Setting database connection properties for a Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, Informix content store

You must specify the database server information to ensure that Content Manager can connect to the database you use for the content store.

Before you begin

If you are using Oracle wallets for mutual TLS, copy the corresponding .jar files into the install_location/drivers directory before you start the configuration tool. You must also make sure that the install_location/drivers directory has all the optional .jar files that Oracle requires when using wallets. For more information on the required files, see the Oracle JDBC documentation.

Procedure

On the computer where you installed Content Manager, start IBM® Cognos® Configuration.
In the Explorer window, under Data Access, Content Manager, right-click Content Store and click Delete.

This step deletes the connection to the default resource. Content Manager can access only one content store.
Right-click Content Manager, and then click New resource, Database.
In the Name box, type a name for the resource.
In the Type box, select the type of database and click OK.

Tip: If you want to use an Oracle PDB, Oracle RAC functionality, or Oracle wallets for mutual TLS, select Oracle database (Advanced).
In the Properties window, provide the values for your database type:
- If you use a Microsoft SQL Server database, type the appropriate values for the Database server with port number or instance name and Database name properties.
  For a Microsoft SQL Server database, you can choose to use a port number, such as 1433, or a named instance as the value for the Database server with port number or instance name property.
  
  For the Database server with port number or instance name property, include the instance name if there are multiple instances of Microsoft SQL Server.
  
  To connect to a named instance, you must specify the instance name as a Java™ Database Connectivity (JDBC) URL property or a data source property. For example, you can type localhost\instance1. If no instance name property is specified, a connection to the default instance is created.
  
  The properties specified for the named instance, along with the user ID and password, and database name, are used to create a JDBC URL. Here is an example:
```
jdbc:JSQLConnect://localhost\\instance1/user=sa/
more properties as required
```
- If you use an Oracle database, type the appropriate values for the Database server and port number and SID properties.
- If you use an Oracle PDB, for the Database specifier property, type //<server>/<servicename>. For example, //corpserv1:1522/PDB1
- If you use an advanced Oracle Net 8 database, for the Database specifier property, type the Oracle Net8 keyword-value pair for the connection.
  Here is an Oracle Net8 keyword-value pair example:
```
(description=(address=(host=myhost)(protocol=tcp)(port=1521)
(connect_data=(sid=(orcl)))))
```
  When you select the advanced Oracle database, IBM Cognos Analytics with Watson uses enterprise-oriented Oracle features to select a listener, switch to another listener if the first listener fails, automatically reconnect to the database if the connection fails, balance connection requests among listeners, and balance connection requests among dispatchers.
- If you are using Oracle wallets for mutual TLS, for the Database specifier property, add the parameters as keyword-value pairs.
  The following example includes the TNS_ADMIN parameter:
```
dbhostA1000?TNS_ADMIN=D:/temp/Wallet_DBA1000
```
- If you use an Informix® database, type the appropriate values for the Database server and port number and Database name properties.
To configure logon credentials, specify a user ID and password:
- Click the Value box next to the User ID and password property and then click the edit icon when it appears.
- Type the appropriate values and click OK.
If you host more than one content store database on an Informix instance, create the advanced property CMSCRIPT_CS_ID and specify the account under which the instance runs:
- In the Explorer window, click Local Configuration.
- In the Properties window, click the Value column for Advanced properties and then click the edit icon.
- In the Value - Advanced properties dialog box, click Add.
- In the Name column, type CMSCRIPT_CS_ID
- In the Value column, type the user ID of the account under which the instance of the content store runs.
  Use a different user account for each instance of Informix content store database.
From the File menu, click Save.

The logon credentials are immediately encrypted.
To test the connection between Content Manager and the content store database, from the Actions menu, click Test.

Content Manager connects to the database, checks the database permissions, and creates and populates a table. The table is not deleted and is used each time that the test is repeated.

Results

Content Manager can now create the required tables in the content store when you start the IBM Cognos service for the first time. If the connection properties are not specified correctly, you cannot start the IBM Cognos services.