CogKnowHow

Product:
IBM Cognos BI 10.2.1
LICENSE_BI_SERVER_version=LICENSE_BI_SERVER-AW64-ML-RTM-10.2.1019.0-0
LICENSE_BI_SERVER_name=IBM Cognos License
SWTAG_BI_SERVER_version=SWTAG_BI_SERVER-AW64-ML-RTM-10.2.1012.0-0
SWTAG_BI_SERVER_name=SWTAG BI Server
C8BISRVR_version=C8BISRVR-AW64-ML-RTM-10.2.5000.275-0
C8BISRVR_name=IBM Cognos Business Intelligence Server
Microsoft Windows 2008 R2 server

Issue:
What does IBM Cognos Dynamic Cubes need?

Solution:
IBM Cognos Dynamic Cubes is used to model dimensional metadata and to create dynamic cubes to use as data sources in the Content Manager. The software to create this is IBM Cognos Cube Designer for designing dynamic, aggregate, and create virtual cubes.

To install the IBM® Cognos® Dynamic Cubes software, perform the following tasks:

Upgrade or install version 10.2.1 of the Business Intelligence Server software on a Windows, UNIX or Linux operating system.
Upgrade or install version 10.2.1 of the Framework Manager software on computers configured for modeling dynamic cubes.
Ensure you have turned “User Account Control” to “Never Notify” before installing Cognos Cube Designer.
Install IBM Cognos Cube Designer on workstation for developer to create cubes.
Upgrade or install version 10.2.1 of IBM Cognos Dynamic Query Analyzer on a 32-bit or 64-bit computer where the IBM Cognos Business Intelligence Application Tier components are currently installed, that is the Cognos BI server itself.
Enable the 64-bit version of Report Server, inside Cognos Configuration.
Support for relational databases through JDBC connectivity.
Configure data connectivity to relational data sources.
Test the IBM Cognos Cube Designer installation, from the Framework Manager software.

The Report server component, included with the Application Tier Components, is provided in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions. Selecting which version you use is done by using IBM Cognos Configuration after installation. By default, the Report server component is set to use the 32-bit mode, even on a 64-bit computer. By using the 32-bit mode, you can run all reports, whereas by using the 64-bit mode, you can run only reports created for dynamic query mode. The DQM

The report server component, when installed with a Cognos BI 64 bit version ( in folder C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\c10_64 ) in default mode, where Report Server execution mode is set to 32 bit. The process of a report flow is simplified that it is sent from dispatcher to the DQM or CQM report engine depending on the report specification, after that it is sent back to the Report process to render report before showing it for users. The CQM report process and the rendering report process are inside the BIBusTKServerMain.exe. The old CQM (Classic Query Mode) process when inside BIBusTKServerMain.exe *32 is a 32 bit process.
When change the Report Server execution mode to 64 the BIBusTKServerMain.exe will start up as a 64 bit process, and can then only handle rendering questions. Not process CQM reports.

A 32 bit process have a limit of only accessing 4 GB of RAM. This can be a issue if you have complex reports, that need to calculate a lot of data before showing the resulting data in the Report, in case you should try to use DQM instead. In this 32 bit mode, the Cognos BI server can handle reports that access both DQM and CQM data sources. But it is not recommended to use for Dynamic Cubes, even to they can look to work. For Dynamic Cubes you need to setup a separate Cognos BI server with Report Server Execution Mode set to 64 bit.

Note: With Microsoft Windows 2008 R2, and later, the BIBusTKServerMain.exe*32 can use 4 GB of ram. In Microsoft Windows 2003 it should only use 2 Gb of ram, with default windows settings.

In 32 bit mode, the functions and cache benefits of DQM are there, and the DQM report process is using 64 bit mode and can use all memory. Suggestion is to start the new Cognos BI 10.2.1 server in this mode, and then test some reports with a DQM defined data source.

DQM uses the Query Service. If you set Query Service to false in Cognos Configuration, you disable DQM totally and also saves memory for because it is one JAVA process less. This is not recommended, if you going to use DQM.

Although the dynamic query mode (DQM) is supported in 32 bit installations of IBM Cognos BI servers, 64 bit servers are recommended for DQM. You should install Cognos BI 64 bit version.
The initial size and size limit of the JVM heap for DQM can be set in Cognos Administration via the Settings tab of the QueryService. By default each of these are set to 1 GB.

In production environments where Cognos Dynamic Cubes are not employed, it is recommended to set the initial heap size to 4 GB and the limit to 8 GB (a 64 bit server is required for memory settings above 2GB) and then monitor system resource usage during peak hours and adjust the settings accordingly.

For a server that is operating one or more Cognos Dynamic Cubes, the size limit of the query service should be set in accordance to the Dynamic Cubes hardware sizing recommendations.

Background:
Report Server Execution Mode:
There are 2 options 32-Bit and 64-bit

32 Bit mode supports CQM and DQM models
64 Bit mode only supports DQM models and Dynamic Cubes

Only 64 Bit mode of DQM supports Dynamic Cubes, this mean in most environment where you have a mix of reports and data sources that use both DQM and CQM, you need to set up more than one server and route the reports on the data source level (frame work package). So reports that will use Dynamic Cubes are routed to the Cognos BI server who have 64 Bit DQM mode, and also only supports DQM reports.

To prevent reports to be processed on a server that does not support them, you must implement Cognos Routing rules. This can be done in several ways, one is to apply a routing on Framework manager packages, like this:
Go to Cognos Connection and locate the package you would like to apply the routing to.
Click the set properties button for the package.
Under the Advanced routing section, click Set…
The Assign routing sets page appears. Type a routing keyword, “Sales Dept“, in the Type Routing Sets section and click Add.
Click OK. You will notice that the routing keywords are now displayed under Advanced routing.
On the Set properties page, click OK.
You also need to create server groups and add a routing rule.
IBM Cognos BI 10.2.1 introduced a subtle change in the routing behavior, that untagged requests will be load-balanced across the whole system, instead the local Server Group only.

Before Cognos BI 10.2.1 a report that was send to a Cognos BI server, would stay in that server group that the first (primary) dispatcher was in. Meaning that Cognos BI reports would not be routed outside the server group of the first dispatcher. This have change, so now in Cognos BI 10.2.1 a report that is not connected to a “route set” on user or frame work manager package level, will be free to be processed on any of the Cognos BI reports servers in the solution.

If you implement Routing Rules in Cognos BI 10.2.1, you must have routing rules for all reports, to ensure that not any of them can end up uncontrolled on a Cognos BI server that does not have the data source it´s needs. Can be done by a routing rule that takes all reports to one server group. Set all the values to ANY and select a server group that will handle this reports.
• Package Routing Set:
• Group Routing Set:
• Role Routing Set:
This Routing Rule should be the last one in the list, because if a reports is found matching a previous routing rule, it is not processed further down the list.

More Information:

http://pic.dhe.ibm.com/infocenter/cbi/v10r2m0/index.jsp?topic=%2Fcom.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.ig_rolap.10.2.0.doc%2Fc_installation_check_bi.html

http://www.ironsidegroup.com/2010/10/01/taking-control-%E2%80%93-ibm-cognos-advanced-dispatcher-routing/

http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21427147

http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/data/library/cognos/infrastructure/cognos_specific/page510.html

http://www.supernovae.be/blog_20130325_DistributedEnvironment

http://www.ironsidegroup.com/2013/06/04/ibm-cognos-10-dynamic-cubes-overview/

http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21642000

Product:
Cognos BI 10.2.1
Windows 2008 R2 server
Oracle 11 database

Symptom:
When you try to change a Framework Manager model from Compatible Query Mode to Dynamic Query Mode you get a message:

Message:
BMT-IMP-0017 You cannot enable Dynamic Query Mode. The model contains data source(s) of unsupported type(s).

Possible Solution:
The data source inside the Framework Manager package does not have the properties for Schema or Interface set. This is needed in DQM.

Open the model in Framework Manager, and go to data sources.
In the properties tab check that you have the database schema at Schema line and expand the Type to check that the Interface is set (for example can be “OR”).

Product:
Cognos BI 10.2.1
Windows 2008 R2 server
Problem:
Sometimes when users run report or try to run a dashboard they get a blank screen or error message about DNS or no contact with server.
This is an environment where there are TWO Cognos gateways in front of the Cognos BI servers. Then there is a load balancer in front of the gateways, this should do that when user surf to the DNS alias for the gateway is routed to one of the Cognos BI gateways.
This to be able to handle more users than one Gateway can, and give some failover in case one of the Gateways brake down.
The error only comes when the users surf to the DNS alias for the gateway, if they instead surf to the servernname (in FQDN mode) for one of the gateway there is no issues. Surf like this http://servername.domain.com/ibmcognos
If FQDN works, then the DNS service is OK.

Error Message:
Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage
What you can try: Dianose Connection Problems
or
IBM Cognos Workspace: Unable to connect to server
or
This page can’t be displayed

Solution:
After some investigation it was found that on Cognos web servers we had http header size set to 16kB, while on load balancer it was just 4kB. It was increased to 32kB on load balancer. This solved the problem.

Product
Cognos BI 8.4
Oracle database
Problem:
How do i get a list of all Packages in the Cognos Connection?

Solution:
Start SQL developer for ORACLE, connect to the Cognos BI Content Store.
Run below script (you need to adjust it for Microsoft SQL):

SELECT cmobjnames.cmid,
cmstoreids.storeid,
cmobjects.pcmid,
cmobjnames.name,
cmobjnames.mapdlocaleid,
cmobjnames.localeid,
cmlocales.locale,
cmclasses.name as type
FROM cmobjects, cmobjnames, cmclasses, cmstoreids, cmlocales
WHERE
cmobjects.cmid = cmobjnames.cmid
AND cmobjects.classid = cmclasses.classid
AND cmobjects.cmid = cmstoreids.cmid
AND cmclasses.name in(‘package’)
AND cmobjnames.localeid = cmlocales.localeid and cmlocales.locale in (‘en’)

Product:
IBM Cognos BI 10.2.1
Windows 2008 R2 server
Client Internet Explorer 8 or 10
Client Windows 7

Symptom:
After change from Cognos BI 8.4 to Cognos BI 10.2.1 on new servers, the clients get a error message inside Internet Explorer when they try to run reports or click on folders inside Cognos Connection.
Click on Delete browser cache from inside Internet Options does not help.

If the user try to run the same report in FireFox from his computer it works.

Error message:
Internet Explorer Cannot display the webpage
DNS error

Solution:
You must manually erase the files in the IE cache.
From the TOOLS menu select Internet Options.
Select the General tab.
At Browsing History click on the Settings button.
Click on View Files button, to see the files inside the Temporary Internet files folder.
Select all files in this folder by pressing CTRL+A
Click on DELETE key on keyboard to erase the files.
Click X to close the directory.
Click OK to close the browser windows that are open.
Exit IE.

Start Internet Explorer again – and surf to Cognos Connection and see if it works better.

Product:

IBM Cognos BI 10.2.1

Windows 2008 R2 Server

Internet Explorer 10

Symptom:

When user surf to Cognos Connection things does not look correct, and if they try with FireFox it looks better. If the user press F12 inside IE and manually change the browser to use IE10 Compatibly mode it works better.

Problem:

Cognos BI 10.2.1 only supports IE 10 and IE 11 in compatibly mode.

Solution:

You can force the IE to use one mode for all traffic to a website by setting the value of HTTP Response Headers inside Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager.

Expand the folder three to the cgi-bin icon, and click on HTTP Response Headers

Click ADD

Enter X-UA-Compatible as Name

Enter IE=EmulateIE7 as Value

Click OK

Close IE and start IE again and test to surf to Cognos Connection.

Or you can change it direct in the web.config file for Cognos.

Go to folder C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\c10_64\cgi-bin

Open web.config file in notepad

Add the <httpProtocol> section shown below:

<?xml version=”1.0″ encoding=”UTF-8″?>

<configuration>

<system.webServer>

<handlers>

<add name=”Cognos-ISAPI” path=”cognosisapi.dll” verb=”*” modules=”IsapiModule” scriptProcessor=”C:

\Program Files\ibm\cognos\c10_64\cgi-bin\cognosisapi.dll” resourceType=”Unspecified” preCondition=”bitness64″ />

<add name=”Cognos-CGI” path=”*.cgi” verb=”*” modules=”CgiModule” resourceType=”Unspecified” />

</handlers>

<httpProtocol>

<customHeaders>

<add name=”X-UA-Compatible” value=”IE=EmulateIE7″ />

</customHeaders>

</httpProtocol>

</system.webServer>

</configuration>

Save the web.config file.

Close internet explorer and test again to surf to Cognos Connection.

More info:

http://world.episerver.com/FAQ/Items/Configure-IIS-to-force-Internet-Explorer-8-to-run-in-Internet-Explorer-7-mode/

http://frankcode.wordpress.com/2013/10/17/a-guide-to-ie-compatibility-view-and-x-ua-compatible/