MicroStrategy ONE

Managing Projects

A MicroStrategy business intelligence application consists of many objects within projects. These objects are ultimately used to create reports and documents that display data to the end user. As in other software systems, these objects should be developed and tested before they can be used in a production system. Once in production, projects need to be managed to account for new requirements and previously unforeseen circumstances. This process is referred to as the project life cycle.

With System Manager, you can include these project management tasks in a workflow. This lets you create, manage, and update your projects silently, which can be done during off-peak hours and system down times. In performing project maintenance in this way, users of the MicroStrategy system are less affected by project maintenance.

System Manager supports the following project creation and maintenance tasks:

Merging Duplicate Projects to Synchronize Objects

You can merge duplicate projects to synchronize many objects between duplicate projects as part of a System Manager workflow. This process migrates an entire project. All objects are copied to the destination project. Any objects that are present in the source project but not the destination project are created in the destination project.

For background information on merging duplicate projects, see Merge Projects to Synchronize Objects.

To perform this configuration, in System Manager, from the Connectors and processes pane, add the Project Merge (Windows Only) process to your workflow. The following information is required to merge duplicate projects:

  • Project Merge XML File: The file that defines how the duplicate projects are to be merged. This file is created using the Project Merge Wizard. For steps on how to create this configuration file, see Merge Projects with the Project Merge Wizard.

    For the password fields listed below, you can use the button to the right of the password fields to determine whether the password characters are shown or asterisks are displayed instead.

  • Source Project Source Password: The password to access the source project source. The user name to access the source project source is provided in the configuration file created in Project Merge Wizard.
  • Destination Project Source Password: The password to access the destination project source. The user name to access the destination project source is provided in the configuration file created in Project Merge Wizard.
  • Source Metadata Password: The password to access the source metadata. The user name to access the source metadata is provided in the configuration file created in Project Merge Wizard.
  • Destination Metadata Password: The password to access the destination metadata. The user name to access the destination metadata is provided in the configuration file created in Project Merge Wizard.
  • Update the metadata if the metadata of the destination project is older than the source project: Forces a metadata update of the destination metadata if it is older than the source metadata and this check box is selected. The merge is not executed unless the destination metadata is the same version as or more recent than the source metadata.
  • Update the schema of the destination project at the end: If this check box is selected, the system updates the schema of the destination project after the merge is completed. This update is required when you make any changes to schema objects such as facts, attributes, or hierarchies.

    Do not use this option if the configuration file contains an instruction to update the schema.

  • Forcefully take over locks if any of the sessions are locked: If this check box is selected, the system takes ownership of any metadata locks that exist on the source or destination projects. If this check box is cleared and sessions are locked, the project merge cannot be completed.
  • Notes: Information to describe this process as part of the workflow.

Duplicating Projects

You can duplicate projects as part of a System Manager workflow. If you want to copy objects between two projects, MicroStrategy recommends that the projects have related schemas. This means that one must have originally been a duplicate of the other, or both must have been duplicates of a third project.

For background information on duplicating projects, see Duplicate a Project.

To perform this configuration, in System Manager, from the Connectors and processes pane, add the Project Duplication (Windows Only) process to your workflow. The following information is required to duplicate projects:

  • XML Configuration File: The file that defines how a project is to be duplicated. This file is created using the Project Duplication Wizard. For steps on how to create this configuration file, see The Project Duplication Wizard.
  • Base Project Password: The password for the source project's project source. You can use the button to the right of this password field to determine whether the password characters are shown or asterisks are displayed instead.
  • Target Project Password: The password for the destination project's project source. You can use the button to the right of this password field to determine whether the password characters are shown or asterisks are displayed instead.
  • Update Target Metadata: If this check box is selected, the system forces a metadata update of the destination metadata if it is older than the source metadata. The duplication is not executed unless the destination metadata is the same version as or more recent than the source metadata.
  • Overwrite the project name specified in the configuration file: The new name to use for the destination project. Select the check box and type a new name to replace the name specified in the XML settings file.
  • Notes: Information to describe this process as part of the workflow.

Updating Project Objects

You can use an update package as part of a System Manager workflow. An update package is a file containing a set of object definitions and conflict resolution rules. It allows you to save the objects you want to copy in an update package and import that package into destination projects later.

For background information on updating projects using update packages, see Copy Objects in a Batch: Update Packages.

To perform this configuration, in System Manager, from the Connectors and processes pane, add the Import Package process to your workflow. The following information is required to update a project using an upgrade package:

  • Project Source Name: The name of the project source that contains the project to update objects in using the update package.
  • Login: The name of a valid user to log in to the project source.
  • Password: The password for the user name that you provided to log in to the project source. You can use the button to the right of the Password field to determine whether the password characters are shown or asterisks are displayed instead.
  • Package file: The update package file that defines how a project is to be duplicated. This file is created using MicroStrategy Object Manager. For steps to create this update package, see Copy Objects in a Batch: Update Packages.

    If you are importing a package that is stored on a machine other than the Intelligence Server machine, ensure that the package can be accessed by the Intelligence Server machine.

  • Destination Project Name: Determines whether the update package is a project update package or a configuration update package:
    • If the update package is a project update package, select this check box and type the name of the project to update objects in using the update package.
    • If the update package is a configuration update package, clear this check box.
  • Use logging: If this check box is selected, the system logs the update package process. Click the folder icon to browse to and select the file to save the update package results to. If this check box is cleared, no log is created.
  • Forcefully acquire locks: If this check box is selected, the system takes ownership of any locks that exist. If this check box is cleared and sessions are locked, the update package cannot be completed.
  • Notes: Information to describe this process as part of the workflow.

Creating a Package to Update Project Objects

You can create an update package as part of a System Manager workflow. An update package is a file containing a set of object definitions and conflict resolution rules. It allows you to save the objects you want to copy in an update package, and import that package into any number of destination projects at a later date.

For background information on creating update packages, see Copy Objects in a Batch: Update Packages.

To perform this configuration, in System Manager, from the Connectors and processes pane, add the Create Package process to your workflow. The following information is required to create an upgrade package:

  • Package XML File: The .xml file that contains the definition to create a package file. You can use Object Manager to create this .xml file, as described in Copy Objects in a Batch: Update Packages.
  • Source Project Source Password: The password for the user account you used to create the package .xml file. This authentication information is used to log in to the project source. You can use the button to the right of the password field to determine whether the password characters are shown or asterisks are displayed instead.
  • Source Metadata Password: The password for the user account you used to create the package .xml file. This authentication information is used to log in to the project metadata. You can use the button to the right of the password field to determine whether the password characters are shown or asterisks are displayed instead.
  • Notes: Information to describe this process as part of the workflow.