Notable New Features in 11.1.2.4 - Hyperion Essbase
/* Thread Pool for Parallel Operations: Historically, Essbase dynamically created threads for parallel operations such as parallel calculation, parallel data load, and parallel restructure. However, beginning this release, the following parallel operations do not dynamically create threads, but instead use a set number of threads from a pre-created pool of threads:
o Parallel calculation, with CALCPARALLEL or FIXPARALLEL
o Parallel data load, for aggregate storage and block storage databases
o Parallel export, for block storage databases
o Parallel restructuring
You can customize the size of the thread pool.
* XML Outline Editing: XML outline editing enables you to use an XML file to make basic changes to the database outline. This method is a streamlined way to make outline edits without needing to use a rules file nor invoke the Outline API. To perform XML outline editing, you reference a provided .xsd file, create an .xml file, and call the C Main API function EssBuildDimXML (or the Java API method buildDimensionXml). To use the XML outline editing feature in Essbase 11.1.2.4, aggregate storage outlines that were created in an earlier release must first be migrated to 11.1.2.4.
* Enhancements to Hybrid Aggregation: Hybrid aggregation mode was introduced in Release 11.1.2.3.500 as a way to bring improved calculation efficiency to block storage databases. In this release, Time-balance tagged members and Dynamic Time Series members can also be calculated in hybrid aggregation mode. Additionally, many more calculation functions are included in the list for member formulas that can be calculated in hybrid aggregation mode. For the full list, see the topic “Functions Supported in Hybrid Aggregation Mode” in the Oracle Essbase Technical Reference.
* Optimizations for Oracle Exalytics In-Memory machine: Enhancements have been introduced for Essbase Server running on Oracle Exalytics In-Memory machine. An accompanying increase in virtual memory usage is normal and expected. Virtual memory usage is increased by the size of page files. On SPARC T5/Solaris Exalytics In-Memory machine, for best performance, configure swap space on the system to be greater than the sum of the expected sizes of dynamic calculator caches, for all databases on the system.
* Calculation Enhancements
o New Calculation Functions: @RELXRANGE - Generates a cross dimensional list based on the relative position of the cell that is currently being calculated and the offsets.
o Calculation Function Changes: Support for the XrangeList parameter is added to a number of functions. XrangeList is a range of members from one or more dimensions, and can help you incorporate time continuum navigation. The functions that support XrangeList are:
@COMPOUND @COMPOUNDGROWTH @CORRELATION @COUNT @DECLINE @DISCOUNT @GROWTH @INTEREST @IRR @IRREX @MEDIAN @MODE @NEXT @NEXTS @NPV @PRIOR @PRIORS @PTD @RANK @RELXRANGE (new function) @SHIFT @SHIFTMINUS @SHIFTPLUS @SLN @SYD @VARIANCE @VARIANCEP
* Configuration Setting (essbase.cfg) Changes
o New Configuration Settings: WORKERTHREADS - See Thread Pool for Parallel Operations. CRASHDUMPLOCATION - Sets the location where Essbase saves a core dump file when an abnormal termination occurs. CONNECTIONTIMEOUT - Specifies the maximum time that Essbase should wait for a SQL connection before timing out. QUERYTIMEOUT - Specifies the maximum time that Oracle Essbase should wait for a SQL query to execute before timing out.
* MaxL Grammar Changes: The MaxL export data statement includes grammar you can use to make exported data anonymous, wherein real data is replaced with generated values. This removes the risk of sensitive data disclosure, and can be used in case a model needs to be provided to technical support for reproduction of certain issues.
* Essbase API Changes
o New C Main API Function: EssBuildDimXML - See XML Outline Editing.
o New C Outline API Function: EssOtlVerifyOutlineEx3 - A new API function for verifying outlines. This function differs from EssOtlVerifyOutlineEx in that it provides both member warnings and formula errors.
o Changed API Functions and Structures: ESS_PERF_CUSTCALC_T and ESS_PERF_ALLOC_T have an additional field, dataloadOption. Generated calculation or allocation values can be added to existing values, instead of overwriting them.
