Friday, December 16, 2011

Frequently Asked Questions

COGNOS BI FAQs

1) What is a Data Warehouse?

A Data Warehouse Is a Structured Repository of Historical Data. It Is Developed
in an Evolutionary Process
By Integrating Data from Non-integrated Legacy Systems.
It Is Usually:
Subject Oriented
Integrated
Time Variant
Non-volatile
(OR)
A Data Warehouse is a collection of data marts representing historical data from
different operation data sources (OLTP). The data from these OLTP are structured and
optimized for querying and analysis in a Data Warehouse.
(OR)
Data Warehouse an enterprise structured repository of subject-oriented, timevariant, historical data used for information retrieval and decision support. The data
warehouse stores atomic and summary data. The data warehouse is the source data
stored in the data marts.
(OR)
Data warehousing is the central repository for the data of several business
systems in an enterprise. Data from various resources extracted and organized in the
data warehouse selectively for analysis and accessibility.
2) Define Cognos?
Cognos is Business Intelligence and performance management software that
enables users to extract data, analyze it, and then assemble reports.
3) What are the tiers of the Cognos Architecture?
IBM Cognos is three Tier Architecture:
Web server
Applications
Data

4) Define Business Intelligence

Business Intelligence is a broad category of application programs and
technology used for querying, Reporting and analyzing the business.
5) What is a Data Mart?
A Data Mart is a subset of a data warehouse that can provide data for
reporting and analysis.
6) What is HPQS?
Data Marts are sometimes also called as HPQS (Higher Performance Query
Structure).
7) What is multi dimension analysis?
It is a technique to modify the data so that the data can be view at the
different levels of details.
8) What are the responsibilities of Cognos Administrator?
A Cognos Administrator is assigned with following responsibilities.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Installations and configurations in distributed network environment.

Creating the Repository (Content Store).
Perform back up and recovery of Meta Data.
Developing the user Administration.
Tuning the servers.
Deployment.
9) Responsibility of Cognos Architect?
An Architect is responsible for designing the interface by fulfilling the user
requirements.
Once the interface has been designed it should be rigorously tested before
distributing to the end user population.
10) Roles of the Application Developer?
Design the Reports according to the Report requirement templates.

a.
b.

Testing the each report with the following types of tests.

Unit Testing
System Testing

c.

Performance Testing
11) What is OLAP?
OLAP stands for Online Analytical Processing. It uses database tables (Fact
and Dimension tables) to enable multidimensional viewing, analysis and querying of
large amount of data.

1.

12) What are the types of OLAPs?

DOLAP:-The OLAP tool which works with desktop databases are called as DOLAP
Ex:- FoxPro, Clipper, Dbase, Paradox.

2.

ROLAP:-The OLAP tool, which works with Relational databases, are called as ROLAP.
Ex:-Oracle, SQL Server, Tera Data, DB2.

3.

MOLAP: - The OLAP tool, which works with Multidimensional databases, are called as
MOLAP.
Ex: - ESSBASE, Power Cube

4.

HOLAP: - The OLAP tool which works

Multidimensional database, are called as MOLAP.
Ex: - Cognos, Business Objects.

with

Relational

databases

and

13) What is OLTP?

OLTP stands for Online Transaction Processing. Except data warehouse
databases the other databases are OLTPs. These OLTP databases are designed for
recording the daily operations and transactions of a business.
14) What is an Interface?
An Interface is a gateway between the user and database.
An Interface contains a logical pointers which pointes to data in the Data
Warehouse.
An Interface is isolates the complexity and diversity if data bases.
A good OLAP Interface writes an efficient SQL read on accurate data from
database.
An Interface needs to be designed by fulfilling the report requirement.
15) What is the role of a Data Warehouse in creating the Interface?
Data Warehouse acts as Source to the Interface.
16) What are the types of components installed while loading the Cognos
Software?
When we install the Cognos Report Net Software there are two types of
components get installed:1.
Windows based components.
2.
Web based components.
17) Define Windows based components?
A Framework manager is windows based modeling tool used for creating a
project (interface).
18) Define Web based Components?

The

following

are

the

web

based

components.

A. Cognos connection
B. Query Studio
C. Report Studio
D. Analysis Studio
E. Event Studio
F. Metric Studio
19) Components of Cognos:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Framework manager.
Cognos connection
Query Studio
Report Studio
Analysis Studio
Event Studio
Metric Studio, Map manager and Metrics designer
20) What are the phases of the Cognos Workflow?
Plan, Manage, Model, Author, Consume.
21) What are the advanced features of Cognos?
The Cognos Report Net has multilingual database accessibility.
The parameter maps are key value phase, which are used for working with
local Language that the default value is EN.

Framework Manager
22) What is Framework manager?
Frame Work Manager is windows based metadata modeling tool for Cognos
studios.
23) Why we need Framework manager?
To create the interface known as Project.
To create model the metadata derived from one or more data sources
24) How a project appears in a Frame Work manager?
A frame work manager project appears as a folder that contains a project file
(.cpf) and the specific XML files that define the project.
25) What are the Building Blocks in Frame Work Manager?
The Query subjects are called Building Blocks in Framework Manager.
26) What are phases the workflow process consists in Framework Manager?
The workflow process consists of the following phases:
* Design and create project
* Prepare Metadata
* Prepare the Business View
* Create and Manger Packages
* Set Security
* Publish
* Manage the Project

27) How you set the security Framework manager?

To set the security you have to set as:
Define access to packages.
Create security filters
Define access to objects
Define package administration access
28) Define Name Space?
In security, a collection of user accounts and user groups from an
authentication provider.
A Name Space is a container, which holds the Query Subjects.
A Name Space uniquely represents the Query Subjects.
29) Can you delete Cognos namespace?
No, we cannot delete Cognos namespace
30) What is the Cognos Namespace? And what it contains?
The Cognos namespace is the Cognos built-in namespace
It contains Cognos objects:
Groups
Roles
Sources

Distribution lists
Contacts
31) What are the Groups and Roles?
Groups and roles represent collections of users that perform similar tasks.
32) What is Folder?
A Folder is used to organize the Query Subjects.
33) Define Relationship?
A Relationship is a connection that explains how the data in one Query
Subject relates to data in other Query Subjects.
34) What is a Package?
A container of model or set of models. Modelers create packages in
Framework Manager to publish models to the Cognos connection.
35) What is Physical layer?
The Physical layer provides the physical query layer and is made up primarily
of data source and stored procedure query subjects. It acts as the foundation for the
presentation layer.
36) What is Presentation layer?
The Presentation layer makes it easier for report authors to find and
understand their data. The Presentation layer is made up primarily of model query
subjects that you create.
37) Define function set:
A function set is a collection of vendor specific database.
The Expression editor lists the function sets for all available vendors.
However, you can restrict the function sets, so that it lists only the vendors that you
want to use in your project.
38) What is a Metadata?
Data about data is called as Metadata. The Metadata contains the definition
of a data.
39) What is a Project?
When we work with a framework manager you work in a project.
Project is a set of metadata organized for Report Authors according to the
Business rules and Model.
A Project created appears as folder, which contains following files.
a.
Project Name .CPF (Cognos Project File)
b. Model .XML
c.
Preferences .XML
d. Customdata.XML
e. archive-log.xml
f. log.xml
g. session-log.xml
h. session-log-backup.xml
i. IDLog.xml

The files in the folder are unique to that Project.

40) Define Publish?
To transfer all or part of a Framework Manager model to the Cognos
connection, so that report authors can use it.
41) What a Project contains?
A. A Model
B. Namespaces
C. Data sources
D. Parameter maps
E. Packages
F. Folders
G. Query Subject
H. Query Item
I.
Relation ship
42) What is a Model?
A model in Frame work manager is a business presentation of the structure of
the data from one or more databases.
Or
A model is a set of related query subjects and other objects.
43) What are Dimensions?
Dimensions are categories by which summarized data can be viewed.
44) What are Confirmed Dimensions?
The Dimensions which are reusable and fixed in nature.
45) What are Fact Tables?
A Fact Table is a table that contains summarized numerical (facts) and
historical data. This Fact Table has a foreign key primary key relation with a
dimension table.
46) What are the types of FACTs?
The types of Facts are:
1.

Additive Facts: - A Fact which can be summed up for any of the dimension available
in the Fact Table.

2.

Semi-Additive Facts: - A Fact which can be summed up to a few dimensions and not
for all dimensions and not for all dimensions available in the Fact Table.
3. Non-Additive Fact: - a fact which cannot be summed up for any of the dimensions
available in the Fact Table.
47) Define Query?
A description of the data to be retrieved from a database.
48) Explain about Data Source Query Subject?
Data Source query subjects contain SQL statements the directly reference
data in a single data source. Frame work manager automatically creates a data
source query subject for each table and view that you import into model.

49) When the default data source query subject is created?

During the initial metadata import operation, a default data source query
subject is created for each object you select (for example table) and creates the
default relationships between query subjects for you automatically.
50) How can you edit the data source query subject?
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.

Apply or embed a filter

Apply or embed a calculation
Insert a Macro
Insert a data source reference.
Change the SQL type.
Change how SQL is generated.

These all are we can find it in Edit definition window.

51) What are the types of SQL?
SQL is the industry language for creating, updating and querying relational
data base management system. Types of SQL.
1.
Cognos SQL
2.
Native SQL
3.
Pass-through SQL.
52) Define Cognos SQL?
By default Cognos Frame work manager uses Cognos SQL to create and edit
Query subjects.
1.
2.
3.

Advantages:
Can contain metadata from multiple data sources.
Have fewer database restrictions
Interact more effectively with Cognos applications.
Disadvantages:
You can not enter nonstandard SQL.
53) Define Native SQL?
Native SQL is the SQL, the data source uses, such as Oracle SQL, but you
cannot uses Native SQL in a query subject that references more than one data source
in the project.

Advantages:
Performance is optimized across all related query subjects.
You can use SQL that is specific to your database.
Disadvantages:
1.
You cannot use SQL that the data source does not support for sub queries.
2.
The query subject may not work on different database type.
1.
2.

54) Define Pass-Through SQL?

Pass-Through SQL lets you use native SQL without any of the restrictions the
data source imposes on sub queries.
Advantages:
You can enter any SQL supported by the database.
Disadvantages:
1.
There is no opportunity for Frame work manager to automatically optimize
performance. The SQL may not work on a different data source.
1.

55) What are Query Processing Types?

There are two types of query processing.
1.

Limited Local: The database server does as much of the SQL processing and
Execution as possible. However, some reports or report sections use local SQL
processing.
2.
Database only: The database server does all the SQL processing and execution with
the exception of tasks not supported by the database. An error appears if any reports
of report sections require local SQL processing.
56) What is Query Subject?
A Query Subject maps to the table in the database.
A Query Subject uses an SQL to retrieve the data from the data source.
A Query Subject is also known as Business View.
1.
2.
3.

57) What are the types of Query subjects?

Default data source query subjects
Model Query Subjects
Stored Query subjects
58) What is a Query Item?
A query Item maps to columns to the database table. A Query Subject
contains Query Items.
59) How can you restrict the tables retrieved by a query?
By setting governors we can restrict the tables.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

60) What is meant by Governors?

To apply privileges and restrictions for a user class. Governor settings are used
to set restrictions on queries by user class, such as
Sorting on non-indexed columns
Outer joins
Suppress duplicates
Cross-product queries
Retrieval of large text items
Number of records
Number of tables
Query execution time
61) What is a User Class?
A defined group of users with the same data access needs privileges and restrictions.
62) What is Scrubbing at Project level?
According to the report requirements derive the new Items with the help of existing
Query Items. This process is known as Scrubbing at Project level.

63) How can you add the calculated data to a report?

a. Summarize existing detail values predefined summary functions (such as sum,
avg)
b. Create new report items using data from existing report items.
c.
Use model calculations provided in the package.

64) What are the sources to create new Query subjects?

A new Query Subject can be created from the following sources.
1. Model (Query subjects & Query Items)
2. Data Sources (Tables and Columns)
3. Stored Procedure.
65) What is Multi Database Access in Cognos ?
In Cognos "Framework Manager" a Project can be created from multiple
databases. The databases can be either homogenous or hydrogenous.
66) What are Parameter Maps?
A Parameter Map is a key value pair used in creation of conditional Query
Subjects.
A Parameter map sub situates the values at the query at runtime.
67) What is the default formats of reports?
HTML, PDF, CSV, and XML.
1.
2.

68) What are the different ways to modify multi lingual metadata?
Macro :- To modify dynamically
Directly
69) What is a Macro?
A Macro is a runtime object, which uses the parameter maps and session
parameters in developing the conditional query subjects.
70) What is usage property? And what are different settings to set usage
property?
It identifies the intended use for the data represented by each query item.
It determines the aggregation rules of query items and calculations.
The different usage property settings are:
* Identifies
* Fact
* Attribute
* Unknown

71) What are the types of filters in Framework manager?

In framework manager we can create two types of filters.
1.
Model filters.
2.
Query filters.
72) Define Model Filter?
A filter is a condition used to restrict the data displayed in the Report.
Model filter are reusable.
73) Define Data restriction:
A filter is a condition, which restricts the amount of data displayed in the
report.

74) What is condition?

An expression that yields a Boolean value. Conditions are used in query
expressions, query filters, and Boolean report variables that can be used for
conditional formatting, styles, data sources, layouts and blocks.
75) Types of Conditions:
Conditions are of 2 types:
1.
Static Condition: - Condition doesnt change whenever you run the report.
2.
Dynamic Condition: -A condition can be keep on change whenever you run the
report.
76) What are the types of filters in Report Studio?
In the report studio we can find two types of filters.
1.
Tabular Filters:- These filters are two types
a.
Summary Filters
b. Detailed Filters
2.

Grouped Filter
77) What is a Loop?
A Loop is a closed path which is resulted due to joins.
A Loop causes performance degradation of query execution and wrong data
will be displayed in the report.
A Loop can be resolved by creating the short cuts (Alias).
78) What is Alias Table?
An alternative name for a table generally used in self joins.
79) What are the uses of Alias Table?
The uses of Alias Table are:

1.
2.
3.

To resolve the Loops.

To create self-joins with in a table.
To provide alternate join structure.
80) What is Associated Data Item?
A Data Item linked to the group data item. Associated data item suppress
duplicate data values but do not generate a control break. The associated column
displays only one data values for the group with which it is associated.
81) What is Automatic Association?
The group association of a newly created summary. The location of the group
where you create the summary determines its automatic association.
82) What is an Ambiguous Relationship?
An ambiguous relationship is where there are multiple relationship paths
between one or more query subjects leaving multiple options for how to write a
query.
83) What is a Join and types of Joins?
A Join identifies the columns from one table that are used to link to another
table.
A Join is commonly formed by a foreign key definition within the database.

Types of Joins:1.
2.
3.

Equi-joins
Non equi-joins
Outer joins
84) What is a dimension?
A broad grouping of descriptive data about a major aspect of a business, such
as products, dates, or markets. Each dimension includes different levels of members
in one or more hierarchies, and an optional set of calculated members.
85) What is a Confirmed Dimension?
If a Dimension is connected to multiple fact tables then it is called as
Confirmed Dimension.
86) What is a Junk Dimension?
A randomly used dimension is Junk Dimension.
87) Define Surrogate Key?
It has system-generated artificial primary key values, which allows to maintain
historical records in the Data Warehouse more effectively.

88) What are the User Interface Components?

Cognos Connection
Report Studio
Query Studio
Frame work manager
Cognos configuration

Cognos Connection
89) Define Cognos connection?
It is a web portal, which allows you to perform the following tasks.
1.
Creating the Reports
2.
Performing the scheduling tasks
3.
Deployment
Use to access all corporate data available in ReportNet.
90) What are the types of folders in Cognos connection?
Report can be organized by creating the folders.
Public Folders: Public Folders can be viewed by many users.
My Folders: Personal Folders that you can organize according to your
preferences.
91) What is a job?
A group of reports and other jobs in Cognos that you run and schedule as a
batch.
92) What is a job step?
The smallest part of a job that can be run separately. Usually, a job step is a
report. A job step can also be another job.
93) Define content language?
The code or setting that specifies what language and regional preferences to
use for the data that appears in a report.
94) What is deployment?
The process of moving a Reports, models to a different instance of Cognos. For
example, you often create reports in a test environment and then deploy them to
production.
When you deploy an application, you export, transfer, and import it.
95) What is the use of Schedule?
The schedule allows you to run a report at a later time or run it on a recurring
basis.

96) What are the uses of Schedule Management tool?

Change the properties of a job
Modify a scheduled report
View the run history of a report
Run a scheduled entry once
Delete a schedule
97) What is a Sub Report?
A sub query that is associated with a main query. You can include several sub
reports in one main query. You can have more than one query on a page.
98) What is a Cognos Script?
A Script visual basic used to write macros.
99) What is a Catalog?

A Catalog is a data base for a user to create own tables, joins, items, prompts,
calculations and conditions.

Report Studio
100) What is a Report Studio?
Using Report Studio we can create more advanced professional Business
Reports.
101) What is burst?
To create many report results by running a single report once. For example,
you can create a report that shows sales for each employee, and run it once, sending
different results to regional managers by bursting on region.
You set up bursting in Report Studio and enable it in the portal.
102) Define calculated member?
A member of a dimension whose measure values are not stored but are
calculated at run time using an expression.
103) What is cardinality?
For OLAP data sources, cardinality is the number of members in a hierarchy.
The cardinality property for a hierarchy is used to assign solve orders to expressions.
For relational data sources, cardinality indicates the nature of the relationship
between two query subjects, query items, or other model objects.
104) Define report specification?
An XML representation of the queries, prompts, layouts, and styles in a report.
You create report specifications by using Report Studio or Query Studio, or by writing
your own report specifications in XML.
105) What is report view?
A reference to another report that has its own properties, such as prompt
values, schedules, and results.
You use report views to share a report specification instead of making copies
of it.
106) What is report item?
A query item that is added to a report is known as a report item.
Report items appear as columns in list reports, and as rows and columns in
crosstab reports. In charts, report items appear as data markers and axis labels.
107) What is work area?
The area within a studio that contains the report, analysis, query or agent
currently being used.
108) What is Simple List Report?
The data is displayed in a series of columns (Tabular format).
109) How to set Page Breaks?
To set the page breaks in the report needs to be designed with either Group or
Section.
Each Group or section will be displayed in a separate page.

110) What is the procedure for Page Breaks?

Select the Grouped Report Item, from the changed layout menu click on set
page breaks.
111) Define Sections:
Like group a section also eliminates the duplicates and display the report item
as a separate block and separated from rest of other report items.
112) How to eliminate duplicates?
The duplicates can be eliminated by creating the Groups
113) What is a prompt?
A prompt is an end users object which allows you to select the values or enter
the values to restrict the data displayed in the report.
A report element that asks for parameter values before the report is run.
A Prompt is known as dynamic filter.
Prompt can be created using Parameters enclosed between ? marks.
Ex :- ?prompt?

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

114) What are the types of Prompts?

The following are the types of prompts:
Text box Prompt
Value Prompt
Select and Search Prompt
Date Prompt
Time Prompt
Date and time Prompt.

115) How many ways are there to create prompt?

To create a prompt you can:
Use the Build prompt page tool.
Build your own prompt and prompt page.
Create a prompt directly in a report page.
116) What is a Non-reusable prompt?
The prompts that are created in the report environment are called as Nonreusable prompts.
117) What is a cascading prompt?
A prompt that uses values from a previous prompt to filter the values in the
current prompt or Pick list.
118) How many ways we can create Cascading Prompt?
A Cascading Prompt can be developed in a two different ways.
1.
2.

Single select and auto submit cascading prompt.

Multi select and Re-prompt button cascading prompt.
119) What kind of relationship is required for cascading prompt?
To develop the cascading prompt the relationship between the dimensional
query Items should be 1 to many (1: M).

120) What is a filter?

A filter is a condition, which restricts the amount of data displayed in the
report.
121) What is Detailed Filter?
If the filter is applied before aggregation known as aggregated records are
filtered. (Detailed Records are filtered)
122) What is Summary Filter?
If the filter applied after aggregation than aggregated records are filtered.
123) What is Group Filter?
A filter which is applied to the group is known as Group Filter.
124) Define Sorting:
Sorts the data in the following 2 directions
1.
Ascending
2.
Descending
The default sort is dont sort.
125) Define the Custom Group:
A custom group allows you to compare one element in the attribute with
remaining all elements with in the same attribute.
It is defined for comparative analyses.
It allows comparing one element with remaining all.
126) How the pages of a single report delivered to the browser?
Based on the order of the pages add to the report.
127) In How many file formats we can export Report Data.
The data can be exported into the following file formats
1.
PDF format (Portable Document Format)
2.
CSV Format (Comma Separated Value)
3.
XML Format
128) Use of Header and Footer in Reports?
Headers and Footers allow you to format the report and present the data in a
readable format.
129) Can you convert list to Cross tab report?
Yes, to gain a different perspective on your data, you can convert a list report
into a cross tab report.
Note: To convert list to cross tab report minimum 3 report items required.
130) Can you converting to repeater?
Only a list report can be converted into a repeater. You cannot convert a cross
tab or chart into a repeater.
131) What is a Calculation?
According to the report requirement a calculation needs to be done using an
object known as calculation object this process is known as OLAP Scrubbing.

132) What are the types of Calculations?

There are three types of Calculations:1.
Detail:- Calculation is performed for non-aggregated (Detail) records
2.
Group: - Calculation is performed for aggregated records.
3.
Layout Calculation: - Calculation is performed to develop customized report titles,
page No, etc...
133) To get the possible outcomes what types of variables you use?
Boolean variable: If there are only two possible outcomes, where the value
will be YES or NO.
String variable: If there is more than one outcome, based on string values you
will specify.
Language variable: Language variable when the values are different
languages.
134) What is Master detail relationship?
A Master detail relationship allows you to merge a Master query and Detail
query.
To link the Master query and the Detailed query there should be a common
column between the query.
A Master detail report provides navigation form summary to detail.
135) What is Drill Through?
A Drill Through allows you to navigate the information from summery to detail.
1.
2.

A Drill Through id developed with two reports

Parent Report which contains Summary Data.
Child Report which contains Detailed Data.
Their should be a common column between the two reports.

136) Define Cross Tab Report:

Design a Cross Tab Report for comparative analysis. Cross tab report is
created with 3 drop zones.
1.
Row
2.
Column
3.
Measure
137) What all the types of Cross Tab layouts Cognos Report Net supports?
Cognos Report net supports only Basic and Nested Cross Tab layouts.
138) Define a chart:
A Chart is a graphical presentation of business data.
A chart Report is designed for comparative Analysis.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

139) What are the different types of charts?

Column chart
Bar Chart
Pie Chart
Line Chart
Area Chart
Point Chart
Radar Chart

140) Define Collapse Group:

It will suppress (hide) the details of a grouped report.
141) Define Expand Group:
It restores the details. A report needs to be designed with group.

Query Studio
142) What is Query Studio?
Query Studio is the adhoc querying tool.
143) What is a adhoc report?
An adhoc report is a simple report or one-time report that is outside the set of
standard reports you may have available to you.
A design time environment acts as a runtime environment.
Its also known as self service.
144) What is measure?
A query item that contains values that can be aggregated to produce
meaningful results. For example, product costs can be treated as a measure because
average and total costs have some meaning, but product codes, though numbers, are
not usually treated the same way. Measures are quantitative performance indicators.
Measures give the numbers that usually appear in the cells of cross tab
reports or in the numbers of a chart.
Measures are also known as facts.
145) How Grand totals and Sub totals are generated in Query Studio?
In Query Studio the footer summaries (Grand Totals) are automatically
generated for measures.
The sub totals can be generated by creating the Groups.
146) Define layout:
In reporting, layout defines the appearance of the report, including formatting,
style, and design.
In report specifications, layout is also the name of an element that defines how the
data returned by queries is presented.

Cognos 8 FAQs
147) Cognos 8
Cognos ReportNet with enhancements + EP7 series.
148) Which server tire is responsible for transforming information to
Cognos 8 Application Server?
A Web server contains one or more web gateways which is responsible for
transforming the information from one server to an appropriate server.( Cognos 8
Application Server) .
149) Which Server Tire processes the users request?
Application Tire server, Its a main server which process users request.
150) What is the role of Data Tire?
Data tire contains content store and data source.
151) What is content store?
The database that contains all data that ReportNet needs to operate, such as
Report specifications, published models, and the packages that contain
them
Connection information for data sources
Information about the external namespace, and the Cognos namespace
itself
Information about scheduling and bursting reports
Design models and log files are not stored in the content store.
The ReportNet service that uses the content store is named Content Manager.
152) What the gateways Cognos web server supports?
CGI (Common Gateway Interface):- This is the default gateway supported to
all web servers.
ISAPI (Internet service Application Programming Interface):- Use this gateway
for Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) web server.
Apache-Mod :- This gateway is used for Apache Web Server.

Report Studio
153) What are enhancements in list report in Cognos 8 Report Studio?
A list report is enhanced with following features:
1.
Can apply List column Title Style
2.
Can apply list column Body Style
3.
Can apply the table Style
154) What are enhancements in cross tab report in Cognos 8?
A Cross tab report is enhanced with following features:
a.
Can create the union Cross tabs.
b. Can create headers and footers for a cross tab.

c.

List like cross tab.

155) What are enhancements in Chart report in Cognos 8?
A Chart report is enhanced with following features:

a.
b.
c.

1. The following new charts are add

Gauge Charts
3D point chart
By polar axis charts (used for Bio-technology).
2. The chart can be applied with patterns, Fonts, Colors.
3. Can perform drill on chart.
4.Now we can create map reports which includes Geographical information and
compares the business with various geographies.
156) What is Prompt Cache?
When a report contain a prompt executes a prompt queries the data from database
at very first time and stores the results in prompt cache.

Analysis Studio
157) What is Analyses studio?
In analyses studio users can explore analyses and compare dimensional data.
Use Analyses studio to read the data from multiple dimensional structures known as
Cubes.
158) What are report Analyses Studio supports?
Analyses studio supports only cross tab, charts.
159) What is Cube?
A physical data source containing a multidimensional representation of data. A
cube contains information organized into dimensions and optimized to provide faster
retrieval and navigation in reports.

Query Studio
160) What are enhancements in Cognos 8 Query Studio?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Formatting :- Now query studio allows you to format the report with font, colors, and
border styles.
Conditional Formatting :- The data in the report can be formatted based on given
condition this allows you to quickly identify the data for faster analyses.
Applying Templates :-Templates can be created in report studio which can be
applied to the reports created in Query Studio.
Improved Filtering :- Query Studio allows you to create more advanced filters using
logical operators. AND or OR.
Query Data from OLAP sources (cube) :- Now Query Studio supports in reading the
data from multi-dimensional structures known as Cubes.
Supports Hierarchy Levels :- Since Query studio reads the data from Cube which is
defined with hierarchy levels it supports multi-dimensional analyses. (Drill Up, Drill
Down, Drill Across).
161) What is Conditional format?

The data in the report can be formatted based on given condition this allows
you to quickly identify the data for faster analyses.

Metric Studio Application

162) A set of metric types, metrics, and scorecards that monitor the performance of
an organization.
Each organization may have several Metric Studio applications monitoring distinct
units, such as operating companies or divisions that have different user communities,
metric types or reporting calendars.
163) Define Metric designer?
Its a Cognos 8 modeling tool use to create extracts for using Cognos 8 score
cording applications.

Transformer
164) What is Transformer in Cognos 8?
Its a modeling tool for creating the Power Cubes for use with Cognos EP7 series and
Cognos 8.
165) What is a Power Cube?
A file that contains data that is structured to provide for fast retrieval and exploration
of data in Power Play.
166) What is the role of Transformer?
Transformer is used to create dimensional models and also create cubes.

Event Studio
167) Define Event Studio:
Use the event studio to perform the tasks when the business event occurs.
When an event occur people are alerted to take actions.
168) Define burst:
To create many report results by running a single report once. For example,
you can create a report that shows sales for each employee, and run it once, sending
different results to regional managers by bursting on region.
You set up bursting in Report Studio and enable it in the portal.

169) What is a report?

A set of data deliberately laid out to communicate business information.
Depending on the context, "report" may refer to report specification or report output.
Report (more precisely, report specification) is the generic term for the objects
created by edited by Query Studio, Report Studio, and Analysis Studio.
170) What is Report specification?
The definition of queries, prompts, layouts, and styles that make up a report.
A report specification is combined with data by a run operation to create report

outputs. You create report specifications by using Report Studio, Query Studio,
Analysis Studio, or through the Software
Development Kit.
171) Define report output?
A report output combines data at the point in time when the report was run
with a report specification. It is a document that can be displayed, printed or emailed.
Cognos 8 can produce report outputs in HTML, PDF, Excel, or CSV formats.
172) Define Content Manager:
The Cognos 8 service that manages the storage of customer applications,
including application-specific security, configuration data, models, metrics, reports,
and report output.
Content Manager is needed to publish models, retrieve or store report specifications,
manage scheduling information, and manage the Cognos namespace.
173) What is data source?
A relational database, dimensional cube, file, or other physical data store that can be
accessed though Cognos 8.
174) Define data tree:
Within a studio, contains objects such as query subjects, query items,
dimensions, levels, and members. A data tree is used as a palette of the available
data that can be inserted into calculations, filters, display areas, and other authoring
gestures.
175) Define drill down:
The act of navigating from one level of data to a more detailed level. The
levels are set by the structure of the data.
176) Define drill up:
The act of navigating from one level of data to a less detailed level. The levels
are set by the structure of the data.
177) What is hierarchy?
A hierarchy represents a collection of dimensional members organized into a
tree structure, with each member having one or more parent members and an
arbitrary number of child members.
The root of a hierarchy has no parent, and leaf members of a hierarchy have
no children.
178) What is layout?
In reporting, layout defines the appearance of the report, including formatting,
style, and design.
In report specifications, layout is the portion of the specification that defines
how the data returned by queries is presented.
179) Define level:
A level is a set of members that have common attributes. For example, a
geographical dimension might contain levels for country, region, and city. Levels are
used to define the structure of hierarchies in a dimension.
180) What is member?
A member is a unique item within a level. For example, Camping Equipment
and Golf Equipment are members of the Product Line level.

181) Define locale:

A code that is used to set the language or dialect used for browsers, report
text, and so on; and the regional preferences, such as formats for time, date, money,
money expressions, and time of day.
For Cognos products, you can specify a locale for the product interface
(product locale) and for the data in the report (content locale).
182) Define multidimensional expression language (MDX):
An abbreviation for multidimensional expression language, MDX is the
multidimensional equivalent of SQL. Cognos 8 allows report authors to type in their
queries using MDX expressions in Report Studio for dimensional data sources.
183) Use of repeater:
In Report Studio, a cell container that repeats values within itself with no
predefined internal structure.
184) Define Repeater table:
In Report Studio, a table-like container that repeats cells across and down the
page for row in the associated query.
185) What is template?
A reusable reports layout or style that can be used to set the presentation of a
query or report.
186) Define work area:
The area within a studio that contains the report, analysis, query or agent
currently being used.
187) What is a Hot File?
A separate local data table that can be added to your catalog or used in the
report as a data source and as if it is a regular database table. A Hot File can be
joined either with a database table or with another Hot File itself.
188) What is Impromptu?
Impromptu is a windows based powerful interactive query and reporting tool
that lets you query data and create sophisticated reports in a easy to- use and
sophisticated desktop and interface.
189) What is the difference b/w macros and prompt?
Macro is a dynamic object which is used to substitute the values at query run time.
Prompt is a report element that asks for values before the report is run.
190) What is a Cube size?
Cube size is not static. it can be defined according to Project but we can
create up to 2GB
191) What is refreshing of cube and how can we do it?
Refreshing a cube means getting the latest records from content store. we
have an option to refresh cube.
192) what is meant by dash boards/flash cards?
Dash Board reports are used to create many reports in one report.
193) What is the usage of html object in tools box?

By using HTML object, We can insert multimedia file into report. At the run
time we can see the file multimedia file.
194) How can we use conditional blocks?
Conditional Blocks adds an empty block that you can use for conditional
formatting. You can hide and show report elements.
195) What is cube group?
Set of similar cubes built by Transformer.
196) What is burst reporting?
Burst reporting means sending a single report to multiple recipients using
Cognos connection.
197) What is Level Span?
Level Span is used to avoid 1:1 relationship.