Refreshing Databases

To view the report data, you must deploy the reports and refresh them against your database. The resulting reports allow you to analyze the data in various forms.

Read the Cognos® 10.1.1 Powerplay Enterprise Server Installation and Configuration Guide before deploying the IBM® Sterling Warehouse Management System Business Intelligence.

The database impact of a refresh depends on the volume of data involved, the refresh frequency, and the report complexity. Depending on your requirements, you may have installed all the Cognos components on a single machine, 1 to 2 machines, or a distributed setup. See the Cognos Powerplay Enterprise Server Installation and Configuration Guide for various setup scenarios. Your transactional database may be co-located. You may need to refresh your database only during offpeak hours, or have a 24/7 requirement for your system.

You must therefore, analyze your deployment scenario and setup the refresh accordingly.

Important: It is recommended that you refresh the reports against a replicated database instead of your transactional database.

Refreshing the reports against a replicated database instead of your transactional database allows you to configure and tune the replicated database according to your reporting needs, such as creating indices, keys on the tables, or tuning your database parameters. You can replicate the transactional database using the standard database replicating tools in the market. If you need to refresh against a transactional database, keep in mind the performance impact on both the refresh and the IBM Sterling Selling and Fulfillment Foundation transactions occurring in the database during the refresh period.