OLAP Setup and User's Guide
This glossary defines terms that are used in this book and throughout the
IBM DB2 OLAP Server library.
- accounts dimension
- A dimension type that makes accounting intelligence available. You
can tag one dimension as an accounts dimension, but an accounts dimension is
not required.
- administrator
- A person who is responsible for installing and maintaining DB2 OLAP Server
and for setting up user accounts and security.
- agent
- A process that starts and stops applications and databases, manages
connections from users, and handles user-access security.
- alias ID table
- A table created by DB2 OLAP Server in your relational database that
contains a mapping of multidimensional alias table names to ID numbers
allocated by DB2 OLAP Server.
- alias ID view
- A view created by DB2 OLAP Server in your relational database that
contains one row for each multidimensional alias table used with a relational
cube. There is one alias ID view for each relational cube.
- alias name
- An alternate name for a dimension or member.
- anchor dimension
- A dense dimension that is specified as the dimension that DB2 OLAP Server
uses to help define the structure of the fact table it creates in the
relational cube for a multidimensional database.
- API
- Application programming interface. The DB2 OLAP Server API is a
library of functions that you can use in a custom C or Visual Basic program to
access DB2 OLAP Server.
- Application Manager
- A tool that you can use to create and maintain OLAP applications.
- application section
- A section in the Relational Storage Manager configuration file that
contains values for parameters that override the values for the same
parameters in the RSM section of the configuration file.
- block
- A string of data elements recorded or transmitted as a unit.
- cache
- A component of memory. Each multidimensional database contains a
data cache and an index cache.
- calculation
- An equation within a database outline, a calculation script, or a report
script that calculates a value for a particular member or point in a
report.
- calculation script
- A text file that contains instructions to perform calculations within a
multidimensional database. Also called a calc script.
- Commit Block parameter
- A parameter on the Transaction page of the Database Settings notebook in
the Application Manager that you use to set the number of blocks that can be
changed before DB2 OLAP Server commits the blocks.
- cube catalog table
- A table that DB2 OLAP Server creates in your relational database that
contains a list of all the multidimensional databases that are stored in your
relational database. The cube catalog table also shows the application
with which each cube is associated. Each time that you create a
multidimensional database, DB2 OLAP Server creates a new row in this
table.
- cube catalog view
- A view that DB2 OLAP Server creates in your relational database that
allows an SQL user to access a list of OLAP applications and relational
cubes.
- cube table
- A table that DB2 OLAP Server creates in your relational database that
contains a list of dimensions in a relational cube and information about each
dimension.
- cube view
- A view that DB2 OLAP Server creates in your relational database that
allows an SQL user to access the names of all dimensions in a relational cube
and associated information for each dimension. There is one cube view
for each relational cube in your relational database.
- data load
- The process of populating a multidimensional database with data.
Loading data establishes actual values for the values of the cells defined in
the database outline for the database.
- data load rules
- A set of operations that DB2 OLAP Server performs on data as it is loaded
from an external source file.
- database administrator
- A person responsible for administering a relational database.
- database log file
- A set of primary and secondary log files consisting of log records that
record all changes to a database. The database log file is used to roll
back changes for units of work that are not committed and to recover a
database to a consistent state.
- database managed space (DMS)
- Space in a table that is managed by the database.
- database name
- The name of the relational database where you want DB2 OLAP Server to
store your multidimensional data.
- database outline
- The structure that defines all elements of a database within DB2 OLAP
Server. It contains definitions of dimensions and members, dense or
sparse dimension tags and attributes, the anchor dimension attribute,
calculations, shared members, and alternations to the basic roll-up structure
of the database.
- database password
- The password for the user ID that you want DB2 OLAP Server to use to log
on to your relational database.
- database section
- A section in the Relational Storage Manager configuration file that
contains values for parameters that override the values for the same
parameters for the current application.
- database settings
- Settings that you can modify to improve performance and space utilization
for your relational database. You can change database settings by using
utilities or commands supplied with your relational database management
system.
- database user ID
- The user ID that you want DB2 OLAP Server to use to log on to your
relational database. The default is the supervisor ID that you specify
when you start DB2 OLAP Server for the first time.
- dense dimension
- A dimension with a high probability for occupying one or more data points
in every combination of dimensions that occurs.
- dimension
- A data category, such as time, accounts, products, or markets. In a
multidimensional database outline, the dimensions represent the highest
consolidation level.
- dimension table
- A table that DB2 OLAP Server creates in your relational database that
contains detailed information about the members in a dimension. There
is one dimension table for each dimension in an outline.
- dimension view
- A view that DB2 OLAP Server creates in your relational database that
allows an SQL user to access information about members contained in a
dimension.
- ESSCMD
- A command-line interface used to perform server operations interactively
or through a batch file.
- fact table
- A table, or in many cases a set of four tables, that DB2 OLAP Server
creates in your relational database that contains all data values for a
relational cube.
- fact view
- A view that DB2 OLAP Server creates in your relational database that
allows an SQL user to join fact data to dimensions to access the actual data
values in a relational cube.
- generation name
- A unique name that describes a generation in a database outline.
- generation table
- A table that DB2 OLAP Server creates in your relational database that
contains generation numbers and names for each named generation specified when
you created the outline. There is one generation table for each
dimension in an outline.
- isolation level
- A parameter that determines how data is locked or isolated from other
transactions and processes while the data is being accessed. You can
set the isolation level in the Relational Storage Manager configuration file
(RSM.CFG).
- key table
- A table that DB2 OLAP Server creates in your relational database that is
equivalent to the multidimensional database index. DB2 OLAP Server
creates the key table after the first successful restructure.
- level name
- A unique name that describes a level in a database outline.
- level table
- A table that DB2 OLAP Server creates in your relational database that
contains level numbers and names for each named level specified when you
created an outline. There is one level table for each dimension in an
outline.
- member
- A discrete component within a dimension. For example, January 1997
or 1Qtr97 are typical members of a Time dimension.
- metaoutline
- A template containing the structure and rules for creating a database
outline from an OLAP model. Using the metaoutline, you can create a
database outline and load data into it. The DB2 OLAP Integration Server
desktop includes a tool called OLAP Metaoutline that you can use to create one
or more metaoutlines from an OLAP model.
- model
- A logical model (star schema) that you create from tables and columns in a
relational database. You can use the OLAP model to create a metaoutline
that generates the structure of a multidimensional database. The DB2
OLAP Integration Server desktop includes a tool called OLAP Metaoutline that
you can use to design and create an OLAP model based on a relational data
source.
- multidimensional data
- The data in a multidimensional database. Data can include basic
data values (loaded from an external source) that represent combinations of
the lowest level of members in the dimensions of the database; data
values that are calculated from the base data values; and rolled up data
values that are created by combining values for members in dimension
hierarchies.
- multidimensional database
- An OLAP database that you create using the Application Manager or ESSCMD
commands (in DB2 OLAP Server) or with the DB2 OLAP Integration Server desktop,
which is in the Starter Kit. An OLAP database includes a database
outline, data, associated optional calculation scripts, optional report
scripts, and data load rules. DB2 OLAP Server stores the actual data
and a shadow of the database outline in tables in a relational
database.
- named pipes
- An API used for special node-to-node applications and particularly for
access to communications and database servers.
- OLAP application
- An application that you create using the Application Manager or the ESSCMD
commands (in DB2 OLAP Server) or with the DB2 OLAP Integration Server desktop,
which is in the Starter Kit. An OLAP application can contain one or
more multidimensional databases and any associated calculation scripts, report
scripts, and data load rules.
- OLAP metaoutline
- See metaoutline.
- OLAP model
- See model.
- online analytical processing (OLAP)
- A multidimensional, multi-user, client server computing environment for
users who need to analyze consolidated enterprise data in real time.
OLAP systems feature zooming, data pivoting, complex calculations, trend
analyses, and modeling.
- outline
- See database outline.
- RDBMS
- Relational database management system. A database that can be
perceived as a set of tables and manipulated in accordance with the relational
model of data.
- relational attribute
- A characteristic of a dimension table, represented by a column. You
can run SQL statements against the data in relational attribute
columns.
- relational cube
- A set of data and metadata stored in a relational database that together
define a multidimensional database. A relational cube is similar to a
multidimensional database, but refers to the portion of a multidimensional
database that is stored in a relational database.
- relational database
- A database that is organized and accessed according to relationships
between data items. A relational database contains a collection of
relational tables, views, and indexes.
- relational database parameters
- Parameters that you can set in the Relational Storage Manager
configuration file.
- relational storage manager
- A DB2 OLAP Server component that gives the OLAP engine access to DB2 and
other relational databases.
- Relational Storage Manager configuration file (RSM.CFG)
- A DB2 OLAP Server file that contains relational database parameters that
you can change.
- relational table
- A table that DB2 OLAP Server creates in your relational database.
DB2 OLAP Server creates several relational tables for each OLAP application
and database you create.
- relational view
- A view that DB2 OLAP Server creates in your relational database.
DB2 OLAP Server creates several relational views for each OLAP application and
database you create.
- report script
- An ASCII file that contains Report Writer commands that generate one or
more production reports. Report scripts can be run in batch mode, using
the ESSCMD command-line interface, or through the Application Manager.
The script is a text file that contains data retrieval, formatting, and output
instructions.
- restructure
- An operation to regenerate or rebuild the tables and views that DB2 OLAP
Server created in your relational database.
- RSM.CFG file
- See Relational Storage Manager configuration file.
- shadow
- Information stored in relational tables that shadows the information
stored in a multidimensional database outline.
- shared member
- A member that explicitly shares storage space with another member of the
same name. This member has an attribute that designates it as
shared. Shared members prevent making extra calculations on a member
that appears in more than one location in a database outline.
- sibling
- A child member at the same branch level.
- sparse dimension
- A dimension with a low percentage of available data positions
filled. For example, a product that is not sold in all of a
company's available markets would be a good sparse candidate.
- Spreadsheet Add-in
- Software that merges with Microsoft Excel and Lotus 1-2-3 to enable
analysis of multidimensional databases. The software library appears as
a menu Add-In to the spreadsheet and provides such features as connect,
zoom-in, and calculate.
- SQL application
- An application that uses SQL statements. You can use SQL
applications to access data in a relational cube.
- SQL
- Structured Query Language. A standardized language for defining and
manipulating data in a relational database.
- star schema
- The type of relational database schema used by DB2 OLAP Server.
When you use the Application Manager to create a multidimensional database,
DB2 OLAP Server creates a main fact table and a set of dimension
tables. The fact table holds the actual data values for the database,
and the dimension tables hold data about members and their
relationships.
- star view
- A relation view that DB2 OLAP Server creates in your relational database
that allows an SQL user to access data from the star schema in a single view
with the JOIN already done.
- table space
- An abstraction of a collection of containers into which database objects
are stored. A table space provides a level of indirection between a
database and the tables stored within the database. A table
space:
- Has space on media storage devices assigned to it.
- Has tables created within it. These tables will consume space in
the containers that belong to the table space. The data, index, long
field, and LOB portions of a table can be stored in the same table space, or
can be individually broken out into separate table spaces.
- time dimension
- A dimension type that defines how often you collect and update
data. You can tag only one dimension as Time, although you do not need
to have a Time dimension.
- user-defined attribute (UDA)
- A string saved with the member of a dimension that describes some aspect
of the member. A user-defined attribute called RELANCHOR is used on the
top level member of a dimension to indicate that the dimension should be used
as the anchor dimension.
- user-defined attribute table
- A relational table that DB2 OLAP Server creates in your relational
database that contains a member ID and user-defined attribute name for each
named member specified when you create an outline. There is one
user-defined attribute table for each dimension in an outline.
- user-defined attribute view
- A relational view that DB2 OLAP Server creates in your relational database
that allows an SQL user to access all user-defined attributes for a
dimension.
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