Running Hyperion Essbase, Applications, and Databases

Hyperion Essbase includes a central organizing subsystem called the Hyperion Essbase Server Agent that performs many important functions. When you load the main Hyperion Essbase executable file, ESSBASE, the Agent is started. The Agent is responsible for various activities, including checking security, establishing connections between the server and its clients, and accessing databases and applications.

The Agent enables you to perform many important administrative functions. This chapter describes the following Agent-related activities:

• About the Agent
• Starting and Stopping the Hyperion Essbase Server
• Using the Server Console
• Starting and Stopping Applications
• Starting and Stopping Databases
• Viewing a List of Users and Available Ports
• Understanding Client-Server Communications

About the Agent

The Agent allows communication between the Hyperion Essbase server and its clients. As a traffic light at a busy intersection controls the flow and direction of many cars at once, the Agent controls the flow of activity during Hyperion Essbase operation. Additionally, the Agent provides you ongoing information about all actions performed by users and provides you the ability to monitor the behaviour of Hyperion Essbase.

You have access to the Agent from the server machine, which is also called the server console. Access to the Agent is available only on the server machine. After you start Hyperion Essbase, the Agent window is displayed. In the Agent window on the server console, you view the activities of the Agent and enter commands that you want the Agent to perform.

Starting and Stopping the Hyperion Essbase Server

You can start the Hyperion Essbase server from the server console, from a terminal connected to the server, or as a background process. You can stop the server from the server console, from a terminal connected to the server, or from a batch script.

Starting the Hyperion Essbase Server in the Foreground

To start the Hyperion Essbase server, type ESSBASE password at the operating system command line, where password is the password to access the server. This action starts the Hyperion Essbase Server Agent (see Using the Server Console).

Starting the Hyperion Essbase Server in the Background

To start the Hyperion Essbase server in the background on platforms running Windows or UNIX, enter the following:

ESSBASE password -b &

You can start Hyperion Essbase without using the ampersand (&) at the end of the command, but if you do not use "&," the command prompt is not returned after the server is started.

Improving Parallel Login Processing

To speed up parallel login processing with the new command-line parameter, quicklogin, enter the following:

ESSBASE password -quicklogin -b

The parameter quicklogin improves performance by caching the security file and writing it to disk at specified time intervals.

Stopping the Hyperion Essbase Server from the Agent

To stop the server and all running applications from the server console, enter QUIT or EXIT in the Agent window.

If you stop the Agent by closing the Agent window or by pressing Ctrl + C, the next time you start the database Hyperion Essbase rolls back any transactions that were in progress (see Ensuring Data Integrity for information about transaction processes).

Stopping the Hyperion Essbase Server Remotely

You can use ESSCMD or MaxL to shut down the Hyperion Essbase server interactively or from a script. You must have the role of supervisor in order to do this. For more information on permissions, see Managing Security at Global and User Levels.

Using ESSCMD to Shut Down the Server

To shut down the server from an ESSCMD script, enter the following command in the script:

SHUTDOWNSERVER "servername" "username" "password";

In the syntax above, servername is the name of the server that you want to shut down; username is your user name; and password is your password.

Using MaxL to Shut Down the Server

To shut down the server from a MaxL script, enter the following statement in the script, or interactively from the MaxL Command Shell terminal:

alter system shutdown;

Using the Server Console

When Hyperion Essbase starts on the server, the main process, ESSBASE, is the Agent. The Agent can be accessed only from the server machine, which is also called the server console.

On Windows platforms, when the Agent starts, a new icon displays in the taskbar.

The Agent records its activities, such as user logins and starting applications in the Agent log file, ESSBASE.LOG (Essbase.log on UNIX systems). The log is stored in the Hyperion Essbase installation directory, for example,\ESSBASE (/essbase on UNIX systems).

From the Agent, you can use the commands described in the following table:

You can press Enter when the Agent window on the server console is open (Hyperion Essbase must be started in the foreground) to display a list of all available commands.

Starting and Stopping Applications

When you start an application, Hyperion Essbase loads the application and any associated databases into memory on the server. This action makes data accessible to end users. When you stop an application, Hyperion Essbase unloads all information and databases from memory on the server.

Starting an Application

To start an application from the Agent, type START appname at the command prompt on the server console.

You can also start an application by completing any of the following actions:

• Creating a new application, which automatically starts the application.
• Using the Application > Start/Stop command from Hyperion Essbase Application Manager

  If the application is not already loaded, a confirmation box is displayed. Click Yes to load the application.

  If the application is already loaded, the confirmation box asks if you want to stop the application. Click No to prevent Hyperion Essbase from stopping the application.

• Starting a database within an application, as discussed under Starting and Stopping Databases
• Saving an outline to the server

  Note:

  Opening an outline does not start an application.

You can also use alter system in MaxL, or the LOADAPP, LOGIN, or SELECT commands in ESSCMD, to start an application. For more information, see the online Technical Reference in the DOCS directory.

Stopping an Application

When you stop an application, transactions may be currently running. If you issue the STOP command in the Agent, the alter system unload application statement in MaxL,or an UNLOADAPP command in ESSCMD, the application does not stop if a calculation or data load is in progress. Instead, Hyperion Essbase displays a message in the server console. If you stop the Agent by closing the Agent window or by pressing Ctrl + C, the application stops, and the next time you start the application, Hyperion Essbase rolls back any transactions that were in progress (see Ensuring Data Integrity for information about transaction processes).

To stop an application from the Agent, type STOP appname at the command prompt on the server console.

You can also stop an application by using the Application > Start/Stop command from Hyperion Essbase Application Manager:

• If the application is already loaded, a confirmation box is displayed. Click Yes to stop the application.
• If the application is not already loaded, the confirmation box asks if you want to start the application. Click No to prevent Hyperion Essbase from starting the application.

You can also use alter system in MaxL or the UNLOADAPP command in ESSCMD to stop an application. For more information, see the online Technical Reference in the DOCS directory.

Starting and Stopping Databases

Starting a database loads the database into memory on the server. Stopping a database unloads all information for the database from memory on the server.

Starting a Database

You can start a database by completing any of the following actions:

• Creating a new database, which automatically starts the database
• Using the Database > Start/Stop command from Hyperion Essbase Application Manager

  If the database is not already loaded, a confirmation box is displayed. Click Yes to load the database.

  If the database is already loaded, the confirmation box asks if you want to stop the database. Click No to prevent Hyperion Essbase from stopping the database.

• Saving an outline to the server

  Note:

  Opening an outline does not start a database.

• Clicking the Statistics tab in the Database Information dialog box

You can use the LOADDB, LOGIN, or SELECT commands in ESSCMD to start a database. See the online Technical Reference in the DOCS directory for information about this command. See Performing Interactive and Batch Operations Using ESSCMD for information about ESSCMD.

Stopping a Database

When you stop a database, transactions may be currently running. If you issue the STOP command in the Agent, or an UNLOADDB command in ESSCMD, the database does not stop if a calculation or data load is in progress. Instead, Hyperion Essbase displays a message in the Agent window. If you stop the Agent by closing the Agent window or by pressing Ctrl + C, the database stops, and the next time you start the database, Hyperion Essbase rolls back any transactions that were in progress (see Ensuring Data Integrity for information about transaction processes).

To stop a database from the Agent, type STOP appname at the command prompt on the server console.

This action stops the application that contains the database that you want to stop.

You can also stop a database by completing any of the following actions:

• Using the Database > Start/Stop command from Hyperion Essbase Application Manager

  If the database is already loaded, a confirmation box is displayed. Click Yes to stop the database.

  If the database is not already loaded, the confirmation box asks if you want to start the database. Click No to prevent Hyperion Essbase from starting the database.

• Using the Application Start/Stop command from Hyperion Essbase Application Manager to stop the application that contains the database that you want to stop

  If the application is already loaded, a confirmation box is displayed. Click Yes to stop the application.

  If the application is not already loaded, the confirmation box asks if you want to start the application. Click No to prevent Hyperion Essbase from starting the application.

You can use the UNLOADDB command in ESSCMD to stop a database. See the online Technical Reference in the DOCS directory for information about this command. See Performing Interactive and Batch Operations Using ESSCMD for information about ESSCMD.

Viewing a List of Users and Available Ports

The Agent enables you to view a list of all users that are connected to the server at any given time. Additionally, you can view the total number of ports available, as well as the number of existing connections.

To view a list of all users connected to the server, type the command USERS at the command prompt of the server console. The server console displays the following information:

• The names of all users connected to the server
• The total number of ports available
• The total number of existing connections
• The application to which each user is connected
• The database to which each user is connected

To view the number of ports installed on the server, as well as the number of ports in use, type PORTS at the command prompt of the server console.

You can also use display user in MaxL or the LISTUSERS command in ESSCMD to view a list of users on the system. These do not return information about the available ports and connections or the application or database to which users are connected. For more information, see the online Technical Reference in the DOCS directory.

Disconnecting a User From the Server

To disconnect a user from the server, type the command LOGOUTUSER user at the command prompt of the server console. The user's port is now free.

You can also use alter system in MaxL or the LOGOUTUSER command in ESSCMD to disconnect a user from the server. For more information, see the online Technical Reference in the DOCS directory.

Changing the System Password

You can change the password that is required to start the Hyperion Essbase server from the server console of the Agent. Changing the system password does not change the connection password that is established for the Hyperion Essbase system supervisor.

To change the Hyperion Essbase system password:

1. Type PASSWORD at the command prompt of the server console.

   Hyperion Essbase prompts you to enter the old system password, as shown in Figure 47-1.

   Figure 47-1: Changing the Hyperion Essbase System Password

   

2. Type the old (current) system password.
3. Type the system password that you want to use.
4. Retype the system password that you want to use.

   Hyperion Essbase verifies that the system password has been updated.

For information about changing passwords for users or groups, see Managing Security at Global and User Levels.

You can also use alter user in MaxL or the SETPASSWORD command in ESSCMD to change a password. For more information, see the online Technical Reference in the DOCS directory.

Displaying the Server Software Version Number

To see the version number of the Hyperion Essbase server software, type VERSION at the command prompt of the server console.

You can use the GETVERSION command in ESSCMD to display the server software version number. See the online Technical Reference in the DOCS directory for information about this command. See Performing Interactive and Batch Operations Using ESSCMD for information about ESSCMD.

Viewing Security System Information

To output information from the Hyperion Essbase security system into a specified file in ASCII format, type DUMP filename at the command prompt of the server console. Hyperion Essbase prompts you for the Hyperion Essbase system password. By default Hyperion Essbase saves the file to the ARBORPATH\BIN directory, where ARBORPATH is the Hyperion Essbase installation directory, for example, D:\ESSBASE\BIN.

Shutting Down All Open Applications and Quitting Hyperion Essbase

To shut down all open applications and quit Hyperion Essbase, from the Agent window on the server console, type QUIT or EXIT at the command prompt.

Understanding Client-Server Communications

The Hyperion Essbase client-server architecture supports enterprise analysis applications. The server runs a Server Agent (ESSBASE) process that acts as a traffic coordinator for all user requests to Hyperion Essbase applications. The application server (ESSSVR) fields data requests from clients. An Essnet library connects Hyperion Essbase to the network and enables the server and the clients to communicate with each other, as shown in Figure 47-2.

Figure 47-2: Hyperion Essbase Client-Server Communications

Hyperion Essbase Client Types

Hyperion Essbase clients retrieve and analyze data from the server with Lotus 1-2-3, Microsoft Excel, or a custom application interface. There are four types of Hyperion Essbase clients:

• Hyperion Essbase Spreadsheet Add-in, which provides you with seamless data access to the server.
• Hyperion Essbase Application Manager, which you can use to design, develop, and maintain Hyperion Essbase Applications.
• ESSCMD, a command-line interface, which you can use to perform operations interactively or through a batch or script file.
• A custom application built with the Hyperion Essbase Application Programming Interface (API). The online API Reference in the DOCS directory provides a complete listing of Hyperion Essbase API functions, platforms, and supported compilers.

As shown in Figure 47-3, Hyperion Essbase handles client requests differently, depending on the type of the request. Administrative requests, such as logging in and logging out, starting and stopping applications and databases, and viewing user security information, are handled by the Hyperion Essbase Server Agent (ESSBASE). Client requests for data, such as data loads, calculations, spreadsheet reports, and data lock and unlock, are handled by the application server (ESSSVR).

Figure 47-3: Hyperion Essbase Client Request Handling

Flow of Communications Events

When a user logs in to Hyperion Essbase, the following events occur:

1. The Hyperion Essbase client logs in, using a predefined address:
   • For TCP/IP connections, the address is port number 1423.
   • For Named Pipes connections, the address is \\pipe\essbase0.
2. The user selects an application/database combination.
3. The Agent compares the requested application with applications currently running. If the specified application is already running, the Agent does not need to do anything. If the requested application is not already running, the Agent initiates startup, and the following events occur:
   1. The Agent assigns a dynamic port for the application server or creates a dynamic name for a named pipe.
   2. The application server returns the port number for the application to the Agent and to the client. Port number information is stored at run time in Hyperion Essbase API.
4. The Agent sets the application server as active with the current user and security information. When the client later sends a data request to the application server, the security information captured by the API is embedded in the request.
5. The Agent sends the client query to the application server (ESSSVR).
6. For every request that the client makes, the application server causes the following events to occur:
   1. Connect
   2. Send request
   3. Get response
   4. Send data
   5. Receive data
   6. Disconnect

Multithreading

ESSBASE and ESSSVR are multithreaded applications. The number of threads is based on the number of licensed ports that are purchased, as shown in Table 47-2. The number of ports represents the number of concurrent connections that Hyperion Essbase supports. Hyperion Essbase provides one reserve port for the system administrator. The system administrator uses the reserve port to log out one or more users when all other ports are in use.

You can set the number of threads for the Agent or the server in the ESSBASE.CFG file. For complete details on setting the number of threads for the Agent and the server, refer to the AGENTTHREADS and SERVERTHREADS settings in the online Technical Reference in the DOCS directory.

Application Monitoring

Each application that is loaded is an open task or process in the operating system. On Windows platforms, the application is displayed in a Hyperion Essbase server window. On UNIX platforms, the application server is a child process of ESSBASE. When the application starts, ESSBASE starts the ESSSVR process.

The application server records its activities (such as writing data to an application log file, appname.LOG) in the appname directory below the Hyperion Essbase installation directory, for example, the \ESSBASE\APP\appname directory. You can open and view this text file when you need to troubleshoot problems or view application activity.

On Windows platforms you can also view application activities as they occur in the Hyperion Essbase server window. On UNIX, you can view application activities with the tail -f logfile command.

On Windows platforms, when the Agent starts an application, a new icon is displayed in the taskbar.You can double-click the icon to view the server window.

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