Essbase - Database (cube)

About

An Essbase database is a data repository that contains a multidimensional data storage array.

Essbase Database is also commonly referred to as cube (as in Essbase Studio console)

Files that are related to databases are called artifacts (or objects).

Articles Related

Type

You can create :

• normal databases
• or currency databases : Designing and Building Currency Conversion Applications.

Managing a Database

• Essbase - Creating / Copying a database
• Essbase - Database resetting Data

Concurrency

Essbase supports concurrent multiple users reading and updating the database; therefore, users can use the database while you are dynamically:

• building dimensions,
• loading data,
• or calculating the database.

In a multi-user environment, Essbase protects data by using the security system described in Essbase - User management and security.

• Security Issues

The security system prevents unauthorized users from changing the database. Only users with write access to a database can load data values or add dimensions and members to the database. Write access can be provided globally or by using filters.

• Multi-User Data Load Issues. You can load data values while multiple users are connected to a database. Essbase uses a block locking scheme for handling multi-user issues. When you load data values, Essbase does the following:
  • Locks the block it is loading into so that no one can write to the block. See Ensuring Data Integrity for information on Essbase transaction settings, such as identifying whether other users get read-only access to the locked block or noting how long Essbase waits for a locked block to be released.
  • Updates the block. See Data Locks for information on whether Essbase unlocks a block when its update is complete or waits for the entire data load to complete before unlocking the block.
• Multi-User Dimension Build Issues

You cannot build dimensions while other users are reading or writing to the database. After you build dimensions, Essbase restructures the outline and locks the database for the duration of the restructure operation.

Annotation

A database note can provide useful information when you need to broadcast messages to users about :

• the status of a database,
• deadlines for updates,
• and so on.

Users can view database notes in Essbase - Spreadsheet Add-in.

To annotate a database, see “Annotating Databases” in the Oracle Essbase Administration Services Online Help.