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Process of Deploying Cube Metadata

The alias-SQL file generated by the CubeViews Generator should be executed before importing the XML file. The XML file generated by the CubeViews Generator contains the cube metadata in XML format. After importing the XML file into your DB2 database, you need to create materialized query tables.

NOTE:  It is strongly recommended that you become familiar with IBM Cube Views and its tools before attempting to import the XML file. For more information, see your IBM documentation.

To deploy cube metadata, perform the following tasks in the order shown:

1. Executing the Alias-SQL File for IBM Cube Views
2. Importing the XML File
3. Guidelines for Creating Materialized Query Tables (MQTs)

Executing the Alias-SQL File for IBM Cube Views

This step is part of the Process of Deploying Cube Metadata. You must execute the alias-SQL file before you import the XML file into your DB2 database. For more information, see your IBM documentation.

The alias-SQL file that is generated by the CubeViews Generator needs to be executed by a SQL client on the database where the data warehouse is located. When executed, it creates aliases (synonyms) for tables in the database.

Importing the XML File

This step is part of the Process of Deploying Cube Metadata.

After you execute the alias-SQL. file, you can import the XML file into the database. For more information, see your IBM documentation.

NOTE:  It is strongly recommended that you become familiar with IBM Cube Views and its tools before attempting to import the XML file. For more information, see your IBM documentation.

You can import this file using the following IBM tools:

• IBM OLAP Center (recommended). For more information, see Guidelines for Importing the XML File Using the IBM OLAP Center and your IBM documentation.
• IBM command-line client utility (db2mdapiclient.exe). IBM ships this utility with DB2. For more information about using the command-line client utility, see your IBM documentation.
• IBM DB2 Stored Procedure. IBM Cube Views provides a SQL-based and XML-based application programming interface (API) that you can use to run single stored procedure to create, modify, and retrieve metadata objects. For more information, see your IBM documentation.

Guidelines for Importing the XML File Using the IBM OLAP Center

Using the IBM OLAP Center, you can import cube metadata into your DB2 database. The IBM OLAP Center provides wizards to help you import the file. For more information, see your IBM documentation.

To import the XML file, use the following guidelines:

• Using the IBM OLAP Center tool, connect to the DB2 database.
• In the Import Wizard, choose the XML file you want to import.
• If metadata exists that refers to database constructs that are not in the database, an error message appears.
• When the wizard asks for an import option, choose to replace existing objects.
• When you are returned to the IBM OLAP Center, you will see a diagram of the cube model.

Guidelines for Changing Cube Metadata After Importing the XML File

After you import the XML file, you might need to perform the following actions:

• Because Oracle's Siebel Data Warehouse does not store foreign keys as metadata, they will not exist in the converted metadata in the DB2 database. You need to use the IBM Referential Integrity Utility for IBM Cube Views to generate foreign key informational constraints. You can obtain this utility on the IBM Web site.
• You might encounter other issues such as foreign key join columns being nullable. You can use the following ways to solve this problem:
  • If data in these columns are not null, it is recommended that you convert these columns to not-null columns.
  • If data in these columns are null or you prefer not to convert the column data type even if the column data is not null, it is recommended that you modify the cube model using the following guidelines:
    • In a fact-to-dimension join, you need to manually eliminate this dimension object from the converted cube model and create a degenerated dimension object consisting of the foreign key of this join.
    • In a dimension-to-dimension join, you need to manually eliminate the dimension object that represents the primary-key side of the join from the converted cube model and create a degenerated dimension object consisting of the foreign key of this join.
    • In a fact-to-fact join, you need to manually eliminate the fact object that represents the primary-key side of the join from the converted cube model and create a degenerated dimension object consisting of the foreign key of this join.
• No incremental metadata changes will be allowed by the Cube Generator. Schema changes require that you manually delete cube model metadata in the DB2 database and convert the Siebel Business Analytics metadata again. For example, if you need to make a change to a dimension in a cube in the Siebel Business Analytics metadata repository, you need to delete the cube model in the DB2 database, regenerate the XML file from the analytics repository, and import it into the DB2 database.
• You cannot delete metadata using the Siebel CubeViews Generator. The administrator needs to manually delete the cube model using the IBM OLAP Center.
• The IBM Statistics tool and IBM Optimization Advisor must be run periodically.

For more information, see your IBM documentation.

Guidelines for Creating Materialized Query Tables (MQTs)

This step is part of the Process of Deploying Cube Metadata. For more information, see your IBM documentation.

After you import the cube metadata into the database, the administrator runs the IBM Optimization Advisor to generate SQL scripts and then execute those scripts to create the MQTs. The administrator needs to provide certain parameters to the IBM Optimization Advisor to get optimal results from the implementation. The IBM Optimization Advisor wizard analyzes your metadata and recommends how to build summary tables that store and index aggregated data for SQL queries. Running the IBM Optimization Advisor can help you keep the MQTs current. Additionally, you must refresh your database after each ETL.

To create MQTs, use the following guidelines:

• In the IBM OLAP Center, choose cube model that you want to optimize and then open the IBM Optimization Advisor wizard.
• Follow the instructions in the wizard, using the following table as a guide.

• When the IBM Optimization Advisor closes, the administrator needs to execute the SQL scripts to create the MQTs.