &e !ploa# R80 &itho!t !sin) EB-
1. We canLt
@. *o& %any lo) le(els are a(ailable
1. Totally @ le(els 45 to =6
G. What are the lo) le(els in #e(elop%ent test an# pro#!ction yo! !se# in yo!r
project.
1. In 0e(elop%ent an# Test &e &ill !se lo) le(el as '
'. In pro#!ction &e &ill !se lo) le(el 5
15. >ll 7!ery lo)s &ill be store# in &hich "ile an# &hat is that "ile physical
path
1. NQQUER<.lo) "ile
'. C3POBIEEQOBIEEPinstancesPinstance1P#ia)nosticsPlo)sPOracleBISer(erC
o%ponentPcoreapplicationQobis1
11. In lo) le(el 1 can &e see physical SQF 7!ery.
1. No &e can not see the physical SQF 7!ery it sho&s lo)ical SQF 7!ery.
'. I" yo! set lo))in) le(el as ' then it )i(es all lo) in"or%ation o" le(el 1
alon) &ith physical SQF 7!ery
1'. Mlobal consistency chec$ is not thro&in) any errors then can &e ass!%e
R80 is correct
1. Synta2 &ise it is correct .B!siness r!les &ise &e %ay ha(e so%e
%ista$e 1.
01 .+dding *&ltiple Physical -able So&rces
1. Table 1 an# Table ' ha(e no #irect join in physical layer. Can &e %ap both in
sin)le FTS
No .
'. 0etail table an# a))re)ate tables &ill be a##e# as t&o FTS to FT. Is it ri)ht-
<es It is ri)ht .
.. Usin) this concept &e can con(ert Nor%ali,e#+sno& "la$e sche%a into
#enor%ali,e# + Star sche%a is it ri)ht -
<es &e can #o !sin) belo& %etho#s
1. By inte)ratin) %!ltiple physical tables into FTS
'. By inte)ratin) B!ltiple physical tables as %!ltiple FTS to FT .
02 Calc&lations
1. *o& %any types o" calc!lations a(ailable in BBB layer.
We can create three types o" calc!lations1. Creatin) calc!lation base# on lo)ical
col!%ns'. Creatin) calc!lation base# on physical col!%ns.. Creatin) calc!lation
!sin) Calc!lation Wi,ar#
2. What scenarios a!to%atically han#le# !sin) calc!lation &i,ar#.Belo& t&o
scenarios han#le# by !sin) calc!lation &i,ar#
1. To han#le 34LL 5al&es'. To han#le 0i5ide by 6ero 5al&es
3. > calc!lation &hich is ta$in) lon)er ti%e then &here &e nee# to calc!late
Re7!est ETF tea% to calc!late .
4. > calc!lation &hich is ta$in) lesser ti%e an# re!sable then &here &e nee# to
calc!late I" a calc!lation is re!sable si%ple an# ta$es less ti%e in r!nnin) report
then calc!late in R80 .
1. > calc!lation &hich is ta$in) lesser ti%e an# not re!sable then &here &e nee# to
calc!late
I" a calc!lation is ta$in) less ti%e an# not re!sable then #o the calc!lations in the
report only.
2. What is C>ST46 "!nction-
C>ST46 is a "!nction &hich is !se# to chan)e the one $in# o" #ata type in to another
type.
7. I ha(e t&o col!%ns in t&o tables one col!%n #ata type is (archar an# another
one is n!%ber. Then can &e create "orei)n $ey join in physical layer.
<es By !sin) C>ST46 "!nction &e can achie(e it
8. What is e(al!ate "!nction
To "orce calc!lations to #atabase it is !se"!l .
9. 8lease e2plain ho& to a## or s!btract #ate col!%ns.
We cannot per"or% an arith%etic operation4pl!s %in!s ....etc6 on a 0>TE or
TIBEST>B8. These are consi#ere# Non1n!%eric types. To calc!late #i""erence
bet&een t&o #ates OBIEE pro(i#es a TIBEST>B80I// "!nction. The synta2 "or
!sin) the "!nction is3
TIBEST>B80I//4inter(al "irstQ#ate secon#Q#ate6
/irstQ#ate an# secon#Q#ate ha(e to be (ali# (al!es in the TIBEST>B8 type.
Inter(al is a speci"ie# (al!e. Vali# (al!es "or INTERV>F are3
SQFQTSIQSECON0
SQFQTSIQBINUTE
SQFQTSIQ*OUR
SQFQTSIQ0><
SQFQTSIQWEEJ
SQFQTSIQBONT*
SQFQTSIQQU>RTER
SQFQTSIQ<E>R
I" the #ates are not in a (ali# TIBEST>B8 "or%at !se C>ST "!nction to con(ert (al!es into
TIBEST>B8 type. See e2a%ple belo&3
TIBEST>B80I//4SQFQTSIQ0><C>ST4V>FUEO/4NB<Q0>TEQCOFUBNN6as
TIBEST>B86 CURRENTQ0>TE6
We can also !se TIBEST>B8>00 "!nction to a## an inter(al to a #ate
:"ample3 TIBEST>B8>004SQFQTSIQ0>< = TIBEST>B8 R'511111151 1'355355R6