This article is just to show the one of the features of OBI EE. It is not recommended to use this feature since it bypasses the metadata layer and executes direct database requests. If it has to be used in your environment, do it with utmost care and caution taking all the security into consideration.
OBI EE can execute user provided SQL on a database and can get the results back to the end user. By default this feature is turned off. In order to enable it, there are 2 steps that one would have to follow.
The first step is to enable the database in your physical layer to allow for direct database requests.
Once this is done, we would have to login to the presentation services and give the necessary “execute direct database requests” permission to the user. This is turned off by default even for the Administrator. Lets turn it on for the administrator using the manage privileges.
Go to Answers->Settings->Administration->Manage Privileges
Then enable direct database requests privilege for the user group that you need. In my case, just for demonstration, i have given that permission to everyone.
Once this is done, go to Answers and click on Execute Direct Database Requests and then enter the query along with the connection pool name.
As you would see here, one can enter any query that the database would support. For more details on securing this feature refer BI Server Guide and Presentation Services Guide
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