Creating a data server connection

A data server connection specifies the parameters that are needed to connect to the database or the cube that the connection represents.

Each data server can have one or more connections. The connection names must be unique.

Before you begin

Most data server connections require a database vendor-supplied JDBC driver. Use a version of the JDBC driver that is compatible with Java™ Runtime Environment version 8. Copy the driver to the Cognos® Analytics installation_location\drivers directory, and restart the query service. Restarting the full IBM Cognos service is not necessary.

To create data server connections, you need the Data Source Connections administration capability. Certain roles, such as Analytics Explorers and Analytics Users, have this capability by default. For more information, see Setting access to capabilities.

About this task

The Manage > Data server connections user interface does not have the required controls to define the following connection features:

  • Connection command blocks
  • Db2 LUW, Db2 for z/OS, Db2 Warehouse, IBM Big SQL trusted connections
  • Db2 for z/OS identity propagation
  • ORACLE lightweight connections (command blocks are required)

To define connections that include these features, use the Administration console. For more information, see the IBM Cognos Analytics Administration and Security Guide.

Note: Data server connections that are created in Manage also appear in Administration console > Configuration > Data Source Connections as data source connections. Users with the required capabilities and access permissions can view the connections here, and edit the connections that they created in Manage.

Procedure

  1. Click Manage > Data server connections.
  2. In the Data server connections pane, click the Add data server icon new data server icon .
  3. Select the data server type from the list of supported types.

    For example, select IBM Db2 to create a connection to an IBM Db2 database or IBM Planning Analytics to create a connection to an IBM Cognos TM1 database.

  4. In the field New data server connection, type a unique name for the connection.
  5. Beside Connections details, click Edit and enter the connection details for the type of connection that you are creating.

    For most connections, you must specify the JDBC URL. You can view the syntax and example URL under connection details. You might need to ask the database administrator for more details, or check the database vendor documentation.

    In the Connection properties box, type the supported property name. For information about the supported JDBC properties, see Cognos-specific connection parameters.

    For IBM Planning Analytics connections, specify the TM1 database host and HTTP port number. To use an SSL connection, select the Use SSL check box.

  6. Under Authentication method, specify how to access the data server.
    You can select one of the following options.
    Connect anonymously or Integrated security

    Choose the Connect anonymously option when anonymous access to the data server is allowed.

    Choose the Integrated security option when the TM1 database is configured for Integrated Security mode 4 or 5. This option is applicable for IBM Planning Analytics connections only.

    Prompt for the user ID and password

    Choose this option when the user must be prompted for database credentials with each use.

    Use an external namespace

    Choose this option to secure the connection against a namespace that is configured for Cognos Analytics. Use the drop-down menu to select one of the available namespaces.

    Cognos Analytics logs on to the data server with the credentials that are used to authenticate to the selected namespace. The namespace must be active, users must be logged on prior to accessing the data server connection, and the authentication credentials that are used for the namespace must be relevant for the data server authentication.

    Typically, this authentication method is used in the following situations:
    • You want Cognos Analytics to pass through to the database the user ID and password that is presented to the portal during authentication.
    • You want Cognos Analytics to use Kerberos authentication.
    • You want Cognos Analytics to use JSON Web Token (JWT) authentication.

    The query server determines the credential information that is provided by the external namespace, and chooses which connection method to attempt.

    Use the following signon

    Choose this option to assign a signon for the connection.

    Select the signon from the drop-down list, or create a new signon by clicking the add icon add signon icon. In the New data server connection window on the Credentials tab, type a user ID and password.

    To restrict the signon to particular users, roles, or groups, on the Permissions tab, click the add icon add, and specify the access permissions for the signon.

  7. Click Test to verify that the data server connection works, and then click Save to save the new data server connection.

Results

The new connection name is displayed in the Data server connections panel. To edit the data server connection, including adding or modifying its signon, click the connection name.

Note: The following message may appear:

MSR-GEN-0026 The schema "schema_name" is either empty, or not accessible using the current signon

This message could mean, as stated, that the schema is empty (has no objects) or that the user does not have access to it. However, the message could also mean that the schema simply has no TABLE objects, such as TABLE, VIEW, or a SYNONYM to a TABLE/VIEW object, yet still contains other object types. In this scenario, the produced message is incorrect.

What to do next

To use a data server as a source for reports, dashboards, explorations, and other Cognos Analytics content, create data modules that are based on the connection.

For relational data server connections, you must preload the schema metadata to make the schema available to create data modules in the modeling component. For more information, see Loading metadata.

For IBM Planning Analytics connections, you can create data modules directly from the connection user interface. For more information, see Creating data modules from Planning Analytics cubes.