Maximo Reporting: Maximo-Cognos Metadata

Overview...............................................................................................2
Maximo Metadata.................................................................................2
Report Object Structures...................................................................2
Maximo Metadata Model....................................................................4
Metadata Publishing Process...............................................................5
General Architecture..........................................................................5
Metadata Publishing Process Execution............................................6
Process Configuration..........................................................................9
Reference Cognos SDK libraries.......................................................9
Create a Namespace in Cognos Configuration.................................9
Set System Properties.....................................................................11
Set End Point Properties..................................................................12
Functional Considerations..................................................................13

Maximo Base Services 7.1.1.6 Fix Pack 1

Overview
To support integration with Cognos 8 reporting tools, the 7.1.1.6 fix pack implements
functionality that enables Maximo to create and publish Metadata Packages. These packages
include data models, based on Report Object Structures, that allow Maximo report authors to
design Cognos 8 reports according to Maximo business objects definitions.

Maximo Metadata
Cognos 8 reporting tools require data sources to be logically defined by means of a metadata
model. A metadata model is responsible of providing an accurate representation of the
elements available in the physical definition of its corresponding data source.

Maximo-Cognos integration provides metadata models that encapsulate the complexity of

Maximos physical database definition and expose a user friendly view of Maximos business
objects definitions. Maximo metadata, when published to Cognos 8, define the tables,
attributes and relationships that the reporting tools will be using to reference Maximo data
content.

Report Object Structures

Collection of Business Objects

and Relationships that define
Object Structure: REP_WORKORDER
the data content of Maximo
Work Orders
WORKORDER

Business Objects define

ASSET
persistent attributes

LOCATIONS

Business object relationship based on where

clause:
assetnum = :assetnum and siteid=:siteid

Maximo Base Services 7.1.1.6 Fix Pack 2

Maximo metadata models are based on Report Object Structures (ROS). ROS provide a
collection of the business objects, and their associated relationships, that define Maximos
functional components (i.e. Assets, Workorders, etc.) data structure metadata -. Maximo
reporting functionality already leverages ROS data structures to effectively interact with
Maximos database.

Business objects define data attributes available for Maximo reporting functionality; when
registered to a ROS, business object attributes are subject to Object Structure Application
exclude/include fields functionality. This functionality permits the exclusion of specific
persistent attributes from its corresponding business object enabling you to simplify the
amount of data supported by the ROS without affecting the business object definition.

Relationships between parent and child objects are specified at the parents relationship tab
via the Database Configuration application. A SQL statement specifies the attributes utilized
to establish the parent child relationship.

The Cognos Metadata publishing process implemented in Maximo Base Services 7.1.1.6 fix
pack ONLY SUPPORTS column to column relationships (simple relationships) for example:

WORKORDER establishing a parent relationship with ASSET, by means of their

corresponding ASSETNUM and SITEID column values will be specified by this SQL
statement: assetnum=:assetnum and siteid=:siteid.

Realtionships defined by SQL statements that include filters and/or sub-selects (complex
relationship) will generate a metadata generation processing exception and the publishing
process will be interrupted.

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To resolve this problem it is necessary to re-define the relationship via a COLUMN TO
COLUMN relationship. An example of a complex relationship is:

WORKORDER establishing a parent relationship with ASSET, by means of their

corresponding ASSETNUM column SITEID column values and that restricts the
possible result set based on a sub-select statement that validates additional
LINETYPE against the SYNONYMDOMAIN object: assetnum=:assetnum and
siteid=:siteid and linetype not in (select value from synonymdomain where
domainid='LINETYPE' and maxvalue='TOOL')

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Maximo Metadata Model

To properly represent Maximos metadata (business objects, relationships, and physical

tables), Maximo metadata publishing process creates a layered data model based on two
different relational model views:

Data Source View

The Data Source View will provide a logical representation of the physical tables and views
defined in Maximos database. Cognos Source Query subjects are used to represent these
data structures in Maximos metadata model

Business Logic View

The Business Logic View is responsible of providing all the necessary metadata for Query
Studio and Report Studio application consumption.

The Business Logic View provides a layer of abstraction between business logic and their
underlying data sources. In Maximos context, business logic is represented by business
objects and data sources are represented by the table and view components defined at the
database level.

Business Logic View

Column Exclusions

Data Source View

Relationships

Tables

Attributes
Data types

Maximo Metadata Package

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Metadata Publishing Process

General Architecture

The Metadata Publishing Process is an end-to-end synchronous integration scenario that

enables Maximo to communicate ROS data structures to Cognos 8 BI Server.

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 o Maximo metadata is conformed by the Business Objects defined in Maximos Data
Dictionary
o Object Structures provide functional context to a group of Business Objects. (i.e.
purchasing, work order escalation, etc)
o Invocation Channels support the required processing functionality to convert an object
structure into a Cognos Transaction. Invocation Channels leverage End Point
connectivity logic to request the execution of a service in a context other than Maximo.
o End Points support the required processing functionality to leverage Cognos SDK
libraries to invoke metadata modeling services available via Cognos Business
Intelligence Server. The referred services provide a standard interface for Cognos
metadata creation and package publishing.

Metadata Publishing Process Execution

The Metadata Publishing process is initiated from a Select Menu Action option in the Object
Structure Application. This new menu option is only available to the System Administrator
security group. If you require other groups and/or users to have access to the Publish as
Cognos Package menu youll need to re-configure Security Groups settings.

Maximo Base Services 7.1.1.6 Fix Pack 7

When selected, the Publish as Cognos package triggers the execution of the
REP_MXINTOBJECTInvocation invocation channel.

The invocation channel integration component implements all the processing logic to
generate and publish Maximo metadata as Cognos package:

o Maximo metadata associated with the selected ROS is identified

o ROS data structure is created
o ROS data structure is transformed to Maximo metadata
o Maximo metadata is translated into Cognos Actions
o Cognos transaction is created
o Cognos transaction is published to Cognos 8 BI server

At the end of the publishing process a dialogue will display the result of the publishing
process:

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After the publishing process is successfully executed, you will be able to work with the
published metadata package via Cognos 8 reporting tools. The metadata package will be
uniquely identified in the Cognos 8 Content Store by the following naming convention:

<ObjectStructureName>Package

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When displayed via Query Studio or Report Studio, the metadata content will present the
same data structure configuration as it is specified in its corresponding ROS: Objects,
Attributes and their corresponding relationships.

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Process Configuration

Reference Cognos SDK libraries

To enable the publishing of the Report Object Structures as Cognos Packages, Cognos SDK
libraries are REQUIRED. In these next steps, the Cognos SDK JAR files will be added to the
classpath of the application server where Maximo is running.

Websphere Application Server

Copy the following jars from <Cognos SDK Installation Directory>\sdk\java\lib to the
application server lib directory:

1. cognos-axis.jar
2. cognosClient.jar

Restart the application server.

Weblogic Application Server

Add the following jar files to the server classpath entry in the setDomainEnv.cmd file that
corresponds to Maximos BEA domain:

1. cognos-axis.jar
2. cognosClient.jar
3. commons-logging.jar
4. commons-discovery.jar
5. xercesImpl.jar
6. xalan.jar
7. log4j-1.2.13.jar

The first 6 jar files are located in <Cognos SDK Installation Directory>\sdk\java\lib.
The last jar can be found in <V7>maximo\applications\maximo\lib.

Restart the application server.

Maximo Base Services 7.1.1.6 Fix Pack 11

Create a Namespace in Cognos Configuration

To create the Namespace to authenticate Maximo Metadata publishing process, access

Cognos Cognos Configuration. In the Explorer View on the left hand side, navigate down
to Security - Authentication.

Click on New Resource Namespace.

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Enter the configuration values to create the Namespace. A dialog will then appear that the
namespace is being created. Supported types for this 7.1.1.6 fix pack are NTLM and LDAP.

Depending on the type selected, youll need to provide different configuration values. For
additional information on how to configure Cognos NTLM or LDAP namespace properties
please refer to the IBM Cognos 8 Business Intelligence Installation and Configuration Guide
document.

Maximo Base Services 7.1.1.6 Fix Pack 13

 Set System Properties

Login to the Maximo application with Administrative Privileges. Access the System
Configuration System Properties application.

Locate the Cognos Property Values by selecting filter, and in the description field, enter
Cognos. The Cognos Property values below display. These values need to be configured
for your unique environment. Details on these are below:

System Property Name Description

mxe.report.cognos.db.type
mxe.report.cognos.db.sql.name
mxe.report.cognos.db.schemaName
mxe.report.cognos.datasource
mxe.report.cognos.content.store.pac
kage.location
Required system property that defines the database
type from which metadata will be extracted. Valid
property values include:
DB2 (DB2)
OR (Oracle)
SS (SQL Server)
Required system properties (for Maximo installations
running SQL Server database).Identifies the
catalogue name associated with the SQL Server
database
Required system property that defines the database
schema name from which the metadata will be
extracted
This value MUST be provided in UPPERCASE
Optional system property that defines the data source
to which the metadata package will be associated
with.
Optional system property that defines a location
under to the Cognos Content Store PUBLIC folder
where the metadata package will be created
The package location specified in this property MUST
exist in the Cognos Content Store, under the PUBLIC
folder BEFORE initiating the publish process

Maximo Base Services 7.1.1.6 Fix Pack 14

 Set End Point Properties

Login to the Maximo application with Administrative Privileges. Access the Integration - End
Points application. And access the End Point Name, MXCOGNOS.

In the End Points details page, set the data source name, content store package location,
Cognos server URL, project base directory, Cognos namespace id, Cognos username, and
password. Details on these are below:

End Point Property

Description
Name
Identifies a location under the Cognos Content Store PUBLIC folder
where the metadata package will be created.

When provided, this end point property overrides the system level
CONTENT_STORE_PA
value defined by
CKAGE_LOCATION
mxe.report.cognos.content.store.package.location

When the end point property is not provided, Maximo metadata

packages are created under the PUBLIC folder.
Identifies the Data Source Connection to which the metadata
package is associated with.
DATA_SOURCE_NAME
When provided, this end point property overrides the system level
value defined by mxe.report.cognos.datasource
NAMESPACE_ID Identifies the Cognos Security Namespace to be used when
publishing Maximo metadata.
PASSWORD Password to be used when authenticating with Cognos Business
Intelligence server
PROJECT_BASE_DIR Identifies a file system location at the Cognos Business Intelligence
Server where metadata project will be created prior to its publishing

Under the specified file location a sub-folder is created. Naming

convention of sub-folder is:
<ObjectStructureName>_<PublishingDate>_<PublishingTim
e>
URL Identifies the URL to be used to establish a connection with Cognos
Business Intelligence integration service.
The URL value to be used should be the EXTERNAL DISPATCHER
URI
USERNAME Username to be used when authenticating with Cognos Business
Intelligence Server.

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Functional Considerations

Maximo Metadata Publishing Process REQUIRES Cognos SDK libraries to be

referenced by Application Server. Required libraries are:
o cognos-axis.jar
o cognosClient.jar

Maximo metadata is based on Report Object Structure definition

o Non-persistent objects are NOT considered part of metadata
o Non-persistent attributes are NOT considered part of metadata
o For PERSISTENT attributes, Object Structure applications Include/Exclude
functionality is considered by metadata publishing process

Business Object Relationships

o Only SIMPLE relationships between business objects are supported by the
metadata publishing process in Maximo base services 7.1.1.6 fixpack
o Any relationship with SQL where clause syntax involving more than column to
column relationship is considered a COMPLEX relationship

MXCOGNOS End Point

o Requires Cognos SDK libraries to successfully:
Establish connectivity with Congos BI Server
Execute metadata publishing process via Cognos integration service

Cognos BI Server Authentication

o Maximo base services 7.1.1.6 fixpack supported namespaces:
NTLM
LDAP

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Maximo Base Services 7.1.1.6 Fix Pack 16