If a problem occurs while you are using DB2 OLAP Server, there are several actions that you and your DB2 OLAP Server system administrator can take to diagnose the problem:
First, make a note of the error message that DB2 OLAP Server displayed, the OLAP application you are using, and the actions that resulted in the error. See the messages section of this book to see if the error is one that you can correct. If you are unable to resolve the problem, consult your DB2 OLAP Server system administrator.
System administrators can start the troubleshooting process by viewing the Essbase Server log and Essbase application log. See the Database Administration Guide for more information about these files. If an error is encountered or information is returned from the relational database, DB2 OLAP Server writes diagnostic information to the log file. For relational database errors, the diagnostics will include both the SQLCODE and the associated message text. See the messages section of this book to see if this is a problem that you can correct.
Your relational database setup is important for DB2 OLAP Server to function correctly. Incorrect settings can cause errors to occur when DB2 OLAP Server connects to and works with your relational database. If the log files contain error messages indicating problems with your relational database, your relational database administrator can use the error text and SQLCODE to identify and correct the problem. The standard diagnostic tools for your relational database can also be useful at this stage.
If the problem cannot be corrected, contact your support representative. The support representative might ask you to produce a diagnostic trace. The DB2 OLAP Server trace function is controlled by settings in the rsm.cfg file (see Chapter 8, Configuring DB2 OLAP Server). After you enable the trace facility, repeat the operations that resulted in the error. DB2 OLAP Server will write a low level trace that your support representative can use to further diagnose the problem. Diagnostic information is stored in the rsmtrace.log file. The file is stored in the directory defined by the ARBORPATH environment variable. Typically, that directory is c:\essbase. Do not forget to turn off the trace facility after creating a trace file.
See Chapter 9, "Enhancing DB2 OLAP Server Performance" to troubleshoot performance problems.