CONFIDENTIAL

Marilyn O’Keeffe

Product Manager, Cognos

CONFIDENTIAL

Series 7 – what is it?Series 7 – what is it?

Shared Components

Upfront, UDA, Access Manager, Architect, etc.

Imp/IWR PowerPlay

Cognos Query

Notice Cast

Viz 1.5 Decision Stream

6.5

CONFIDENTIAL

Complete BI FrameworkComplete BI Framework

1. Enterprise Ready

2. Unified User Environment

3. Information Delivery

CONFIDENTIAL

Enterprise Architecture:Enterprise Architecture: Predictable Performance, Scalability, and Predictable Performance, Scalability, and AvailabilityAvailability

Highly optimized Highly-tuned application services

Improved query optimization

Integrated components

Enterprise commitment Windows and UNIX support

Testing at IBM and Microsoft

Performance tuning documents

Published benchmarks

Capacity planning

CONFIDENTIAL

Enterprise Platform RequirementsEnterprise Platform Requirements

UNIX Sun Solaris, HP-UX, IBM AIX

See Conformance at http://support.cognos.com

Windows Servers: NT 4.0, 2000

Clients: 95, 98, ME, NT 4.0 and 2000

UNIX and Windows are treated equally

CONFIDENTIAL

Developing on Windows and UNIXDeveloping on Windows and UNIX

Single common code stream

Native code is used wherever possible.

Platform specific code is clearly identified in the code. Examples include File system calls

Memory allocation

Inter-process communication

Daily builds are completed for all supported platforms.

CONFIDENTIAL

Enterprise => GlobalEnterprise => Global

Enterprise applications span multiple Languages

Locales

Code Pages

Time zones

Series 7 provides products which are Internationalized

Multilingual

Localized

CONFIDENTIAL

A Primer to Some Key TerminologyA Primer to Some Key Terminology

Locale Specifies language and country of the application. E.g. EN_US is for US English, ES_ME is for Mexican

Spanish.

Used to guide currency and date formatting, sorting etc.

Internationalized Core-English product that runs on any supported locale

Localized Product that has been translated to another language.

Multilingual Product that can serve users information in different languages

Multibyte Languages which require more than 1 byte to represent characters. E.g. Japanese, Chinese

Unicode Single character set for all of the worlds languages – single and multibyte

Not supported in Series 7

CONFIDENTIAL

Series 7 is MultilingualSeries 7 is Multilingual

All servers are integrated with Upfront

Most of the user interface is available through Upfront

as a result we have a rich multilingual solution

IWR

Upfront

CQNoticeCast PPES

Multilingual Bits

CONFIDENTIAL

Fonts, Fonts, FontsFonts, Fonts, Fonts

Author

Windows

Server

Windows/UNIX

Andale WT

CONFIDENTIAL

Enterprise Management: InstallationEnterprise Management: Installation

Transfer Move physical files on to the machine

Configuration Set properties to allow components to interact

Start the appropriate services/servers

CONFIDENTIAL

Configuration ManagerConfiguration Manager

Allows you to set and apply the configuration settings for the computer on which it is installed.

Allows you to create a script for another computer which can then be applied.

Creates /manages a cer2.csx file

CONFIDENTIAL

Configuration Manager – how does it Configuration Manager – how does it do it?do it?

 

Configuration Engine

Windows

GUICLISoftware

Component Definition

(XML)

Config.

Script

Configuration Information “Store/s”:* INI files* Registry Keys* Etc.

CONFIDENTIAL

Installation PlannerInstallation Planner

Web application

Available from support.cognos.com

Quick start to complex, multi server (multi platform) installations

Available all supported customers

Data mining

CONFIDENTIAL

Enterprise Management:Enterprise Management: Deployment ManagerDeployment Manager

Simplified packaging of Cognos applications

Allows for deployment through the application’s Lifecycle - development-through to-production

Open, XML based

Cross-platform deployment of Cognos solution

NT to Unix ; Unix to NT ; NT & Unix to NT & Unix

Development Test Production

CONFIDENTIAL

Deployment Manager is…Deployment Manager is…

It is all about “application” deployment:

The action of moving an application to a new infrastructure.

Deployment Manager:

Deploys the Cognos data store contentPacks the contents (pack)

Fixup references to paths, servers, gateways,(mapping)

Deploys to a new system (unpack)

Focus is on the run-time web application

CONFIDENTIAL

Deployment Manager is not …Deployment Manager is not …

Does not move software The “target” system is to be installed and configured prior to

deployment

Does not deploy client based applications and development tools

Impromptu reports , PowerPlay reports, Architect models, …

CONFIDENTIAL

One Deployment Tool for the solutionOne Deployment Tool for the solution

Works with all combinations of Cognos Series 7 web based server products

Uses the Upfront NewsIndex as the source of the deployable web application

Deployment granularity level is at the NewsBox and component

Deploy part of an application by NewsBox - distributed deployment to many locations

Deploy part of an application by component - for example, update to only one IWR report set

CONFIDENTIAL

You want scripting… we’ve got You want scripting… we’ve got scriptingscripting

The Command Line Interface lets you:

Script all functionality

Run deployment during off-hours

Deploy in an Unattended mode

Add deployment to your existing maintenance Batch jobs

cdmdefine -cp -p<name> -d<name>cdmpack -d<name> -dl<dir> -p<name>cdmunpack -p<name> -pl<dir> -u<server> -a<file> -s

CONFIDENTIAL

Things you should knowThings you should know

Deployment with a difference Viz 1.5

PPES 6.61

Cognos NoticeCast

Other types of NewsItems

Single code page deployment

Moving the deployment package is manual (but not always necessary )

CONFIDENTIAL

Enterprise Security: Access ManagerEnterprise Security: Access Manager

Group administration of users

SSL support for LDAP

Password support improvements Basic signon password expiry times

Prompt for password change at next logon

Deployment – enhancements to import/export namespace functionality

CONFIDENTIAL

Group AdministrationGroup Administration

Allows for delegated administration of parts of the User Class tree and/or User list

CONFIDENTIAL

SSL Support for LDAPSSL Support for LDAP

Web Browser

Web Server Gateway

Directory Server

Application Servers

Communication

securable via

HTTPS/SSL

Communication

now also securable

via HTTPS/SSL

CONFIDENTIAL

What hasn’t changed…What hasn’t changed…

Trusted Signon Plugin SDK syntax

OLE automation and Batch Maintenance syntax

CONFIDENTIAL

Enterprise Modeling: ArchitectEnterprise Modeling: Architect

Architect Shared metadata model for the Enterprise Platform

Update bridge support for Informatica

Updates to Erwin import

Usability enhancements for Transformer

Normalize Dimensional Entity Wizard

CONFIDENTIAL

Enterprise: Data AccessEnterprise: Data Access

NCR Teradata on UNIX through ODBC

Deprecated support for some databases

Deprecated support for in database cubes.

CONFIDENTIAL

2. Unified User Environment2. Unified User Environment

CONFIDENTIAL

Upfront in Series 7Upfront in Series 7

Consistent user experience Usability tested with customers

Open Easier to customize/integrate the UI

.CSS used for quick color, font changes to templates

Improvements to the UTML language

Automation interfaces

drive Upfront through XML commands from common scripting languages such as VBScript and Perl

Performance and Scalability Simpler Out of the Box UI.

Improved throughput

CONFIDENTIAL

Upfront Object ModelUpfront Object ModelUpfront Object ModelUpfront Object Model

Custom View NewsItemsCustom View NewsItems

Report NewsItemsReport NewsItems

Data Source NewsItemsData Source NewsItems

CONFIDENTIAL

How is the UI generated?How is the UI generated?

Web Server

HTTP://<server>/cognos/cgi-bin/upfcgi.exe?xmlcmd=<GetPage><Template>main.utml</Template>…

1.

Upfront ServerTemplates:

•Static HTML & JavaScript

•Dynamic XML

2.

5.

HTML4.

6.

Upfront DataStore

3.

UTMLTemplates

CONFIDENTIAL

What’s New in UTML for Series 7What’s New in UTML for Series 7

New control structures <utml:condition> - for selective processing of logic

<utml:switch>, <utml:case> - for multi-case conditionals

<utml:loop> - to iterate through XML elements

An example: conditional page elements You do not wish to display a link to a user’s Personal NewsBox if the user

does not have one

In Upfront 6.0, to accomplish this you would have had to use client side Javascript and document.write statements

In Upfront 7.x it is easy and server side:

<utml:condition test=“<%USER.PersonalNewsBox%>”>

…some HTML

</utml:condition>

CONFIDENTIAL

What's new in Upfront XML?What's new in Upfront XML?

Custom properties – allows for application-specific meta-data to be associated with Upfront objects

Users

NewsBoxes

NewsItems

Theme view security – restrict the use of certain themes

User operations when logged in as an admin – change/view information about any user or group of users

DescribeUser

SetUserProperties

CONFIDENTIAL

Deep integration via the XML APIDeep integration via the XML API

Upfront NewsIndex

•Security

•Properties

Upfront Service

Option 1

Upfront Presentation

Layer

Templates for UI

Option 2

External Application

Direct XML

CONFIDENTIAL

IWR Series 7 HighlightsIWR Series 7 Highlights

Upfront integration

Report versioning

Improved report publishing and administration

External web application integration

Security Enhancements

Catalog governors

Enhanced PowerPrompts

Platform Availability

CONFIDENTIAL

Report VersioningReport Versioning

Set maximum number of versions in Report Administrator

Turn versioning on/off at the report level in Upfront

Archive result sets in PDF, Excel and CSV

CONFIDENTIAL

Report & Server AdministrationReport & Server Administration

Server Administration as before Servers

Queue Management

View scheduled jobs

Improved Report Publishing Report Project Administrator

Report Set Administrator

Usability improvements

NO DIS

TRIBUTIO

N SHUTTLE

CONFIDENTIAL

SecuritySecurity

Anonymous and Guest user support

Union of User Classes See all reports that you have access to if you are a member of

more than 1 user class

Reduced need to pick a User Class

Security by value User Name, User Class, Catalog User Profile security tokens

in expressions

CONFIDENTIAL

Enhanced PowerPrompts CapabilitiesEnhanced PowerPrompts Capabilities

Access Manager integration

Database definitions

Catalog Information in Dynamos

Database qualifiers

User Class Filters + more

Embedded JavaScript

Server-side execution

NT and UNIX

CONFIDENTIAL

External Web Application IntegrationExternal Web Application Integration

CONFIDENTIAL

URL CapabilitiesURL Capabilities

Static or Programmatic URL Construction? Use static URL’s when report parameters don’t change

Construct a URL based on User Input where parameters may change depending on user behaviour

What can you control via the URL? Report Run Command

Report Output

Return URL

Drill targets (Filters)

Prompt Values

User Class

CONFIDENTIAL

Administration of External Administration of External IntegrationIntegration

IWR must be fully functioning outside the Integration Application

Upfront

Access Manager

IWR + Configured Reports

Reports must be published & functional

Security must be applied

CONFIDENTIAL

Cognos Query Series 7 HighlightsCognos Query Series 7 Highlights

Upfront consistency

Authoring of agents

Minimize re-execution of queries

Minimize server restarts

Governor notification

New Query Wizard flexibility

Date Selector

CONFIDENTIAL

Minimize re-execution of QueriesMinimize re-execution of Queries

Query is re-executed when: The SQL is changed

The user asks for it to be

Export to a different format

Benefits Performance and scalability

Usability

CONFIDENTIAL

Minimize Server RestartsMinimize Server Restarts

No server restart required for: Publishing

Server tuning

Adding/removing user classes

Benefits 24/7 availability

No need to go or connect to server machine to manage services

CONFIDENTIAL

Governor Notification Governor Notification

Governors are set in the Architect model

A message is displayed if row retrieval limit is reached and additional data exists.

CONFIDENTIAL

New Query Wizard FlexibilityNew Query Wizard Flexibility

User has the option to Run the query immediately after choosing subject items in the

wizard

Refine the query, before running, by going into design mode.

Benefits are: For potentially large query result sets, the user can first apply a

filter before initial execution

CONFIDENTIAL

Date SelectorDate Selector

Date Selector facilitates date inputs into Filters and Expressions

CONFIDENTIAL

PowerPlay Series 7 HighlightsPowerPlay Series 7 Highlights

Web enhancements

Authoring of agents

Transformer/Architect integration

Transformer enhancements

Greater 3rd party OLAP Support

CONFIDENTIAL

PowerPlay Web EnhancementsPowerPlay Web Enhancements

Re-ordering of measures

Custom exception highlighting

Full ability to create custom exceptions from PWE

Exceptions can be shared between web, client and PDF reports

Fully dynamic

CONFIDENTIAL

PowerPlay Transformer/Architect PowerPlay Transformer/Architect IntegrationIntegration

Normalization Wizard in Architect Easy to set Attribute Usage

User Friendly Modeling Interface Metadata Explorer options on startup

Enhanced Metadata Explorer UI

CONFIDENTIAL

PowerPlay Transformer/Architect PowerPlay Transformer/Architect IntegrationIntegration

Normalization Wizard in Architect Easy to set Attribute Usage

User Friendly Modeling Interface Metadata Explorer options on startup

Enhanced Metadata Explorer UI

CONFIDENTIAL

PowerPlay TransformerPowerPlay Transformer

Ability to edit SQL

Modeling security

“Dagger” approach;deny access to parent value

CONFIDENTIAL

PowerPlay Greater 3PowerPlay Greater 3rdrd Party OLAP Party OLAP SupportSupport

PPDS enhancements for Microsoft Analysis Services

Measure formatting performance

Find performance

Ragged & unbalanced hierarchies support

Essbase/DB2 OLAP Attribute Dimensions Support

CONFIDENTIAL

NoticeCast Series 7NoticeCast Series 7

is the enterprise business event detection, alert and notification component of the

Cognos Platform that deliverspersonalized business information for time-critical decision making. 

CONFIDENTIAL

Event OccursEvent Occurs

Delivery of InformationDelivery of Information

Action in Context of EventAction in Context of Event

Event to Action CompressionEvent to Action Compression

Event occurs

Immediate information delivery

Personalized content

Appropriate delivery

Appropriate decision maker

Reports in context

Action in context of event

CONFIDENTIAL

Event OccursEvent Occurs

Delivery of Information

Action in Context of EventAction in Context of Event

Event to Action CompressionEvent to Action Compression

Operational Alert AgentOperational Alert Agent

Notification AgentNotification Agent

Performance Alert AgentPerformance Alert Agent

CONFIDENTIAL

Notification

Immediate delivery of reports

Alerts

Monitoring Business Performance Measures

Operational Alerts

Event detection,Time-critical decision making

NoticeCast Provides…NoticeCast Provides…

CONFIDENTIAL

NoticeCast AuthoringNoticeCast Authoring

Author complex SQL Agents through NoticeCast Authoring

Why- RDBMS only Existing queries- cut and paste

Dynamic addressing of messages

Not cross system unlike Cognos Query

Author and publish to Upfront

Rule maintenance Authoring application

Custom views, subscribe, recipient lists from Upfront/Authoring application

CONFIDENTIAL

What do you get in the box?What do you get in the box?

NoticeCast Series 7

NoticeCast Server, Authoring application, Upfront and Access Manager

Windows version

NoticeCast Server on NT, Windows 2000

Authoring application for NT, Windows 2000

UNIX version

NoticeCast Server on HP/UX, AIX, Sun Solaris

Authoring application for NT and Windows 2000

CONFIDENTIAL

Getting to Series 7Getting to Series 7

Current

Products

Series 7

Stable Framework

High Quality

CONFIDENTIAL

Starting from?Starting from?

Versions you can upgrade from: PowerPlay (including Transformer) 6.5, 6.61

IWR 6.0 RBF 6, 6.1, SE 6.0

Cognos Query 6.2

Impromptu 5.0, 6.0

CONFIDENTIAL

Final thoughts… Final thoughts…

***New documentation

Advanced Planning Installations guide

Backup and restore

Deployment

Upgrade

Customer Support

Upgrade utility

Knowledge Base articles

More…

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

After Thoughts.. After Thoughts..

Email:

marilyn.o’keeffe@cognos,com