Best Practices in Obiee

 

Repository ‐ Physical Layer Connection Pool 1.Use individual database for every project and also specify the meaningful name for it 2.Follow proper naming convention to the database object & connection pool as per the project/business unit. 3.Use optimized number of connection pools, maximum connections for each pool ,shared logon etc.

4.Do not have any connection pools which are unable to connect to the databases as this might lead to BI server crash as it continuously ping to the connection. 5. It is advised to have a dedicated database connection for OBI which can read all the required schemas and which never expires 6.Any improper call interface should not be in the connection pool 7.Ensure to check “Execute queries asynchronously” option in the connection pool details Others 1.Define proper keys in physical layer  2.Do not import foreign keys from Database 3.Specify the intelligent cache persistence time depending on any physical table refreshing period 4.Avoid using Hints at the Physical table Level. 5.Use aliases to resolve all circular joins 6.Avoid to create views (SQL based objects) 7.There should beany no fact table to fact table joins in the physical layer unless it is necessary 8.Use consistent naming conventions across aliases 9.Do not use a separate alias for degenerate facts 10.Search and destroy triangle joins 11.Always define your catalog under projects (typically useful for Multi User Development environment and repository merging)

 

Repository Design ‐ BMM Hierarchy 1.Ensure each level of hierarchy has an appropriate number of elements e e e ts and level key. 2.No level key should be at Grand total level 3.A hierarchy should only have one grand total level 4.Lowest level of the hierarchy should be same as lowest grain of the Dimension Table. lowest level of a dimension hierarchy must match the primary key of its corresponding dimension logical tables 5.All the columns in a hierarchy should come from one logical table

6.All hierarchies should have a single root level and a single top level. 7.If a hierarchy has multiple branches, all branches must have a common beginning point and a common end point. 8.No column can be associated with more than one level. 9.If a column pertains to more than one level, associate it with the highest level it belongs to. 10.All levels except the grand total level must have level keys. 11.Should not be unnecessary keys in hierarchy 12.Optimizes dimensional hierarchy so that it do not span across multiple logical dimension tables Aggregation 1.All aggregation should be performed from a fact logical table and not from a dimension logical table. 2.All columns that cannot be aggregated should be expressed in a dimension logical table and not in a fact logical table 3.Non‐aggregated aggregated columns columns can exist exist in a logical logical fact fact table if they are are mapped to a source source which is at the the  lowest level of aggregation for all other dimensions 4.Arrange dimensional sources in order of aggregation from lowest level to highest level Others 1. Modelling should not be any report specific, it should be model centric 2.Joins between logical facts and logical dimensions should be complex(intelligent) i.e. 0,1:N not foreign key joins 3.It is advised to have a logical star in the business model 4.Combine all like attributes into single dimensional logical table.For e.g. Never put product attributes in customer dimension 5.Every Logical Dimension should have a hierarchy declared even if it only consists of a Grand Total and a Detail Level. 6.Never delete logical columns that map to keys of physical dimension tables 7. Explicitly declare content of logical table sources 8. Proper naming convention to be followed for logical tables and columns 9.Avoid assigning logical column same name as logical table or subject area 10.Configure the content/levels properly for all sources to ensure that OBI generates optimised SQL 11. Avoid to apply complex logic at the “Where Clause” filter. 12.Level based or derived calculations should not be stored in Aggregated tables 13. Explicitly declare the content of logical table sources, especially for logical fact tables. 14. Create separate source for dimension extensions. 15. Combine Fact extension into main fact source 16. Separate Separate mini‐dimensions dimensions from from large large dimensions dimensions as as different different logical logical tables tables – keeping keeping options options open open  on deleting large dimensions 17. If multiple calendars and time comparisons for both are required (e.g. fiscal and Gregorian), then consider separating them into different logical dimension tables – simplifies calendar table construction 18. Each logical table source of a fact logical table needs to have an aggregation content defined. The aggregation content rule defines at what level of granularity the data is stored in this fact table. For each dimension that relates to this fact logical table, define the level of granularity, ensuring that every related

 

dimension is defined. 19. Delete unnecessary physical column from here 20. Rename logical column here so that all referenced presentation column would changes cascaded Logical Joins 1. If foreign key logical joins are used, the primary key of a logical fact table should then be comprised of  the foreign keys. If the physical table does not have a primary key, the logical key for a fact table needs to  be made up up of the key key columns columns that join join to the attribute attribute tables tables . 2.Look at the foreign keys for the fact table and find references for all of the dimension tables that join to this fact table. 3. Create the logical key of the fact table as a combination of those foreign keys.

 

Presentation Layer 1. It should be simple Break out complex logical models into simple, discrete, and manageable subject areas. 2.Expose most important facts and dimensions 3. All columns columns should should be named named in business business‐relevant terms, NOT in physical physical table/colum table/column n terms 4.Proper Naming Convention for all tables and columns by Initial cap Labellings. 5.Do not combine tables and columns from mutually incompatible logical fact and dimension tables 6. Ensure that aliases for presentation layer columns and tables are not used unless necessary. Verify that

reports do not use the aliases 7.End‐Users should not not get any errors errors when when querying querying on any any two random columns in a well well designed designed   presentation  presenta tion layer  layer  8. Each Catalog should have the description which will be visible from Answers 9. Each Presentation column should have description visible from answers on mouse hover to it 10. Delete unnecessary columns of BMM in presentation layer  11. Avoid naming catalog folders same as presentation tables 12. If the presentation catalog is in Tree Tree like folder structure(main and sub folders), then place a dummy measure in the main catalog folder. 13. Avoid to set permissions to tables or groups unless necessary 14. If presentation table is in tree like structure then place a dummy column as ‘_’ to enforce proper table sorting . This also help in merging activities 15. Separate Separate numeric numeric and and non‐numeric quantities quantities into into separate separate folder folder sets. sets. Mark Mark “Facts” “Facts” or “Measures” “Measures”  for column having Aggregation rules 16. Detailed presentation catalogs should include measures from one fact table only as a general rule, as the detailed detailed dimensions dimensions (e.g. degenerate degenerate facts) are non non‐conforming conforming with with other other fact fact tables tables 17. Overview catalogs dimensionality is intersection of the conforming dimensions of the base facts 18. Do not use any special characters(‘$‘,’%’,’&’,’_’,’’’ etc.) for naming convention in Presentation Layer and also for Dashboards Others RPD Security 1.Use 1.U se Exte Externa rnali lize zed d secur securit ity y for use userr‐grou group p assoc associat iatio ion n to roll roll‐out lar large ge numb number er of of use users rs 2.Users should not be stored inside the repository 3.Use template groups (i.e. security filters with session variables) to minimize group proliferation 4. Limit online repository updates to minor changes. 5. For major editing take backup copy of the repository, and edit the repository in Offline mode. 6. Use naming convention for initialization block and variable for ease of maintenance 7. Follow proper migration strategies Report Design Shared Folders 1. Each project or business unit will be given a dedicated shared folder on the catalog to create/save the corresponding report developments. 2.Any project specific work is not supposed to be saved in “My Folders”. 3.Dashboard, Page Name , Report Name , Web Groups should be saved to relevant business area shared folders with proper and easily identifiable naming conventions 4.Each Dashboard , Page , Report should have descriptions Interactive Dashboard 1.Compact and balanced and Feature Rich 2.Do not use any special characters(‘$‘,’%’,’&’,’_’,’’’ etc.) for naming convention in Dashboards/reports. 3. Try to avoid complex pivot tables. 4. It’s not recommended to use Guided Navigation which effects the report performance.

 

5. Use single GO button for g all the prompts in the report 6.Apply the hidden hidden column column format format as the system system‐wide default default for for these these preservatio preservation n measures measures 7.Name should be meaningful for business 8. Each report can have title definition 9. Do role based personalization wherever applicable 10. Answers access should be restrictive to group of users via privilege control by BI Administrator  11. Apply filter with some default value to avoid high response time 12. Avoid drop down list for filters for large set of distinct values 13. For date calendar column place it in pivot rather tabular data show 14. Always try to put a single Go 15. Make Drill in place in dashboard for Drilled down reports 16. Put the Download ,Refresh , Print link across all reports 17. 2‐D char charts ts are are eas easie ierr to read read than than 3‐D cou counte nterpa rpart rt ty typic picall ally y for for bar bar char charts ts 18. Use standard dashboard layout across all pages 19. Try to keep only 3 to 4 messages per page 20. Remember people read from left to right & top to bottom 21. Always keep dashboards symmetrical, balanced and visually appealing 22. Augment basic reports with Conditional Formatting 23. Always Always leverag leveragee Portal Portal Navigat Navigation, ion, Report Report Naviga Navigatio tion n & Drill‐down down 24. Create Visibility Roles 25. Place Filter Views Views underneath Title views 26. Don’t Show Detailed Filters (They look cluttered) 27. Use standard saved templates to import formatting and apply the layout 28. Use region/section collapsible features . 29. Use View selector to allow same data to be replicate across several view 30. Avoid horizontal scrolling of dashboard page 31. Remember that you can embed folders or groups of folders 32. Always Drill/Navigate from summary to detail, top to bottom 33. Always Always try to leverage each request view within an application or demonstration (Table, Chart, Chart, Pivot Table, Ticker, Narrative,Filter, etc.) Performance 1. Should have no Global Consistency Errors and Warnings 2.Metadata Repository size to be Reduced to the possible Extent by removing the unused Objects 3. OptimizedDatabase settings hints for BIfor server and ebPhysical server configuration file parameters 4. Applying a table inW the layer of the Repository 5. Reduce the SELECT statements executes by the OBIEE Server  6. Limit the generation of lengthy physical SQL queries by Modeling dimension hierarchies (H (Hierarchy ierarchy ( Drill Key and Level Key) 7. Disable or remove the unused initialization blocks and also reduce the number of init blocks in the Repository 8. Set the correct and recommended log level in the Production, setting the Query Limits and turn off  logging 9. Push the complex functions to be performed at the database side 10. Good Caching and Purging strategy(Web server cache and Siebel Analytic Server Cache)