Data Reservation Overview

Data Reservation (DR) is a server-related feature in TM1 that allows you to configure exclusive write-access to regions of a cube for individual users. Once reserved, the data in that region can only be modified by that specific user until the reservation is released.

You can use DR to support your specific business processes or to control data entry by acquiring and releasing Data Reservations on an as-needed or dynamic basis. For example, DR provides an alternative way to dynamically control write-access to cube data instead of trying to dynamically adjust TM1 security to achieve similar write-access restrictions.

Note: All DRs must be managed via custom applications that you develop using the provided TurboIntegrator (TI) and API functions. You design the application to obtain, release and manage DRs based on the required business process.

When to use Data Reservations

You would use Data Reservations if you want to manually or dynamically manage user write-access to TM1 data in a way that relates to your business process. Depending on your exact needs, you can apply the feature either as-needed or dynamically using TurboIntegrator and API functions.

For example, you might use DR to do the following:

Manually run a one-time TurboIntegrator process that uses Data Reservations to lock out all users from making further edits to certain data after completing a specific project or closing a recent budget.
Apply Data Reservations using TM1 Action buttons and TurboIntegrator processes in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet or TM1 Websheet to dynamically control write-access to data as users interact with the data based on their roles and your company's business process.
Use TM1 API functions within a custom external application to dynamically acquire and release Data Reservations.

How to use Data Reservations

To use Data Reservation, you must first enable and configure the feature for individual cubes and user groups and then use TurboIntegrator or API functions to programmatically apply and manage DRs.

To enable DR, use the following TM1 tools:

}CubeProperties control cube - Enables and configures Data Reservation for individual cubes. For details, see Enabling Data Reservation for cubes.
Capabilities Assignments - Determines if the members of a user group can manage (acquire and release) Data Reservations for themselves and other users. For details, see Enabling user groups to manage Data Reservations.

To apply and manage Data Reservations, you must use TurboIntegrator and TM1 API functions that allow you to programmatically obtain, release and manage reservations. For details, see the following topics:

How Data Reservations interacts with other TM1 features

For details on how Data Reservations interact with other TM1 features such as data spreading, TurboIntegrator processes and security, see Understanding Data Reservation behavior with other TM1 features.

Security Overlay also works with DR. See Security Overlay for more information.

Data Reservation monitoring tools

You can use Server Explorer, the TM1Top utility, the TM1 Audit log, and certain TurboIntegrator and API functions to monitor Data Reservation activity and/or assignments. For details, see Monitoring Data Reservations.