Updates by release

Microsoft Analysis Services 2019 (ODBO and XMLA)

Cognos Analytics supports the Microsoft Analysis Services 2019 data server (ODBO and XMLA).

Existing connections that are moved to this server might lose signons.

Reports that were created against previous versions of the data server still work after they are switched to use the new client and server. The client and server versions must match.

Similar to other Microsoft Analysis Services MSOLAP versions, the Microsoft Analysis Services MSOLAP client must be installed to the same location as the report server. For this version of Microsoft Analysis Services, the MSOLAP version 15 client is required.

To create a connection to the new data server from the Manage > Data server connections administration interface, select the generic Microsoft Analysis Services data server type, and then select 2019.

Support for JWT authentication with Db2 data server connections

A connection to a Db2 data server using the IBM JCC JDBC driver can be configured to pass a JSON Web Token (JWT) when authenticating to the database.

To use this functionality with a Db2 data server connection, Cognos Analytics must be configured to use an OpenID Connect authentication provider. To provide the token, the connection settings must specify the OpenID Connect namespace that was configured as an identity provider. The identity provider namespace must be capable of returning claims in the JWT that Db2 requires.

When setting the Db2 data server connection, choose the Use an external namespace authentication method. For more information, see Creating a data server connection.

For information about configuring an OpenID authentication provider, see OpenID Connect authentication provider.

For information about which Db2 and IBM JCC versions support JWT authentication, refer to the Db2 and IBM JCC documentation.

Microsoft Azure Analysis Services data server

The Microsoft Azure Analysis Services data server connections are supported for IBM Cognos Analytics on premises, on Microsoft Windows only.

Changes to the Google BigQuery data server connections

New connections to the Google BigQuery data server in Cognos Analytics use the com.simba.googlebigquery.jdbc42.Driver driver class name by default.

Before the BigQuery JDBC driver version 1.2.2.1004 was introduced, Google provided two BigQuery JDBC drivers, each of them using a distinct driver class name. New Google BigQuery connections in Cognos Analytics used the com.simba.googlebigquery.jdbc41.Driver driver class name by default.

As of version 1.2.2.1004, Google provides a single BigQuery JDBC driver, which references the driver class name com.simba.googlebigquery.jdbc42.Driver. New connections to Google BigQuery in Cognos Analytics now use this driver class name by default.

If you have existing Google BigQuery connections that refer to the com.simba.googlebigquery.jdbc41.Driver driver class name, you must update them to com.simba.googlebigquery.jdbc42.Driver to use the BigQuery JDBC driver 1.2.2.1004 or later.

IBM Weather Company data server

Use the IBM Weather Company data server to make The Weather Company data available for use in Cognos Analytics.

Presto JDBC driver name change

The Presto driver class name for version 300 and higher has changed from com.facebook.presto.jdbc.PrestoDriver to io.prestosql.jdbc.PrestoDriver. If you prefer to use the older driver, such as version 215 or 214, you must manually change the driver class name back to com.facebook.presto.jdbc.PrestoDriver.

Salesforce connection URL change

The Salesforce data server connection now uses the https://login.salesforce.com URL.

If your Cognos Analytics environment includes a Salesforce data server connection, you must manually update the URL endpoint to https://login.salesforce.com.

For more information, please refer to the following Salesforce article: Salesforce.com API Endpoint retirement.

Connect to an open source Greenplum server using the PostgreSQL JDBC driver

You can use the PostgreSQL JDBC driver to connect to an open source Pivotal Greenplum server.

To create a data server connection to an open source Greenplum server, version 5 or later, use the PostgreSQL JDBC driver and connection editor. When you test the connection in the administration interfaces, the sub-type of Greenplum is displayed when the connection is successful.

To create a data server connection to a proprietary Greenplum server, use the Pivotal Greenplum JDBC driver and connection editor.

SAP BW 7.5 client is required for SAP BW data server connections

The client SAP NetWeaver RFC library 7.20 that was used with previous versions of Cognos Analytics is no longer supported. SAP NetWeaver RFC Library 7.50 is now the supported library.

Changed location for type 2 JDBC driver libraries

When using type 2 JDBC drivers, you need to copy the accompanying non-JAVA libraries to the Cognos Analytics install_location\drivers directory.

In previous releases, the install_location\BIN64 directory was used to store the libraries.

This change is a result of java.library.path now using the install_location\drivers directory in the path.

Type 2 JDBC drivers might still be used with SQL Server and Oracle databases.

Microsoft Analysis Services (HTTP XMLA)

Cognos Analytics supports the Microsoft Analysis Services (HTTP XMLA) data server.

Existing connections to Microsoft Analysis Services 2017 servers still work. Reports that were created against previous versions of the server work after they are switched to use the new server.

To create a connection to the new data server from the Manage > Data server connections administration interface, select the generic Microsoft Analysis Services data server type, and then select HTTP XMLA. When creating the connection from the Manage > Administration console interface, Microsoft Analysis Services (HTTP XMLA) is available in the list of data server types.

Microsoft Analysis Services 2017 (ODBO)

Cognos Analytics supports the Microsoft Analysis Services 2017 (ODBO) data server.

Existing connections that are moved to this server might lose signons.

Reports that were created against previous versions of the data server still work after they are switched to use the new client and server. The client and server versions must match.

Similar to other Microsoft Analysis Services MSOLAP versions, the Microsoft Analysis Services MSOLAP client must be installed to the same location as the report server. For this version of Microsoft Analysis Services, the MSOLAP version 14 client is required.

To create a connection to the new data server from the Manage > Data server connections administration interface, select the generic Microsoft Analysis Services data server type, and then select 2017. When creating the connection from the Manage > Administration console interface, Microsoft Analysis Services 2017 (ODBO) is available in the list of data server types.

Support for JWT authentication with SAP HANA data server connections

A connection to an SAP HANA data server that uses the SAP HANA JDBC driver can be configured to pass a JSON Web Token (JWT) when authenticating to the database.

To use this functionality with an SAP HANA data server connection, Cognos Analytics must be configured to use an OpenID Connect authentication provider. To provide the token, the connection settings must specify the OpenID Connect namespace that was configured as an identity provider. The identity provider namespace must be capable of returning claims in the JWT that SAP HANA requires.

When setting the SAP HANA data server connection, choose the Use an external namespace authentication method. For more information, see Creating a data server connection.

For information about configuring an OpenID authentication provider, see OpenID Connect authentication provider.

Teradata JDBC connections - improved query concurrency

Dynamic query mode was changed to ensure that only one query can be running against a Teradata JDBC connection. This change improves query concurrency, as described in the multi-threading section of the Teradata JDBC Driver Reference (https://teradata-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/doc/connectivity/jdbc/reference/current/jdbcug_chapter_2.html#BGBEFIH4).

Database administrators who monitor their database workloads might notice an increase in the number of database connections comparing to previous releases of Cognos Analytics.

Snowflake connections - changed driver class name

In prior releases of Cognos Analytics, the default driver class name for new Snowflake connections was com.snowflake.client.jdbc.SnowflakeDriver. Starting with Cognos Analytics version 11.0.9, the default driver class name for new Snowflake connections is net.snowflake.client.jdbc.SnowflakeDriver.

Existing connections will continue to reference the Snowflake driver class com.snowflake.client.jdbc.SnowflakeDriver. When Snowflake removes that class name from the driver, those connections will require the Driver class name property to be changed to net.snowflake.client.jdbc.SnowflakeDriver.

Amazon Redshift connections - changed driver class name

In previous releases of Cognos Analytics, the default driver class name for new Amazon Redshift connections was com.amazon.redshift.jdbc41.Driver, which required the RedshiftJDBC41.*.jar file.

Starting with Cognos Analytics version 11.0.9, the default driver class name for new Amazon Redshift connections is com.amazon.redshift.jdbc.Driver. This driver class name is used by Amazon JDBC driver version 1.2.1 or higher. The associated driver file is RedshiftJDBC.jar.

You can update existing connections by changing the Driver class name property to com.amazon.redshift.jdbc.Driver.

PostgreSQL connections can be used with Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL

Starting with this release, you can use the existing PostgreSQL connection editor and JDBC driver to create and maintain data server connections to Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL.

MongoDB Connector for BI 2.2.1

Cognos Analytics supports MongoDB Connector for BI version 2.2.1 through the MySQL JDBC driver that is required by MongoDB. MongoDB Connector for BI 2.2.1 does not use Postgres JDBC driver and server technology to access MongoDB 3.x servers.

MongoDB Connector for BI version 1 is no longer supported. Update any version 1 connections to use the new version. Also, update existing Cognos models while you are connected to version 2.2.1. This ensures that the model metadata reflects differences in data types and scale that were introduced in MongoDB Connector for BI 2.2.1.

Spark SQL 2.1 Thrift server

Cognos Analytics supports the Spark SQL 2.1 Thrift server through the SIMBA (Magnitude) JDBC driver for Spark SQL.

Azure SQL Data Warehouse

Connections to Azure SQL Data Warehouse are maintained by using the Microsoft SQL Server connection editor.

Amazon Redshift

By default, the Amazon Redshift users must copy a version of the RedshiftJDBC41*.jar file to the Cognos Analytics install_location\drivers directory. While there is no requirement to use a 4.0 or 4.2 driver, you can edit the default driver class name to correspond to the driver class names that are supported by Amazon. Amazon JDBC drivers, starting with version 1.2.1, support the generic com.amazon.redshift.jdbc driver. This driver can be used instead of the previous driver class names.

Amazon Athena

Cognos Analytics supports Amazon Athena through the Amazon Athena JDBC driver. A connection must specify a valid Amazon S3 location by using the Amazon Athena s3_staging_dir connection property from which the driver retrieves query results.

MemSQL

Starting with this release, MemSQL data server types are supported. To maintain a connection for this data server, use the MySQL connection type and Connector/J JDBC driver.

Presto

Starting with this release, Presto (version 0.167 and later) data server types are supported. Both the Presto and Teradata Presto JDBC drivers can be used. Connections to this data server are maintained by using the Presto or Teradata Presto connection editor, depending on which JDBC driver is used.

MariaDB

Starting with Cognos Analytics 11.0.7, MariaDB data server has its own connection editor that supports MariaDB Connector/J JDBC driver.

In previous releases, connections to MariaDB were defined by using the MySQL connection editor and MySQL Connector/J JDBC driver.

The MariaDB Connector/J driver returns version details. This enables dynamic query mode to use the SQL enhancements that are introduced in MariaDB 10.2.4. When connections are defined by using the MySQL JDBC driver, these features cannot be used and more local processing might occur in the dynamic query mode.