9

Using Aggregates

Copyright © 2008, Oracle. All rights reserved.

 Objectives

After completing this lesson, you should be able to:

• Describe aggregate tables and their purpose in dimensional
modeling
• Model aggregate tables
• Use the Aggregate Persistence Wizard to create aggregates

9-2 Copyright © 2008, Oracle. All rights reserved.

 Business Challenge

• Data in fact and dimension sources is stored at the lowest

level of detail.
• Data often needs to be rolled up or summarized during
analysis.
• Based on the amount of data, performing calculations at the
time of the query can be resource intensive and can delay
results to the user.

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 Business Solution: Aggregate Tables

Aggregate tables store precomputed measures that have been

aggregated over a set of dimensional attributes.
• Popular technique for speeding up response time

Detailed fact data table; Aggregate fact table;

many rows; fewer rows;
longer time to read and calculate quicker to read; precalculated
Customer Period Product Total
Invoice Dollars Region Year
Key Key Key Dollars

122222 1001 19980102 100 100 West 1998 100000

133333 1001 19990105 200 200 West 1999 200000

144444 1002 19980505 300 100 Central 1998 50000

155555 1002 19980601 400 20

Summarized
166666 1005 19980101 600 20

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 Oracle BI Aggregate Navigation

Enables queries to use the information stored in aggregate

tables automatically
• Oracle BI Server decides which tables provide the fastest
answers.
• Metadata must be configured for aggregate navigation.

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 Aggregated Facts

Aggregated sales fact table columns store precomputed results

at a given set of levels.
Dimension hierarchies

Total Total Total

Type Region Year

Product Customer Period

Subtype hierarchy District hierarchy Quarter hierarchy

Generic Sales Rep Month

Specific Customer Day

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 Modeling Aggregates

Model aggregate tables in the same way as other source data.

• Physical layer:
– Create the Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) data source
(if necessary).
– Import physical sources.
– Create physical joins.
• Business Model and Mapping layer:
– Add sources to logical tables. New step
– Specify aggregation content.
• Presentation layer:
– No changes: Aggregate navigation is independent of the
Presentation layer objects.

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 ABC Example

• Uses prebuilt aggregate tables to improve performance

• Must have matching levels of aggregation for fact and
dimensions

Sales (fact) aggregated to Sales Rep, Product Type, and Month levels

Customer (dimension) Product (dimension) Period (dimension)

aggregated to aggregated to aggregated to
Sales Rep level Type level Month level

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 Steps to Implement Aggregate Navigation

1. Import tables.
2. Create joins.
3. Create fact logical table source and mappings.
4. Specify fact aggregation content.
5. Specify content for the fact detail source.
6. Create dimension logical table source and mappings.
7. Specify dimension aggregation content.
8. Specify content for the dimension detail source.
9. Test results for levels stored in aggregates.
10. Test results for data above or below levels.

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 1. Import Tables

Import fact and dimension aggregates.

Aggregate Aggregate
fact table dimension tables

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 2. Create Joins

Use the Physical Diagram to create joins between the

aggregate fact table and the aggregate dimension tables.

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 3. Create Fact Logical Table
Source and Mappings
Create the new aggregate logical table source in the existing
logical fact table and map the columns.

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 4. Specify Fact Aggregation Content

Specify the aggregation content of the new fact logical table

source so that Oracle BI Server knows what level of data is
stored in the aggregate tables.

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 5. Specify Content for the Fact Detail Source

Set the levels of the fact detail source to the lowest in the
hierarchies.

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 6. Create Dimension Logical Table
Source and Mappings
Create the new aggregate logical table source in the existing
logical dimension tables and map the columns.

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 7. Specify Dimension Aggregation Content

Specify the aggregation content of the new dimension table

source so that Oracle BI Server knows what level of data is
stored in the aggregate tables.

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 8. Specify Content for the Dimension
Detail Source
Set the levels of the dimension detail source to the lowest in the
hierarchies.

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 9. Test Results for Levels Stored in Aggregates

Run queries and inspect the query log to ensure that the
aggregate tables are accessed as expected.

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 10. Test Results for Data Above or Below Levels

Aggregate
tables used for Detail tables used
requests at or for requests
above the level below the level

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 Aggregate Persistence Wizard

Automates the creation of physical aggregate tables and their

corresponding objects in the repository

Fact
aggregate

Use wizard to
build script to
generate Script generates
aggregate tables. physical tables,
repository objects,
and mappings.

Dimension
aggregates

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 Aggregate Persistence Wizard Steps

1. Open Aggregate Persistence Wizard.

2. Specify the file name and location.
3. Select business model and measures.
4. Select dimensions and levels
5. Select connection pool, container, and name.
6. Review aggregate definition.
7. View complete aggregate script.
8. Verify script is created.
9. Create and run a batch file.
10. Verify aggregates in the Physical layer.
11. Verify aggregates in the BMM layer.
12. Verify aggregates in the database.
13. Verify results in Answers.
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 1. Open Aggregate Persistence Wizard

Select Tools > Utilities > Aggregate Persistence Wizard and

click the Execute button.

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 2. Specify File Name and Location

Specify a file and location where the output script should be

saved.

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 3. Select Business Model and Measures

Select business model.

Select fact table.

Select measures.

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 4. Select Dimensions and Levels

Select corresponding aggregate dimensions and levels.

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 5. Select Connection Pool, Container, and Name

Select the database object.

Select the schema.

Select the connection pool.

Name the aggregate table.

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 6. Review Aggregate Definition

View the aggregate

definition.

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 7. View Complete Aggregate Script

Confirmation of script
creation and location

Script

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 8. Verify that the Script Is Created

Navigate to the directory where the file was saved and verify
that the script was created as expected.

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 9. Create and Run a Batch File

Create and run a batch file with the following format to drive the
aggregate creation process:

nqcmd Oracle BI Server command utility

-d Oracle BI Server data source name
-u Repository username
-p Repository password
-s Path to the create aggregate SQL script

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 10. Verify Aggregates in the Physical Layer

Verify that the aggregates are created in the Physical layer of

the repository as expected.

Fact aggregate

Dimension aggregates

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 11. Verify Aggregates in the BMM Layer

Verify that the aggregates are created in the Business Model

and Mapping layer of the repository as expected.

Dimension aggregate

Fact aggregate

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 12. Verify Aggregates in the Database

Verify that the aggregates are created in the database.

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 13. Verify Results in Answers

• Activate the aggregate tables:

• Run a query in Answers:

• Check the log and verify that the aggregate tables are
accessed as expected:

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 Troubleshooting Aggregate Navigation

If aggregate navigation is not working, the cause might be one

of the following:
• Aggregation content is not specified correctly for one or
more sources.
• Aggregate dimension sources are not physically joined to
aggregate fact table sources at the same level.
• Dimensional source does not exist at the same level as a
fact table source.
• Aggregate dimension sources do not contain a column that
maps to the primary key of the dimension hierarchy level.
• The number of elements is not specified correctly for
dimension hierarchy levels.

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 Considerations

Using aggregates comes with a price:

• Additional time is required to build and load these tables.
• Additional storage is necessary.
Build only the aggregates you need:
• Look at query patterns and build aggregates to speed up
common queries that require summarized results.
• Ensure that enough data is combined to offset the cost of
building aggregates.
• Monitor and adjust to account for changing query patterns.

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 Summary

In this lesson, you should have learned how to:

• Describe aggregate tables and their purpose in dimensional
modeling
• Model aggregate tables
• Use the Aggregate Persistence Wizard to create aggregates

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 Practice 9-1 Overview:
Using Aggregate Tables
This practice covers the following topics:
• Importing aggregate tables
• Creating keys and joins for aggregate tables
• Creating logical table sources for aggregate tables
• Specifying aggregate content

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 Practice 9-2 Overview:
Using the Aggregate Persistence Wizard
This practice covers using the Aggregate Persistence Wizard to
automate the creation of aggregate tables and their
corresponding objects in the repository.

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