How to Migrate the Reports from Cognos Impromptu to Cognos 8.2 version Report st

[ravitej]

Dear Friends,

Note : Cognos 7 series reports to Cognos 8.2 reports(Migration/New report development )

We would like to know that in my client place nearly 150 Cognos impromptu reports are there, all of the reports we need to migrate into Cognos 8.

Step 1: Here we don't have any access to Framework manager model, just third party vendors will provide all the packages information and based on the package we have to develop the Cognos 8 reports.
Note: We are not responsible persons to develop the Framework Manager models.They will publish the models and we have to develop the same Impromptu report in Cognos 8.

Step 2: In all the Cognos impromptu reports they have already established role base security which means that, this is HR and Payroll system and all of the employees is not able to access the Salary of the other employee.I mean Salary column is restricted for other employees when they logging in to the payroll system.

Step 3: How to implement the same security in the Cognos reports?

Here I am requesting the following questions from the developers in this forum.

Question 1: How to develop the same Impromptu report in the Cognos 8 reports(rebuilding of the same report)?.
Question 2: How to build/implement the security in the Cognos report side?.
Question 3: How to test the newly developed report in the Cognos 8?.

I am really need help from all of them.Please send me the complete information.

Kind Regards,
Sai.

[AussiePete2011]

Hi Ravi,

First up if you have series 7 security and you have secured objects then depending on what your infrastructure is you will need to either maintain the SunOne Directory server or if you have been told to use new servers you will need to
1.  Install Sunone on a new server
2.  Install Access Manager on the new server
3.  In the Old server where access Manager is, export an LAE for restoration on the new SunOne server
4.  On the New Server create the identical Namespace on SunOne which will be used by Cognos 8
5.  Extend the schema on the new namespace in SunOne via the Cognos Configuration
6.  Set the Access Manager - Runtime to this Directory Server
7.  Open Access Manager and logon using Administrator, no password
8.  Import the LAE exported in Step 3.

Cognos 8.x
1.  Open IBM Cognos Configuration
2.  Add a new Authentication source using Series 7 from the drop down of available authentication sources (This is critical).  You cant use LDAP.
3.  Enter the properties to connet to this new Sunone Directory Server
4.  Stop and restart c8

Thats how you implement part of the Security of Series 7 in C8
Next step is to work on Authorisation
In Series 7, you would have created userclasses.  These dont automatically get mapped into Cognos.  You have to do this yourself.
If you wish to maintain the same userclasses, you will need to map these userclasses to the Cognos Roles to provide the correct level of authorization within Cognos Connection.

Once you've done this then you can start to look at the migration of your IMR reports and CATALOGS
See https://www-304.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg27015117
You can download the Migration toolset from Cognos to create the deploytoc8 packages.
You will need to look at each data source used in the IMR reports and create these in Cognos Connection as new data sources.

As far as redevelopment of the reports are concerned.  If you go this way then I guess you can forget the migration
Basically you will need to create FM packages that mimic the IMR Catalog which would be fairly easy to do and then publish these to Cognos Connection.
Then redevelop each report.. time consuming but maybe this is the better path.

Hope this helps
Cheers
Peter B

[ravitej]

Hi Peter,

Thanks a lot for your efforts and message.

Actually for preparing the Framework manager models we are not the responsible persons.Actually they have already build the models and published the models in the Cognos server.
We have to use the models and just develop the reports(all simple list reports in impromptu) and the same reports we have to develop in the Report studio.
My doubts:
Question 1): By using Report studio the same list report I have to develop? Please correct me.
Question 2): How to write the report expressions in Cognos 8(if they wrote in Impromptu how to implement same expressions in Cognos 8)?
Question 3): How to validate the reports ?(we have to validate in both the versions?
question 4): how to implement the column level security in cognos 8 reports?.
Question 5): We don't have any access to Framework manager
Question 6): We have to implement the security in report side only? please let me know.

Kind Regards,
Rav

[AussiePete2011]

Hi Rav,

To address your questions as best I can as below

Question 1): By using Report studio the same list report I have to develop? Please correct me.
If you are going to redevelop the reports to be comparable to the Impromptu reports then using Report Studio in this case will be correct although without seeing the reports I cant be 100% certain as I dont know enough about your business needs.  In some cases, simply creating a list report in Query Studio could be just as effective assuming simple list reports are what you have.

Question 2): How to write the report expressions in Cognos 8(if they wrote in Impromptu how to implement same expressions in Cognos 8)?
Thats a tough question as it all comes down to the data source, the type of connection used to connect to the data source and whether the expression will be valid at a report level rather than at a model level.  I know you're saying you dont have access to the models but this does need to be determined.
E.g.
Lets say you have an impromptu report that was written against SQL Server 2000 using ODBC.  ODBC may not be the most appropriate connector as your reports may require future development requiring native functionality of the database.
What expressions were used in Impromptu will not directly map to Report Studio.

Question 3): How to validate the reports ?(we have to validate in both the versions?
When you speak of validation, are you referring to report output comparison? If thats what you are referring to then unfortunately this would be totally impractical as you have so much more scope for development in RS than in IMR.

question 4): how to implement the column level security in cognos 8 reports?.
This can realistically only be done from FM at the model level.

Question 5): We don't have any access to Framework manager
I'd suggest that you work closely with the FM Model development team as this will be a key factor in your success or failure of this implementation.

Question 6): We have to implement the security in report side only? please let me know.
You can restrict reports and packages from being accessed but it will take some fancy foot work to restrict at a report level as you would need to instigate scripting within each report.

I hope this helps guide you through
Cheers
Peter B