How to copy an Essbase application from one server to another

I got a question from a reader about how to do this.  Specifically, they were copying an application from one server to another and everything seemed to be going fine, except that there was no data in the resultant database on the target server.  The reason for this is that when you copy Essbase apps between servers, the data does not get copied.  If you copy the app on the server, it will copy the data.  So, how do we accomplish this?

For BSO cubes, the easiest option to do a cross server data copy is to copy the application by right-clicking on it, selecting Copy, then choosing the target server.  Then right-click on the database and select Export…. The export file will show up in your App folder were all of the Essbase applications are.  On your new (but empty) database that you just created from a copy, you can load this data.  If you have access to the File System locations, you can load the file across the servers, otherwise, you may have to copy/move the newly created export text file to a location that you can get to through the EAS Load file dialog box.  You don’t need any load rules since the data is already formatted in a way that is native to the application (just don’t make any changes to the outline before you import the data).

As I mentioned, when you copy an application to a new name on the same server, it will take the data with it — and anything in same folder as the app, for that matter.  So if you’re in the habit of storing gigs and gigs of text files in your database folder, get ready for a long wait as everything copies.  At least in version 7 of Essbase, copying huge applications is not a very graceful operation — it can stall the server while files are copying.  Even the best RAID setup can really take a pounding from all the reading and writing necessary to duplication an application.

For ASO databases, your options are a bit more limited since you can’t just do a database export.  You can still copy the applcation (and all it’s rule files and report scripts and such) across servers, though.  As I’m sure you’re aware by now, ASO databases can be quite a bit more fickle than BSO — and you’re quite used to ASO dumping all of your data when you even so much as look at the outline in the wrong way.  But part of the reason you are using ASO in the first place is for the fast loading times, even with massive datasets.  You can follow your same steps and load back data to ASO through EAS, or if you have setup your automation correctly, you can run your scripts and populate your new copy of the ASO application/database.

7 thoughts on “How to copy an Essbase application from one server to another

  1. This is wrong:”For BSO cubes, the easiest option to do a cross server data copy is to copy the application by right-clicking on it, selecting Copy, then choosing the target server. Then right-click on the database and select Export…. The export file will show up in your App folder were all of the Essbase applications are.”

    There is no Export option inBSO.

  2. Hi Jamil, are you right-clicking on the database itself or the application? If you click database (which is below application), you will see an Export option. I just used it a few minutes ago, actually.

  3. Jamil, which particular version did not have an export option in BSO!!!!

    We’ve export in both BSO and ASO applications. The only difference is that we can export data in column format and All Level / Level Zero data in BSO, whereas in ASO we can export only Level Zero data.

    Cheers!
    Rahul

  4. What is the difference between migration and copying.How it differs

    • Jahnavi Sananse

      Copy is transferring your data to destination cloud by without deleting the data in source cloud, whereas migration is deletion of the data in the source cloud once the data is moved to destination cloud.

  5. can any one post a video regarding to this. It would be helpful.

    Thanks,

    Sai

  6. Dear,

    Need your support with step by step process to move the Essbase ASO cube production data from one organization server to another organization server due to merger.

    Is this possible. We have 14 dimension cube. Please help us the process.

    Many Thanks.

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