Sign Out - two part question please.

[FerdH4]

I've been unable to find any finite explain for this in my Google searches nor in the many IBM Cognos Analytics user guides.

My two part Cognos Analytics (v11.0.11) question is:

1.  What does the action of "Sign Out" actually do? 

2.  I'm looking to understand the value/benefit of instructing users to navigating to My Area Options then clicking on Sign Off as compared to just closing the browser window?

In case it's relevant, beyond the basic Portal navigation, my users are using only the Report and Dashboard functions.  Very few users actually author new content - most as just consumers.

[dougp]

Using Cognos 11.0.13 (and I'm sure it was the same in 11.0.7, so this should apply to 11.0.11)...

Well, it depends.

Are you using SSO?

I'm using SSO.  "Sign Out" ends the Cognos session.  Since I'm using SSO, the user is immediately signed back in with a different session.

Using the browser's "Refresh" button or hitting F5 appears to do the same thing.

Ending a session and starting a new one can fix numerous glitches I've seen in Cognos 11.0.x.  Closing the browser window without ending the session will usually not fix these issues.  Oddly, closing the browser window does not guarantee that a different session will be used next time the user opens Cognos.

Generally, it's a bad idea to use the browser's controls when using Cognos.  It's not that difficult to confuse Cognos.  Use the navigation that is inside the app.

[FerdH4]

Thank you dougp for that input.  I am using SSO.

Is this a reasonably accurate statement then:

"By not using the Cognos 'Sign Out' feature, the users session is unlikely to correctly and completely close down and clean up."

HENCE

"The next time the same user attempts to launch a Cognos Analytics session, it's not impossible for them to be inserted back into the prior session where the user incorrectly bailed from earlier."

HENCE

End-user confusion about "How the freak did I get here!".

[dougp]

I recommend testing it yourself.  Your environment may behave differently from mine.

Test combinations of these processes (with or without clearing the browser cache before) and note the results.

Sign out of Cognos
Refresh the browser tab
Close browser, open browser, navigate to Cognos


(So that's 6 tests.)

You'll want to try them numerous times to ensure the system behaves consistently.