Essbase Optimization Techniques

by
Amit Sharma

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 Essbase Optimization

The first step of Essbase optimization is to monitor Essbase

performance and identify performance bottleneck.

Viewing Essbase Server/Database Information

MaxL Display Application
ESSCMD GETAPPSTATE, GETPERFSTATS
ESSCMD GETAPPINFO,GETDBINFO
ListLocks, UNLOCKOBJECT
Monitoring User Sessions and Requests
MaxL display session, alter system
alter system logout session by user 'admin'
on application sample force;
Unlockobject 1 sample basic basic

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Database Cache Settings
Database Cache Settings describes database cache settings and lists the location of
the settings in Administration Services, MaxL, and ESSCMD.

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 Optimizing Database Caches

Analytic Services depends on caches for indexes, paging and calculating.

Inadequate cache settings can significantly impact database processes

Index Cache

alter database set index_cache_size

When you request a data block, the index is used to find its location on disk. If the block
location is not found in the index cache, the index page that has the block entry is pulled into
memory (into the index cache) from the disk. If the index cache is full, the least recently used
index page in memory (in the index cache) is dropped to make room for the new index page.

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 Optimizing Database Caches
Block Numbering

Index:
100-10, New York 11

100-20, New York 2

100-30, New York

33
100, New York 3
4
200-20, New York
5
200-30, New York 6
200-40, New York
7
200, New York
8
.
.
20
. 21
100-10, Massachusetts
22
100-20, Massachusetts
100-30, Massachusetts
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 Optimizing Database Caches

Data Cache Data blocks can reside on physical disk and in RAM. The amount of
memory allocated for blocks is called the data cache.

alter database set data_cache_size

When a block is requested, the data cache is searched. If the block is found in the data cache, it
is accessed immediately. If the block is not found in the data cache, the index is searched for the
appropriate block number. The block's index entry is then used to retrieve the block from the proper
data file on disk.

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 Optimizing Database Caches

Calculator Cache The calculator cache is a buffer in memory that Essbase uses to create and
track data blocks during calculation operations. Essbase can create a bitmap,
whose size is controlled by the size of the calculator cache, to record and
track data blocks during a calculation. Determining which blocks exist using
the bitmap is faster than accessing the disk to obtain the information,
particularly if calculating a database for the first time or calculating a
database when the data is very sparse.

Dynamic calculator cache
The dynamic calculator cache is a buffer in memory that
Essbase uses to store all of the blocks needed for a calculation
of a Dynamic Calc member in a dense dimension (for example,
for a query). Essbase uses a separate dynamic calculator cache
for each open database. The DYNCALCCACHEMAXSIZE
setting in the essbase.cfg file specifies the maximum size of
each dynamic calculator cache on the server.

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Preventing or Removing Fragmentation
You can prevent and remove fragmentation:

•To prevent fragmentation, optimize data loads by sorting

load records based upon sparse dimension members.
•To remove fragmentation, perform an export of the
database, delete all data in the database with CLEARDATA,
and reload the export file.

•To remove fragmentation, force a dense restructure of the

database.

Types of Database Restructuring

This section describes the two ways that a database restructure is triggered:
Implicit Restructures
Explicit Restructures

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Hit Ratio – Percentage of searches that did not involve retrieving from disk

Percentage Of Maximum Blocks Existing - Is A Percentage Comparison

between existing blocks and potential blocks

Compression Ratio - Ratio of compressed block size to expanded block size

The average clustering ratio database statistic indicates the fragmentation level of the data (.pag) files. The

maximum value, 1, indicates no fragmentation

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Others Database Settings

Miscellaneous Database Settings describes miscellaneous database settings and lists

the location of the settings in Administration Services, MaxL, and ESSCMD.

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 Ten Steps To Optimization

Step 1: The Starting Line: Model Analysis

 Minimize the number of dimensions. Do not ask for everything in one model
 Minimize complexity of individual dimensions. Consider UDAs and Attribute Dimensions
in order to reduce the size of some of the dimensions
 Examine the level of granularity in the dimensions.

Step 2: Order The Outline

Hourly Glass Model

Dense Largest Dense dimensions from largest to smallest. Small and large is measured
Smallest
simply by counting the number of Stored members in a dimension. The
effect of sparse dimension ordering is much greater than dense dimension
Sparse smallest ordering.
to Largest
Sparse dimensions from smallest to largest. This relates directly to how
the calculator cache functions.

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 Ten Steps To Optimization

Step 3: Evaluate Dense/Sparse Settings

Finding the optimal configuration for the Dense/sparse settings is the most
important step in tuning a database.

Optimize the block size. This varies per operating system, but in choosing the best
Dense/sparse configuration keep in mind that blocks over 100k tend to yield poorer
performance. In general, Analytic Services runs optimally with smaller block sizes

Step 4: System Tuning

System tuning is dependent on the type of hardware and operating
 Keep memory size higher.
Ensure there is no conflict for resources with other applications

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 Ten Steps To Optimization

Step 5: Cache Settings

The actual cache settings recommended is strongly dependent on your specific situation.
To measure the effectiveness of the cache settings, keep track of the time taken to do a
calculation and examine the hit ratio statistics in your database information.

Step 6: Optimize Data Loads

Know your database configuration settings (which dimensions are dense and
sparse).
Organize the data file so that it is sorted on sparse dimensions. The most effective
data load is one which makes the fewest passes on the database. Hence, by sorting
on sparse dimensions, you are loading a block fully before moving to the next one.
Load data locally on the server. If you are loading from a raw data file dump, make
sure the data file is on the server. If it is on the client, you may bottleneck on the
network

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 Ten Steps To Optimization

Step 7: Optimize Retrievals

Increase the Retrieval Buffer size. This helps if retrievals are affected due to dynamic
calculations and attribute dimensions.
Increase the Retrieval Sort Buffer size if you are performing queries involving sorting or
ranking.
Smaller block sizes tend to give better retrieval performance. Logically, this makes sense
because it usually implies less I/O.
Smaller reports retrieve faster.
Attribute may impact the calculation performance which usually has a higher importance
from a performance standpoint.
If you have a lot of dynamic calculations or attribute dimensions
Higher Index cache settings may help performance since blocks are found quicker

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 Ten Steps To Optimization

Step 8: Optimize Calculations

Unary calculations are the fastest. Try to put everything in the outline and perform a Calc
All when possible.
You should FIX on sparse dimensions, IF on dense dimensions. FIX statements on sparse
dimensions only brings into memory blocks with those sparse combinations which the calc
has focused on. If statements on dense dimensions operate on blocks as they are brought
into memory.
Use the Two Pass Calculation tag. Try to avoid multiple passes on the database. In the
case where the calculation is a CALC
Use Intelligent Calc in the case of simple calc scripts.

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 Ten Steps To Optimization

Step 9: Defragmentation

Fragmentation occurs over time as data blocks are updated. As the data blocks are updated,
they grow (assuming you are using compression) and the updated blocks are appended to
the page file. This tends to leave small free space gaps in the page file.

Time - The longer you run your database without clearing and reloading the more likely it
is that it has become fragmented.
Incremental Loads - This usually leads to lots of updates for blocks.

Many Calculations/Many Passes On The Database - Incremental calculations or

calculations that pass through the data blocks multiple times leads to fragmentation.

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 Ten Steps To Optimization

Step 10: Partition

By breaking up one large database into smaller pieces, calculation

performance may be optimized. Because this adds a significant layer of
complexity to administration, this is the last of the optimization steps we list.
However, this does not mean that has the least impact.

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