About Importing Metadata from Essbase Data Sources

When you import metadata from Essbase data sources into a semantic model, the cube metadata is mapped to the model's physical layer in a way that supports the model's logical layer.

By default Semantic Modeler models metadata that applies to all members of the dimension, for example aliases, as dimension properties. Semantic Modeler maps level-based properties, for example outline sort or memnor information, as separate physical cube columns in the dimension.

Physical Column Types

Semantic Modeler supports the following types of physical column for Essbase metadata:

  • Ancestor Reference - References the ancestor of a dimension.

  • Attribute - Indicates the column is of attribute type, for attribute dimensions.

  • Leaf Indicator - Indicates that the column is the lowest member of the hierarchy.

  • Member Alias - Indicates an alias column.

  • Member Key - Indicates the column is a member key.

  • Other - Indicates that the type is different than those listed, or unknown.

  • Outline Sort - Indicates the column is of memnor type and used for outline sorts in the logical layer. An outline sort column is imported at the lowest level of each dimension.

  • Parent Reference - References the parent of a dimension.

  • Root Indicator - Indicates that the column is the root member of the hierarchy.

  • UDA - Indicates the column is a user-defined attribute (UDA).

The system uses the column types Outline Sort, Ancestor Reference, Member Key, Leaf Indicator, Root Indicator, and Parent Reference internally. Don't change these column types.

Essbase Components

The Essbase data sources that you use in your semantic models include:

  • Substitution variables - Essbase substitution variables are automatically retrieved and populated into corresponding Oracle Analytics semantic model variables. Depending on the scope of the Essbase variable, the naming convention for the variable is as follows:

    Server instance scope server_name:var_name

    Application scope: server_name:app_name:var_name

    Cube scope: server_name:app_name:cube_name:var_name

    A single initialization block is also created in the semantic model for the Essbase variables. Set the appropriate refresh interval in the initialization block to reflect anticipated update cycles for Essbase variables.

  • Essbase Generations - Essbase Generations are mapped to physical level objects.

  • Time series functions - The Oracle Analytics time series functions AGO, TODATE, and PERIODROLLING are sent to Essbase to take advantage of the native capabilities of the Essbase server.

  • Database functions - You can use the database SQL functions EVALUATE and EVALUATE_AGGREGATE to leverage functions specific to Essbase data sources.

    The EVALUATE_PREDICATE isn't supported with Essbase data sources.

  • Hierarchy types - For Essbase data sources, all hierarchies are imported as Unbalanced by default. Review the Hierarchy Type property for each physical hierarchy and change the type if necessary.