IBM Cognos 10 Framework Manager : A Comprehensive, Practical Guide to Using This Essential Tool for Modeling Your Data for Use With IBM Cognos Business Intelligence Reporting

Full of practical instructions and expert know-how, this book continues where the official manual ends, taking you from the basics into the more advanced features of IBM Cognos Framework Manager in clear, progressive steps.

Overview

• Your complete and practical guide to IBM Cognos Framework Manager
• Full of illustrations and tips for making the best use of this essential tool, with clear step-by-step instructions and practical examples
• All the information you need, starting where the product manual ends

In Detail

"IBM Cognos 10 Framework Manager" is a complete practical guide to using and getting the best out of this essential tool for modeling your data for use with IBM Cognos Business Intelligence Reporting. With its step-by-step approach, this book is suitable for anyone from a beginner to an expert, complete with tips and tricks for better data modeling.

"IBM Cognos 10 Framework Manager" is a step by step tutorial-based guide; from importing your data to designing and improving your model, and creating your packages while working with other modelers, every step is presented in a logical process.

Learn how to use the best design strategy to design your model, create an import layer, a modeling layer, and a presentation layer to make your model easy to maintain. Do you need to design a DMR model? No problem, this book shows you every step. This book can even make working with other users easier - we will show you the methods and techniques for allowing others to work on the same model at the same time. Need to create dynamic data structures to change the way the data is presented to your users so your French users can see the data in French, your German users in German, and your English users in English? You can do all this with parameter maps.

"IBM Cognos 10 Framework Manager" continues where the product manuals end, showing you how to build and refine your project through practical, step by step instructions.

What you will learn from this book

• Learn how to import and model your relational data
• Create useful reporting packages for your authors
• Utilise parameters and parameter reports effectively
• Improve functionality and manage a multi-user model
• Learn how to use Model Design Accelerator to create your first model

Approach

Presented in a hands-on style, this guide presents you with real world examples to guide you through every process step by step.

Who this book is written for

This book will be useful for any developer, novice or expert, who uses Framework Manager to build packages, but wants to expand their knowledge even further.

Terry Curran

Terry Curran gained an interest in computers while studying for his first degree in Biological Chemistry at the University of Kent. He went on to work as a computer operator for a national supermarket company.

After working for several years as a computer operator, he went to Brighton Polytechnic, leaving with a Higher National Diploma in Computer Studies. Upon completion of his studies, he worked as a computer advisor at the City of London Polytechnic, assisting staff and students with their computer problems, and providing support for the various database systems in use across the Polytechnic. After taking voluntary redundancy from this post, he proceeded to the University of Stirling where he gained an MSc in Software Engineering.

After graduating from the University of Stirling, Terry commenced working for a software consultancy company. While working for this company, Terry assisted with the writing of a software package for the publishing industry using Cognos PowerHouse. While working for this company, Terry gained experience in Business Intelligence Reporting tools, being asked to familiarize himself with Cognos Impromptu and PowerPlay in order to promote the use of these tools to clients.

After this company ceased trading, Terry embarked on a career as a freelance computer consultant and contractor, using his experience with Cognos PowerHouse, various computer systems and databases, and Cognos Impromptu and PowerPlay, and later Cognos 8 and Cognos 10.

Terry continues to work as a freelance Cognos Business Intelligence consultant and contractor, making use of his extensive knowledge and experience of IBM Cognos Business Intelligence Reporting. During the past 15 years, Terry has worked for a range of different industries including aviation, pharmaceuticals, insurance, logistics, and manufacturing to name a few.

Terry is currently working for Ultra Electronics Command and Control Systems as a freelance Cognos consultant.

Terry Curran was a technical reviewer for the book IBM Cognos 8 Report Studio Cookbook, Packt Publishing.