Presentation at IBM IOD 2011 by Larry Bob, BI Architect at The Boeing Company about what a skilled Framework Manager modeler can do in a large environment to advance both simplicity and excellence at the same time.

1. IBM Cognos Framework Manager Unleashed
An Innovative Approach to Modeling Complex BI Projects
Session Number 1724
Larry D. Bob, BI Architect
The Boeing Company
BOEING is a trademark of Boeing Management Company.
Copyright © 2011 Boeing. All rights reserved.

2. The Boeing Company
• The world's largest aerospace company
– Over $64B in Revenue in 2010
• Boeing employs more than 165,000 people
– All 50 States and 70 Countries
• Relentlessly reducing our environmental footprint
– 25 percent cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2012
– 25 percent increase in energy efficiency and recycling by 2012
1 BOEING is a trademark of Boeing Management Company.
Copyright © 2011 Boeing. All rights reserved.

3. Father, Traveler, Cook, Boating Enthusiast, BI Architect
2 BOEING is a trademark of Boeing Management Company.
Copyright © 2011 Boeing. All rights reserved.

4. Boeing Enterprise Finance Business Intelligence
The EFBI team is chartered with providing:
Right
Information
Right Right
Capabilities People
Business
Process
Right Right
Form Time
3 BOEING is a trademark of Boeing Management Company.
Copyright © 2011 Boeing. All rights reserved.

5. Framework Manager: Providing a Business Centric View
4 BOEING is a trademark of Boeing Management Company.
Copyright © 2011 Boeing. All rights reserved.

6. In the Beginning…
• There was a single Framework Manager model
• There was only one developer
• We had a single version of the truth – life was good 
5 BOEING is a trademark of Boeing Management Company.
Copyright © 2011 Boeing. All rights reserved.

7. With Time Came Complexity…
• Multiple Framework Manager models
• Multiple developers, each modeling slightly differently
• We no longer had a single version of the truth 
6 BOEING is a trademark of Boeing Management Company.
Copyright © 2011 Boeing. All rights reserved.

8. Seeking a “Single Version of the Truth”
The goal is clear – the path is not…
7 BOEING is a trademark of Boeing Management Company.
Copyright © 2011 Boeing. All rights reserved.

9. Framework Manager Design Principles – Goals
• Everything is modeled once and only once
• Multiple developers can easily develop simultaneously
• Model complexity is minimized
• Design is optimized for maintainability
• All applicable content can be made available via a single package
8 BOEING is a trademark of Boeing Management Company.
Copyright © 2011 Boeing. All rights reserved.

10. End State Design: 3-Tiered Framework Manager Model
One Master
Many Subject One Package
Dimension
Specific Models Model
Model
9 BOEING is a trademark of Boeing Management Company.
Copyright © 2011 Boeing. All rights reserved.

11. Framework Manager Master Dimension Model – One
Dimension FM Model
Dim 1 Dim 2 Dim 3
• Contains all dimensions
Dim 4 Dim n • Data layer
Dim 1 Dim 2 Dim n • Business layer
•
•Col 1 •Col 1 •Col 1
•Col n •Col n •Col n DMR layer (where applicable)
• Logically grouped in folders
No Presentation Layer • No facts or joins
No Packages
• No Presentation layer
• No Packages
• The only place where dimensions are
Dimensions Logically
Grouped into Folders
modeled
10 BOEING is a trademark of Boeing Management Company.
Copyright © 2011 Boeing. All rights reserved.

12. Framework Manager Master Dimension Model Example
• No facts or joins / no presentation layer / no packages
• Note the namespace names – consistency is critical
11 BOEING is a trademark of Boeing Management Company.
Copyright © 2011 Boeing. All rights reserved.

13. Framework Manager Subject Specific Models – Many
Subject 1 FM Model • Contains facts for a single subject
Fact 1 Fact 2 Fact 3
Fact 4 Fact n
• Data layer
Fact 1 Fact 2 Fact n • Business layer
• Presentation layer
•Col 1 •Col 1 •Col 1
•Col n •Col n •Col n
Linked Dimension Info
(Namespaces as Needed)
• Master Dimension Model is linked in
Dim
1
Dim
1 • Shortcuts from Dimension namespaces are
Dim
2
Fact
1
Dim
3
Dim
2
Fact
1
Dim
3 created in related fact namespaces
• Joins are created in the data layer between
Dim Dim
n n
Presentation Layer
Business Grouping
the fact objects and the dimension shortcuts
Subj 1
Subj 2
Business Sub Group
Subj 2a Subj 2b
• No Packages
No Packages
12 BOEING is a trademark of Boeing Management Company.
Copyright © 2011 Boeing. All rights reserved.

14. Framework Manager Subject Specific Model Example
Shortcuts
from
Dimension
Model
Master
Dimension
Model
linked in
Joins
created in
DB layer
13 BOEING is a trademark of Boeing Management Company.
Copyright © 2011 Boeing. All rights reserved.

15. Framework Manager Package Model – One
Enterprise FM Model • No modeling done here
No Data Layer
No Business Layer • Master Dimension Model is linked in
Linked Dimension Info
(All Namespaces)
• All Subject Models are linked in
Linked Subject Model n
(All Namespaces) • Object Security is added
Linked Subject Model 2
(All Namespaces) • Package(s) are created and published
Linked Subject Model 1
(All Namespaces) • Enterprise reporting package
Package 1 • Cube Building packages
Subject 1
Subject 2 • Special purpose packages (e.g. TM1)
Subj 2a Subj 2b
Package 2
Subject 3
Subject 5
Subj 5a Subj 5b
14 BOEING is a trademark of Boeing Management Company.
Copyright © 2011 Boeing. All rights reserved.

16. Framework Manager Enterprise Package Model Example
Master
Dimension
Model
linked in
Sales
Subject
Model
linked in
Forecast
Subject
Model
linked in
Packages
Created
15 BOEING is a trademark of Boeing Management Company.
Copyright © 2011 Boeing. All rights reserved.

17. End State: 3-Tiered Framework Manager Model
Subject n FM Model
Fact 1 Fact 2 Fact 3
Subject 2 FM Model Enterprise FM Model
Fact 4 Fact n
Fact 1 Fact 2 Fact 3 No Data Layer
Dimension FM Model Subject 1 FM ModelFact 2
Fact 1 Fact n No Business Layer
Fact 4 Fact n
Dim 1 Dim 2 Dim 3 Fact 1 Fact •Col Fact 3 •Col 1
2 1 •Col 1
Linked Dimension Info
•Col n •Col n •Col n
Fact 1 Fact 2 Fact n (All Namespaces)
Dim 4 Dim n Fact 4 Fact n
•Col 1 •Col 1 •Col 1
Linked Dimension Info Linked Subject Model n
•Col n •Col n •Col n (All Namespaces)
Dim 1 Dim 2 Dim n Fact 1 (Namespaces as Needed)
Fact 2 Fact n
•Col 1 •Col 1 •Col 1 •Col 1 •Col 1 •Col 1 Linked Subject Model 2
Linked Dimension Info Dim
Dim
•Col n •Col n •Col n •Col n •Col n
1
•Col n
1
(All Namespaces)
(Namespaces asDim
Dim Fact
Needed) Fact
Dim Dim
2 1 3 2 1 3 Linked Subject Model 1
Linked Dimension Info Dim
Dim
1 Dim 1 Dim (All Namespaces)
(Namespaces as Needed)
n n
Dim Fact Dim Dim Fact Dim
2 1 3 2 1 3 Package 1
Dim Presentation Layer
Dim
No Presentation Layer 1 Dim
n
1 Dim
n Subject 1
Dim Fact Dim Business Grouping
Dim Fact Dim
No Packages 2 1 3 2 1 3
Subject 2
Presentation Layer
Subj 1 Business Sub Group
Dim Dim Subj 2a Subj 2b
n n
Subj 2a Subj 2b
Business Subj 2
Grouping
Presentation Layer
Subj 1 Business Sub Group Package 2
Dimensions Logically Subj 2a
No Packages
Subj 2b
Business Subj 2
Grouping
Grouped into Folders Subject 3
Subj 1 Business Sub Group
Subject 5
Subj 2a
No Packages
Subj 2b
Subj 2 Subj 5a Subj 5b
No Packages
16 BOEING is a trademark of Boeing Management Company.
Copyright © 2011 Boeing. All rights reserved.

18. The (Simplified) User Experience
• Easy access to all query items
• No need to exit Query Studio and
navigate Cognos Connection to open a
new package
• Object level security ensures users only
see what they’re supposed to see
• Conformed dimension provide a link
between fact tables
17 BOEING is a trademark of Boeing Management Company.
Copyright © 2011 Boeing. All rights reserved.

19. Framework Manager Design Principles – Goals Achieved
• Everything is modeled once and only once
• Multiple developers can easily develop simultaneously
• Model complexity is minimized
• Design is optimized for maintainability
• All applicable content can be made available via a single package
18 BOEING is a trademark of Boeing Management Company.
Copyright © 2011 Boeing. All rights reserved.

20. Key Steps for Success
19 BOEING is a trademark of Boeing Management Company.
Copyright © 2011 Boeing. All rights reserved.

21. Publishing from the Package Model
• Object level security must be added in
the Package Model (if required)
• The Dimensions namespace does not
need to be included in the package
• The Database View namespaces must
be included as hidden objects
20 BOEING is a trademark of Boeing Management Company.
Copyright © 2011 Boeing. All rights reserved.

22. Use Consistent Namespace Names
All models must have the same highest level namespace name
21 BOEING is a trademark of Boeing Management Company.
Copyright © 2011 Boeing. All rights reserved.

23. Linking to the Dimension Model
The subject models and the master model must link to the dimension
model from the same namespace within the dimension model
22 BOEING is a trademark of Boeing Management Company.
Copyright © 2011 Boeing. All rights reserved.

24. Use Shortcuts to Linked Objects in the Subject Models
Shortcuts to the dimension objects must be used in the subject models
to join to the fact query items (vs. the actual dimension objects)
23 BOEING is a trademark of Boeing Management Company.
Copyright © 2011 Boeing. All rights reserved.

25. Creating Joins to Linked Objects
Joins must be done in the database layer
24 BOEING is a trademark of Boeing Management Company.
Copyright © 2011 Boeing. All rights reserved.

26. Press “No” When Linking
Ignore the recommendation to use UNC’s to add in the linked segments
– use the drive letter reference to the linked content instead
25 BOEING is a trademark of Boeing Management Company.
Copyright © 2011 Boeing. All rights reserved.

27. The Error Message You Can Ignore…
• Appears when you open the Package Model
• Displayed because the Dimensions namespace is linked into both the
Subject Models and the Package Model
• Just click “OK”
26 BOEING is a trademark of Boeing Management Company.
Copyright © 2011 Boeing. All rights reserved.

28. Other Considerations
Linking can be complex and has some areas of concern, including:
– There is no way to edit the links via the Framework Manager
GUI. The links must be edited directly in the .CPF file
(Framework Manager header file)
– Links are bi-directional: deleting an object from the target model
deletes it from the source model, which means caution must be
exercised when working in the target
• If a link needs to removed, you must edit the CPF file of the model
the link needs to be removed from. Use an XML editor (not Notepad)
to do the editing after making a backup.
27 BOEING is a trademark of Boeing Management Company.
Copyright © 2011 Boeing. All rights reserved.

29. Questions?
Contact me at: Larry.D.Bob@Boeing.com
28 BOEING is a trademark of Boeing Management Company.
Copyright © 2011 Boeing. All rights reserved.

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BOEING is a trademark of Boeing Management Company.
29 Copyright © 2011 Boeing. All rights reserved.