Building Cubes in 8.3 Transformer for different environments

[Arsenal]

Hi All,

From 8.3 onwards, Transformer now supports using Framework Manager published query subjects directly instead of using IQD's. However, suppose cubes are needed for dev and ut, both of which have different database names (say dbase1 and dbase2).

With IQD's, you could maintain 2 different IQD's, each pointing to dbase1 and dbase2 and have two copies of the model, each pointing to the appropriate IQD. So, if the dev cube was needed, you would open up the model which points to the IQD that has dbase1 specified within it.

Now, how can the same thing be achieved using Framework Manager package? I'm thinking that if the data source connection string for the package is modified to include both the databases, i.e. dbase1 and dbase2, then during each cube build, Transformer will prompt to select the appropriate database? Is this correct?

Any other suggestions?
Thanks

[ykud]

If you have separate Dev and Prod, using the same datasource in Cognos 8 (it'll be db1 in prod and db2 in dev) will allow you to use the same package for both.
In case of shared environment you can create separate packages on separate data sources in one framework model and then switch package in transformer.

[Arsenal]

ykud,

We do have separate prod and dev environments. Let's say our data source connection string in dev points to db1 and the same string points to db2 in prod. The problem is suppose I want to build a cube in dev today ...I open up my transformer model. Transformer at this time points to the dev location of cognos. I build the cube etc.

Now, tomorrow if I need to build the cube in prod...how do I do this? One way out is to change Transformer to point to Cognos prod. But, I'm thinking that it may well be cumbersome to change settings everytime you need to build cubes in dev, test etc.

[ykud]

Hi, Arsenal.

You can just copy the mdl from dev to prod and start building if the datasource is the same.

Can you clarify your environment a bit? 2 different servers? Cognos 8 BI on each, Transfomer on each?

[Arsenal]

Ykud,

Thanks for your reply. Yes, you're right about copying the mdl and building it in the prod environment. I should have been a bit more clear about the environment.

See, our Cognos installations in Dev, UAT and Prod are on separate boxes. But while UAT is ongoing right now, the developers have to support them by refreshing cubes on demand as we don't have an automatic refresh script in place yet. So, basically while development work goes on, as and when the demand arises we have to refresh the cubes in UAT.Since we have only one transformer instance on our machines, I'm wondering how to refresh cubes without having to change the settings everytime.

Any suggestions would be greatfully acknowledged!

[ykud]

I've been using a script that renames iqd's according to what I want to run now. Like copy query_test.iqd query.iqd
For 8.3 I'd do a simple sdk script to change current datasource accordingly.

[Arsenal]

ykud, we don't have sdk here unfortunately

[hutchia]

With 8.3 onwards, you can install multiple instances of Transformer on your desktop and configure one to dev and then another to uat etc...depending on which environment you wish the build to be in, you open that particular instance of transformer from your start menu.
Just be careful to check which version you have running before publishsing a cube :)