OBIEE Interview Questions part 2

What is the end to end lifecycle of OBIEE?
http://prashanthobiee.blogspot.in/2012/12/obiee-life-cycle.html

Explain about the three layers of rpd
http://prashanthobiee.blogspot.in/2012/12/three-layers-of-rpd_15.html

How to handle snowflake schema?
We handle snowflake by using Multiple LTS in the BMM layer

How do we create multiple LTS?
Multiple LTS is created in the BMM layer.
Create a  new logical table in the BMM layer
Drag and Drop the required tables into logical table source from the physical layer
Specify the joining column in the tables


What are level based measures? Explain with examples
http://prashanthobiee.blogspot.in/2012/12/level-based-measures.html

What are Repository and Session variables? Give examples of each
http://prashanthobiee.blogspot.in/2012/12/variables-in-rpd.html

When does each these variables get initialized?
In OBIEE 10g, variables get initialized when the session starts
In OBIEE 11g, variables are initialized when they are used

What is an initialization block?
http://prashanthobiee.blogspot.in/2012/12/initialization-block_15.html

What is execution precedence?
Execution precedence is used to determine the sequence in which the Init blocks are to be initialized.

What is logging level? How do you set it?
http://prashanthobiee.blogspot.in/2012/12/logging-level.html

Can we create time series functions at frond end?
No, in OBIEE 10g
Yes, new feature added in 11g

What is offline mode and online mode?
http://prashanthobiee.blogspot.in/2012/12/online-and-offline-mode.html

When does the repository open in 'Read Only' mode?
The repository opens in read only mode when the server is restarted with the Administration tool(rpd) open.

How to create new users and groups? (Roles and Policies)
In OBIEE 10g, goto
Manage>Security
There you can create groups and users

What is Calculation wizard?
http://prashanthobiee.blogspot.in/2012/12/calculation-wizard.html

What are aggregate tables and why do we create them? 
Aggregate tables store pre-computed results, which are measures that have been aggregated (typically summed) over a set of dimensional attributes. Using aggregate tables is a very popular technique for speeding up query response times in decision support systems.
If you are writing SQL queries or using a tool that only understands what physical tables exist (and not their meaning), taking advantage of aggregate tables and putting them to good use becomes more difficult as the number of aggregate tables increases. The aggregate navigation capability of the OBIEE Server, however, allows queries to use the information stored in aggregate tables automatically, without query authors or query tools having to specify aggregate tables in their queries. The OBIEE Server allows you to concentrate on asking the right business question; the server decides which tables provide the fastest answers

How does the BI server have the knowledge of hitting the aggregate tables?
After creating aggregate tables we set it in the content tab of the aggregate table

What is the use of aggregate persistence wizard? 
Aggregate persistence wizard is used to create aggregate tables.

What is a Hierarchy and how do we create them?
http://prashanthobiee.blogspot.in/2013/01/hierarchy.html

How do we create shares?

What is time dimension?

What are time series functions? Explain MonthAgo, ToDate and Period Rolling

What is Ragged and Skipped hierarchy? Give examples
http://prashanthobiee.blogspot.in/2013/01/ragged-and-skipped-hierarchy.html

What is an event polling table and how do we create it?

Explain about data level security and object level security

What is a physical join and a complex join?

What is MUDE and how do we set it up?
http://prashanthobiee.blogspot.com/2013/01/mude.html

What is an opaque view?

OPAQUE VIEWS are the tables that are created with join or other query data that contain SELECT query o/p. The opaque views make logical understanding simple for implementation but they are heavy performance constraints. They are only used when there is no other way to get the final solution.

What is a surrogate key?
http://prashanthobiee.blogspot.com/2012/12/surrogate-key_25.html

What are the different ways of managing cache?

Consider a Dimension column 'A' is non-cached and Fact column 'B' is cached. A request is made which includes all the rows of A and B. first time when the request is made it hits the database and how about the second time?
It hits the database again. The request will not be cached

What is alternative drill path? How do you set alternative drill path in OBIEE?

I want to store the value of the last time the repository was updated and show it in the dashboard? What type of variable can be used for this purpose?

Is there any way to see a list of all the repository variables defined in your repository using Answers tool?

What is Fragmentation and where is it used?

In hierarchy what is a 'grand total level' and what does number of elements mean?

What is shared as a child level in hierarchy?

How to set query limits?

What is presentation level hierarchy? (OBIEE 11g)?

What is a presentation variable? Give an example where it is used

What is a request variable?
A request variable is used to override a session variable

How can we use the variables in column formulas in front end?

Explain all the places where the variables can be used