Analytics: Application Developer (Siebel 7.
7)
Module 4: Analytics
Repository Basics
Module Objectives
After completing this module you will be able to:
Identify and describe the three layers of a Siebel Analytics
repository and how they relate to one another
Identify and describe how information in the presentation
layer of a repository is displayed in Siebel Answers
Why you need to know:
Siebel Analytics repositories are the link between physical
data sources and the analytics information presented in
Siebel Analytics user interfaces
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Siebel Analytics Repository
Stores the metadata used by the Siebel Analytics Server
Is accessed and exposed using the Analytics Administration
Tool
Is created by the architect who:
Imports—metadata from databases and other data sources
Simplifies and reorganizes the metadata into business models
Structures the business model for presentation to users for
requesting information
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Analytics Administration Tool
Exposes the Analytics repository into three separate panes,
called layers
Physical layer
Business Model and Mapping layer
Presentation layer
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Physical Layer
Contains objects representing the physical data sources to
which the Siebel Analytics Server submits queries
There can be multiple data sources
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Physical Layer Objects
Expand a database object to display the objects it contains,
such as:
Connection Pool object—specifies the connection between the
Siebel Analytics Server and a data source
Schema folder—contains the physical schemas of the tables and
columns of a data source
Database object
Connection Pool object
Schema folder
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Business Model and Mapping Layer
Is where the physical schemas are simplified and reorganized to
form the basis of the users’ view of the data
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Business Model
Breaks down a business into several logical components
Dimensions are descriptive attributes, such as products and time
periods
Facts are business measures, such as dollars and units sold
Dimension tables
Fact table
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Business Model Objects
Expand the Business Model object to display the objects it
contains
Logical Table objects contain logical columns and have one or
more data sources from the physical layer
Logical Column objects can have one or more table sources from
the physical layer
Logical Tables and Columns have
sources from the Physical layer
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Hierarchies
Hierarchies are established in the Business Model layer to
provide context for the logical tables and columns in a business
model
Hierarchies are used to establish drilldown capabilities in
Dashboards
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Presentation Layer
Contains Presentation Catalog objects that provide a
customized view of a business model to users
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Presentation Layer Continued
Is the view of the data seen by users
SupplierSales appears as a subject
area in Siebel Answers
These tables and columns appear
as the content of the subject area
in Siebel Answers
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Object Properties
Each object has a set of properties associated with it
Double-click an object to open its
properties dialog box
In the properties dialog box you can
view and edit properties
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Variables
Are used in a repository to modify metadata content dynamically
to adjust to a changing data environment
Example: The current month is a dynamically changing value
depending on what month today is in.
Navigate to Manage > Variables to access the Variable
Manager
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Siebel Analytics Repository Directory
Repository files reside in the …\SiebelAnalytics\Repository
directory, in which the Siebel Analytics software is installed
Default location of
repository files
Siebel Analytics
repository file
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NQSConfig.ini
Is the Siebel Analytics configuration file
Is read by the Siebel Analytics Server to determine the .rpd to
load into memory
There can be multiple repositories, but only one is loaded for
access by Siebel Analytics at a time
Commented out
Repository to load
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Summary
This module showed you how to:
Identify and describe the three layers of a Siebel Analytics
repository and how they relate to one another
Identify and describe how information in the presentation
layer of a repository is displayed in Siebel Answers
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Lab
In the lab you will:
Use the Analytics Administration Tool to explore repository objects
and the relationships between them
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