Data Sheet
Cisco Tidal Enterprise Adapter for Cognos
Introduction to Enterprise Scheduling and Adapters
IT operations that focus on the automation of business processes involve integrating a wide range of
custom and enterprise applications and the infrastructure on which they run, often with complex
interdependencies. In such environments, IT typically uses job scheduling tools to control batch and on
demand event processing, which are vital to the success of a range of business operations from sales to
manufacturing to financial management.
For the past decade, Cisco® Tidal Enterprise Scheduler has been defining standards for job scheduling
usability, scalability, and breadth of coverage. The role of the many Cisco Tidal adapters available for
Enterprise Scheduler is to make connectivity, control, and visibility of diverse technologies accessible
directly through the Enterprise Scheduler user interface. The breadth of coverage these adapters provide
simplifies end-to-end scheduling of processes across the enterprise.
Product Overview
Cisco Tidal Enterprise Adapter for Cognos
Enterprise Adapter for Cognos is an enhancement to Enterprise Scheduler that allow s users to schedule relevant
Cognos jobs in the context of all other enterpr ise jobs. It puts stored reports and configuration items automatically into
the UI so users can then define Cognos jobs via point-and-clic k functionality w ithout the need for custom scripting. As
a platform-independent solution, the adapter can run on any OS platform w here the Enterpr ise Scheduler master
runs.
Im proving Data Integration and Business Intelligence (BI) through Greater Work load Autom ation
Cognos Business Intelligence delivers a complete range of BI capabilities: reporting, analysis, dashboard
management, and scorecard creation. Cognos users can author, share, and use reports that draw on data across
many sources to make better business decisions. But w ithout effective w orkload automation, data that supports
Cognos Business Intelligence reporting may not arrive at the right place at the right time. In addition, poor visibility
can make it difficult to see w here processing bottlenecks exist. As a result, w hen process integration betw een data
integration; data w arehouse; extract, transform, and load operations ( ETL); and BI reporting functionality is less than
optimal, business decisions can be negatively impacted.
Enterprise Scheduler, in combination w ith Enterprise Adapter for Cognos, enables the definition of w orkloads that
keep data flow ing smoothly betw een source systems and the data w arehouse. This pow erful solution then
coordinates and tr iggers the running of reports in the correct order and w ith the correct data to meet business
reporting service level agreements (SLAs). With this adapter, users can load, define, launch, and monitor tasks in a
Cognos env ironment, w hile Enterprise Scheduler manages the moving parts in a BI infrastructure in the right order
and delivers them at the right time to the right person. The result is saved time, reduced errors, and the ability to
create ad hoc reports in an env ironment that nor mally requires considerable plannin g and a significant level of control
over service level management.
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Data Sheet
Unifying BI Jobs w ithin the Enterprise
With the adapter, organizations can consolidate BI job scheduling in one w eb-based console and benefit from the
complete enterprise scheduling functionality—including graphical user interface (GUI) job definition, automation of
complex cross-system, cross-application dependencies, and custom calendar creation.
Enterprise Adapter for Cognos simplifies BI process ma nagement and integrates it into the broa der enterprise
infrastructure, thus eliminating sw ivel-chair job scheduling management.
Features and Benefits
Using Enterprise Adapter for Cognos can dramatically simplify the process of scheduling, tracking, and ma naging all
BI w orkloads regardless of the number of dependencies, systems, and applications involved. This adapter, in
combination w ith Enterprise Scheduler, offers the follow ing capabilities:
Com plex Dependency Management – BI operations staff can create job definitions that manage the most complex
Cognos dependency and runtime requirements.
Centralized View and Control – Enterpr ise Scheduler enables users to develop process streams and manage the
information flow from a centralized console, thereby prov iding greater control over all aspects of a Cognos job
environment, including its relationship to all other enterpr ise jobs.
Cognos Security Enforcem ent – The adapter enforces Cognos security policies by authenticating w ith Cognos
through associations betw een Enterprise Scheduler runtime users and Cognos security settings. Creating a Cognos
job from Enterprise Scheduler is highly secure and as simple as creating any other Enterpr ise Scheduler job.
Com plete Cognos Job Tracking – An Enterprise Scheduler job d efinition for Cognos refers to report-and-query data
that is retr ieved from the Cognos content store. The job definition can be augmented w ith format, pr int, save, and email disposition options, as w ell as parameter value overrides that can refer to enterprise-w ide scheduling variables.
Once a job has submitted a tas k to the Cognos environment, the adapter monitors the process until it is completed. It
then returns the final completion status, as w ell as details associated w ith the job run, to Enterprise Scheduler. This
information can then be used to trigger dow nstream jobs or other dependent w orkloads.
High Visibility and Fine Control – Enterprise Adapter for Cognos enables users to cancel, abort, or rerun tasks
from Enterprise Scheduler, a feature that provides better control over the scheduling environment than that afforded
by scripting or other non-integrated solutions.
Usage Scenario
Enterprise Adapter for Cognos users can leverage all the w orkload definition flexibility provided by Enterprise
Scheduler. They can use this comprehens ive solution to merge BI system and enterpr ise resource planning ( ERP)
application processes into a cohesive, centrally managed job stream, w hich also provides error detection, automated
remediation, and alerts management.
As an example, users can define a process flow that confirms the receipt of data from a business partner. On arrival,
this data triggers appropr iate ERP processes, w hich upon completion drives the execution of data w arehouse
loading, dow nstream reporting, and online analytical processing ( OLA P) cube generation.
Because the Cognos request set is defined like any other Enterprise Scheduler job, users can take full advantage of
job, file, and variable dependencies; calendars; event and email notifications; and all other Enterprise Scheduler
capabilities to manage Cognos scheduling in the context of the enterprise.
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Data Sheet
Features Summary
Benefits Summary
Lev erages the Cognos BI web services application program
interface (API) f or a tighter agentless integration between
Enterprise Scheduler and Cognos report and query
execution than possible through scripting alone
Lev erages an inv estment in Cognos to enhance and extend an
enterprise scheduling solution
Packages all implementation details in the interf ace that
connects Enterprise Scheduler to Cognos
Reduces costs and increases efficiency by conf ining training
and operational support to one application automation
env ironment
Prov ides a content browser that locates reports and queries
to schedule and that can be restricted to specific packages
and/or f olders
Increases productiv ity and timely results with richer, more
adv anced scheduling features than offered by the native
Cognos scheduler
Enables any report or query parameter to be set
Delivers cross-application, cross-platf orm job dependencies,
dy namically using Tidal variables, including calculated dates enabling integration of Cognos jobs with all other data flows
Controls formats, such as hy pertext mark-up
Supports data integrity and accuracy through comprehensive
language/portable document f ormat (HTML/PDF), as well as process scheduling and complete f ailure detection
disposition and destination through extensiv e output options
Enf orces Cognos user and role security associated with
Enterprise Scheduler runtime users
Prov ides security through the use of industry -standard
lightweight data access protocol (LDAP) and Active Directory
integration
Inf orms users of log and status changes in real time via outof -the-box functionality
Increases v isibility and enables users to understand business
process workloads in real time, easily audit them, and
document what has occurred, helping to reduce production
processing time windows
Off ers a single point of control for all application process
scheduling v ia the Enterprise Adapter f or Cognos console
Reduces costs and increases efficiency through the use of one
enterprise-wide workload automation environment
Key Requirements
Although specific planning and sizing is straightforw ard, actual requirements can vary by enterprise, depending on
the environment and type of coverage needed. Specific requirements information is easily obtainable after an initial
conversation w ith a product expert. Enterprise Scheduler and its adapters can be installed and deployed by users or
by engaging Cisco Services. To guide and inform the new and existing Enterprise Scheduler user community, there is
an extensive online library of support mater ials available through Cisco Know ledge Services.
About Cisco Tidal Enterprise Scheduler
Cisco Tidal Enterprise Scheduler drives efficiency by centraliz ing and providing a single view of cross-enterprise job
scheduling events. This pow erful, yet easy-to-use solution enables organizations to assemble complex batch job and
business process schedules that span the entire company including partners and suppliers. With its ability to closely
monitor scheduled jobs, automatically detect problems, and define actions to aid in recovery, business process
performance and SLA throughput can be greatly enhanced.
With the broad coverage provided by Enterprise Scheduler, IT operations teams can effectively schedule processes
that touch a w ide range of databases, systems, and applications. They can also incorporate and manage new
applications as they come online, w hich helps improve the operation of mission-critical business processes as the
enterprise expands and evolves.
Companies in a variety of industries rely on Enterpr ise Scheduler to keep their daily operations running s moothly.
Cisco’s enterpr ise job scheduling softw are combined w ith a w ide range of Cisco Intelligent Automation solutions can
deliver even greater levels of automation and optimization to the data center than conventional scheduling and
performance management solutions.
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Data Sheet
For More Information
For more information about this or any other Cisco product or service, please visit
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps11092/index.html.
Printed in USA
© 2011 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserv ed. This document is Cisco Public Information.
1078-E 04/11
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