OBIEE Cache Management part 1

OBIEE Cache Management

OBIEE caching is a file based system. It (OBIEE Caching) is not in memory. Extension of cache file is .TBL

Caching is very useful in achieving better performance by not going to database and getting results from cache file on OBIEE server it self. And this way we can save network resources by not making round trip.

Business Intelligence system user usually queries a larger Data Warehouse or Data Marts.
And when ask few import things they are looking for, and performance ALWAYS comes!!!. Cache helps to make a BIG win when it comes to performance.

We have to enable cache. For that we need to go to NQSConfig.INI file and enable thecache by saying YES.

1)  First way: We can see cache entries from the

Administration tool > Manage> Cache

2) Second way: We can see caching by checking file on a server directory (Location for file is usually we gave the path in NQSConfig.INI).

So Cache helps us in

1) Achieving better performance for query by not going to Database server and satisfying request from cache file on OBIEE server itself.( There are some criteria for cache hit to occur)
2) It saves network resources by not make round trip.

But with performance comes some cost.
1) Human Resources to mange
2) Physical Resource (data storage etc)
3) Keeping cache up to date. (If users gets data quickly but its not fresh/updated then it does not make sense either).

Below is the process flow or Architecture of OBIEE cache

Cache System Archicture

Steps to Configure the Cache

Step1: Change NQSConfig.ini file

Go to \ OracleBI\server\Config\ NQSConfig.INI

In NQSConfig.ini go to cache section you will see something as below screen shot

Cache Sesction of Config file

All the parameters are basically self explanatory like path of file , size , number of rows etc etc

Oracle suggests having cache file on high speed storage.

Step 2: Managing the cache.

We can do cache management with various techniques

A : Configuring cache parameters shown in the file above
B : Controlling cache at physical layer in Administrator tool

Table level caching

Here you can manage caching through directly physical Table.

Double click on Physical table > General tab> enable

caching option by clicking. This way you can enable Particular table.

There are 2 options for how long u want to see the cache Entry.

1)               Caching never expires

2)                Cache persistence time

C :Using Cache manager
D: Automatically purging cache entries
E: Seeding cache and event pooling table.

I will cover all above five techniques in my next post.