New to Cognos, need some guidance

[bmichael]

Hello all,

My company has just purchased Cognos, and we had a consultant install and setup our first cube. We have not yet upgraded to Cognos 8. I was not involved with the install or the setup of any of the software pieces. My company is now positioning me to take over the management of our data warehouse and cubes. I have very little understanding of these areas at this point. My training is more focused at database development and administration. I have a very good understand of our database and how the data is structured, so understanding the data and getting access to it is not the problem.

What I am getting at is, what advice would you give to someone just starting out and needing to understand how best to structure a data warehouse and the construction of cubes for analysis? If it is online classes which ones?

Thanks in advance,

-Ben

[cognostechie]

You have a good background for working on Cognos products.

Basically, you start with defining the requirements first. What is required in the cube depending on what the users are looking for , then you do the Datawarehousing and then make the cube. For Datawarehousing, it depends on which tool you are using and you need training of that tool.

Training For Cubes:

Powerplay Transformer  - This is where you define how the cube would be.

Powerplay Exploration - This is for viewing the cube (If your users are using the client version to look at the cubes)

Powerplay Enterprise Server - If you using cubes on the web.

Upfront - This is the portal where you put all the cubes and the reports. This training is hardly required unless you want to customise the webpage but since your company is sending you to the training, go for it. 

Access Manager Administration - This is where you setup the security, user groups, users etc.

Cognos web site has all the information. In the 'Services' menu, choose training. If your company pays, go to the classroom training. It's always better that way.

[Darek]

A good start is the infamous "24 ways Manager" (ask your Cognos Sales Rep) and Kimball's "Data Warehouse Toolkit". Cognos samples are not bad either.

Upfront might not be the portal you want to use if you've purchased ReportNet, too. Stay with Cognos Connection only.

[COGNOiSe administrator]

Hahaha - I liked it! (I still have a copy sitting on my shelf here)

For bmichael's benefit it is call "The multidimensional manager - 24 ways to impact your bottom-line in 90 days". It is a small booklet and is a quick read.

As per Darek's post - it is available via your COGNOS rep.  Also concur with Darek on COGNOS Connection.

Good luck.

Cheers,
Jon

[Blue]

How did your company purchase Cognos?  I'm a share holder and I wasn't told!  Will you keep the same management team in Ottawa?

[bmichael]

Actually we plan to move all operations to my basement here in Ohio. Hope that won't be a problem for anyone.

[Blue]

Great!  Easier to get to than Ottawa.  Where in OH?