Create a Data Source

A data source defines the physical connection to a database. A data source connection specifies the parameters needed to connect to a database, such as the location of the database and the timeout duration. These parameters form a connection string for the data source.

You can create data sources in the portal or in Framework Manager. Because they are stored on the server, data sources appear in both places, regardless of where they were created. Existing data source connections can be edited only in the portal.

If you are an administrator, you can set up all required data sources before models are created in Framework Manager so that all connections are available in the Framework Manager Metadata wizard.

Data sources are stored in the Cognos namespace and must have unique names. For example, you cannot use the same name for a data source and a group.

You can include authentication information for the database in the data source connection by creating a signon . Users need not enter database authentication information each time the connection is used because the authentication information is encrypted and stored on the server. The signon produced when you create a data source is available to the Everyone group. Later, you can modify who can use the signon or create more signons. For more information about data source security, see Securing Data Sources.

Before creating data sources, you must have write permissions to the folder where you want to save the data source and to the Cognos namespace. You must also have execute permissions for the Data Source Connections secured feature.

Recommendation - Use Network Paths For File-Based Data Sources

If you have a distributed installation with several servers, we recommend that you use network paths for all file-based data sources rather than local paths. This ensures that the data sources can be accessed by the services that require them, regardless of which server requires the data.

When you create a connection to a file-based data source, such as a PowerCube, you enter a path and file name. To point to the file, use a local path, such as C:\cubes\Great Outdoors Company.mdc, or a network path, such as \\servername\cubes\Great Outdoors Company.mdc.

In a distributed installation, where report servers are running on different computers, using a local path requires that the file and path be valid on each computer where a report server is running. Alternatively, if you use a network path to point to a file, each report server points to the same file on the network without having the file available locally. Also, to ensure that the file is always available, we recommend that you store it in a shared directory that can be accessed on your network.

If you installed IBM Cognos 8 components on UNIX servers, we recommend that you also locate the file-based data source on a UNIX server. You should then use a UNIX path, such as /servername/cubes/Great Outdoors Company.mdc to access the file.

If you have installed all components on a single computer, you can use local paths, but you must ensure that the services requesting the data have the appropriate access to the data files on the computer.

For Windows distributed installations, we recommend that you use UNC paths to shared directories for any file based data source, such as PowerCubes or XML files.

Steps

1. In IBM Cognos Connection, in the upper-right corner, select Launch, IBM Cognos Administration.

2. On the Configuration tab, select Data Source Connections.

   Tip: To remove a data source, select the check box for the data source and select the delete button.

3. Select the new data source button .

4. In the name and description page, type a unique name for the data source and, optionally, a description and screen tip, and then select Next.

5. In the connection page, from the Type drop-down list, select the type of data source that you want to create.

   If your data source is not listed, click Other type.

6. Specify the Isolation level.

   • If the isolation level is unavailable, select Next.

   • If the isolation level is available, select the default object gateway or specify a value, and then select Next.

7. Specify the connection parameters for the data source.

   For information about connection parameters for the type of data source that you are using, click the associated item in the following list:

   • IBM Cognos Finance
   • IBM Cognos Now! Cube
   • IBM Cognos Planning - Contributor
   • IBM Cognos Planning - Series 7
   • IBM Cognos PowerCube
   • Composite (ODBC)
   • IBM Cognos Virtual View Manager (ODBC)
   • DB2
   • Hyperion Essbase/IBM DB2 OLAP Server
   • IBM InfoSphere Warehouse Cubing Services
   • Informix
   • Microsoft SQL Server (ODBC)
   • Microsoft SQL Server (OLE DB)
   • Microsoft SQL Server (SQL 2005 Native Client)
   • Microsoft Analysis Services (via ODBO)
   • Microsoft Analysis Services 2005
   • ODBC
   • Oracle
   • Progress OpenEdge
   • Red Brick (ODBC)
   • SAP BW
   • Teradata (ODBC)
   • TM1
   • XML

8. Select Test the connection, and then Test to test whether parameters are correct.

   In the Status column, you can see if the connection was successful. If it was unsuccessful, select Close, return to the previous steps, and verify your connection parameters. If it was successful, go to the next step.

9. Click Finish.

   If you selected a data source other than IBM Cognos PowerCube, the new data source appears in Data Source Connections on the Configuration tab, and can be selected when using the Metadata Wizard in Framework Manager.

   If you selected IBM Cognos PowerCube, go to the next step.

10. Click OK to return to Data Source Connections, or click Create a Package and OK, and follow the instructions in the new package wizard.

    Note: You can create a package with your new data source now or later. For more information, see Create a Package for a PowerCube Data Source.

If you created a signon, you can now modify or add more signons . You can also add more connections .