How does Cognos PowerPlay connect/used with DataMart if it is built by other ETL

[NetSpace]

Hi!

If DecisionStream is used to build DataMart then it delivers facts, dimensions and metadata.
Metadata is used by Transformer to build a cube which is used in PowerPlay for analyzing and reporting.

How does Cognos PowerPlay connect/used with DataMart(star schema) if it is built by other ETL tool, for example Informatica?

Possible solution:
1. Because relation DBs are not Data Source for Transformer, Cognos Architect can be used to build cem model.
2. Next, based on the cem model Transformer can build mdl model and create a cube (mdc)

Please, correct if I am wrong.

What are other solutions?

Can DS be used to deliver only metadata for existing DM (star schema) build by other ETL?

Thank you.

[MFGF]

Hmmm - not quite sure what your first question is asking here - are you asking about "PowerPlay Connect" or are you asking how PowerPlay will connect to a relational datamart?

"PowerPlay Connect" is a method of allowing third-party OLAP sources to be used by PowerPlay (rather than Cognos PowerPlay Cubes [mdc]) - for example Microsoft Analysis Services cubes.  It does not give access to purely relational datamarts - the data must be a form of OLAP.

How does PowerPlay connect to data in a relational datamart? The easiest answer is via IQDs.  If you take a look at what DecisionStream creates for it's metadata deliveries to PowerPlay, you will find one IQD per table delivered.  The IQDs describe the database connection, SQL query and result set to return data to Transformer.  The IQDs are just text files - you can code your own using such as Notepad if you wish.  The only other thing you will need is the definition of the database connection they use - you can edit cognos.ini to add this in.

DecisionStream is an ETL tool which delivers data to relational data marts.  It does have capabilities to deliver BI metadata but these are based on the table deliveries defined in the DecisionStream build.
If you are using another ETL to deliver your data marts, don't bother with DecisionStream, just point Transformer at the tables using IQDs as above.

Regards,

MF.