I want to start working more with linked universes (as my company has lots of shared DIMs across universes, and I find it a pain to update every one with every little thing)
I tested it a little with the dave’s magic dates and made a new universe with a class of magic dates, and linked it all across - worked wonderfully.
I’m using BO 6.5
now that I’ve seen the light I want more and I have the following questions:
What doesn’t get transferred when linking a universe?
How does hiding folders affect linking universes? (on which universe do I hide the folder? does it matter?)
Object/row restrictions - again, does it matter if I place on the linked universe or on the original?
Can I link the same universe more then once?
for example I have a customers fact with several DIMs, which I use as a DIM for other facts (sales, interactions, etc’) - can I link the same universe each time to a different fact?
What’s the little pit-falls or stuff to pay attention for - when using linked universes?
With my limited experience - I have a core universe and several satellite universes linked to it:
Nothing gets “transferred” as such. You can just “link” between your two universes by creating a join.
No effect that I’ve seen. Hidden folders stay hidden in the location you originally put them
No idea, but I’d say put them in the universe where they were generated.
No. What’s more you can’t use a table with the same name or even an aliases with different names off the same table. I had to get my DBA to create identical views of my tables, with different names so I could re-use them. Bob can’t distinguish between ALIAS_A (off table1) and ALIAS_B (off table1) so it treats them as the same and moves all your joins!
In my opinion, not being able to re-use linked universes is a major drawback. But otherwise I’ve not had any problems. But maybe I’m just lucky - a lot of people on here would never use linked universes and have had lots of problems, especially when migrating between development and production environments.
About my first question, I think I wan’t too clear:
When I created objects on my test linked universe, they transferred to the other universe.
From that I guess filters will also appear on the other universe.
If I have tables, links and contexts on the linked universe - when linking to another universe, I’ll see the “new” tables, links and contexts?
What about aggregate navigation? does it travel well through linked universe?
I have discussed this with Debbie, before, and she has had great success.
The main thing for you to consider is that, its a possibility, you will have to upgrade soon. I have read plenty to suggest that this can be problematic.
Rather than re-invent the wheel, I have provided these two links, they should answer a number of your questions:-
If it helps, we’re about to upgrade from R2 to R3, and I’m not planning on migrating the linked universes…
This is for various reasons:
I think I’m tempting fate!
At the time the R2 universes were developed, the source system and data warehouse was also new (big bang approach!) and I’ve learned a lot in the past 4 years, the business rules have bedded in and I think there are better ways of doing what I want now
I’ve reluctantly realised that the best universe design is supposed to make life easier for the user and not the designer!
Interesting. I would imagine it would be doable though, eventually :).
I suppose my view is that I haven’t come accross the situation where they would be a massive time saver.
However, having had this discussion with others, you included Debbie, I can see, in the right circumstances, they can work and others where they may even be necessary(!)
I want more and I have the following questions:
(BOB member since 2009-07-30)
(BOB member since 2005-03-01)
