Data servers

Data servers represent databases for which connections exist in Cognos® Analytics.

The data server Source view icon connections must already be created in Manage > Data server connections or Manage > Administration console, and the metadata for one or more schemas in the data server must be loaded. Only schemas where metadata was loaded can be used in data modules.

When a data server schema is updated, you can reload the schema metadata from the data module. On the Sources tab, from the schema context menu, select Reload metadata.

For the legacy JDBC data source connections, ensure that the Allow web-based modeling check box is selected. These connections are created in the Administration console. If the Allow web-based modeling check box is not selected for this type of connections, the connections are not available in Manage > Data server connections, and cannot be used as data module sources. Go to Manage > Administration console. On the Configuration tab, select Data source connections, and find the connection. From the connection properties, click the Connection tab where the Allow web-based modeling check box is located.

If your data server is Planning Analytics, you create the TM1 cube-based data modules in the administration interface, as soon as the data server connection is created. For more information, see Creating data modules from Planning Analytics cubes.

For more information, see Data servers.

Permissions and capabilities that are needed to use data servers

You need specific capabilities and access permissions to create data modules from data servers. The same permissions are needed to edit these data modules.

  • Capabilities

    You need Traverse access for the Administration capability, and Execute and Traverse access for the Data server connections capability.

    These capabilities give you access to the Manage > Data server connections user interface, as shown in the following image:

    Data server connections
    Tip: The predefined Modelers role already has these capabilities assigned.

    For more information, see Setting access to user capabilities.

  • Access permissions for data server connections

    On the Data server connections page, ensure that you have at least Read and Write access permissions for the connections that your data module is based on.

    Use the following steps to view or specify the permissions:
    • Select the connection.
    • From the connection Action menu Vertical actions menu icon, click Properties.
    • Click the Permissions tab, and view or specify permissions for the connection.

    For more information, see Setting access permissions for an entry.