Cognos 8 Business Intelligence installation and set up guide

This tutorial shows a few easy steps to get started with cognos 8 BI.
The easiest and quickest installation process goes as follows:

1. Install Cognos 8 BI Server and a service pack if available – this is the core of cognos BI system.
2. Choose a database server which will be used as a content store. Cognos 8 supports a wide range of database engines.
3. Start cognos configuration and set up a connection to the database which will serve as a content store. This is usually the most important option to set up.
   Configuration fom Microsoft SQL Server as Cognos content store:

4. Adjust other options if necessary, save configuration and test the content store connection.
5. Start the cognos 8 service using Cognos Configuration
6. Now it is required to configure the Web server. Microsoft IIS web server is used in the following tutorial.

1. Web server configuration steps
   • Create the following virtual directories:
     cognos8 - c8_location/webcontent with read permission
     cognos8/cgi-bin - c8_location/cgi-bin with execute permissions
   • It is recommended to use cognos8 as the alias name. Otherwise the Gateway URI option will need to be changed in cognos configuration.
   • A sample IIS configuration is depicted below:
     Configuration of Cognos 8 on Microsoft IIS:

A correctly installed and configured Cognos 8 BI installation shows the following welcome page in a web browser on the http://localhost/cognos8/ web address.
Properly configured Cognos 8 instance:
Once the screen shown above appears, the IBM Cognos 8 BI is set up correctly and ready to use.
We suggest you start with publishing some Cognos examples using Framework Manager (gosalesdw - great outdoors sales data warehouse) and then play around with Cognos Query Studio, Analysis Studio and then Report Studio.

Siebel Configuration – An Overview

If Siebel could be visualized as human body then configuration has to be the heart of that body. Without configuration Siebel cannot work and configuration is what comprises of 70% of Siebel Development.

Siebel configuration is done using an IDE provided by Siebel i.e. Siebel Tools. If you want to be a successful Siebel professional then you need have strong configuration skills. Configuration is mostly based on concepts and facts. Once you have understanding of the concepts and facts properly then you wouldn’t face any problems. I would like to like to give example of computer networking here to explain the above statement.

“In networking a RJ-45 jack is required for UTP cable to connect to system. Once we have this knowledge it doesn’t change it doesn’t matter how many times you perform that task it is always going to remain same. Similar case is with Siebel configuration once you know how to create an Applet you are done. It doesn’t matter how many times you create and Applet the procedure will remain the same. Though there are several ways but they all work in predefined way and once you know them they will always be same.”

Siebel Configuration is a little different from Siebel scripting. Unlike scripting, in which everybody has his own unique ways to approach things Siebel configuration works on predefined set of rules that have been decided by Siebel. So you can be successful at Siebel configuration even if don’t have strong programming skills but as a downside Configuration and Scripting goes hand in hand. So, the chances that you will be working on configuration alone are pretty slim.

Siebel Configuration is one area which comprises of 50% of interview questions. So, when you want to appear for interview make sure you are up to date with your configuration concepts and fundamentals. Main responsibility of a Siebel configurator is to work on business layer of Siebel and implement business logic and business rules.

Hope this helps you to point into right direction.

Steps for Installing Informatica 6.2

Note: Default means Don't Change

1. Login as Administrator with the Administrators rights User Id & Password.
2. Install all Informatica clients, repository servers and work flow mangers.
3. Install Oracle 8i/9i. While installing give Global database a name and SID as ORCL.
4. Create a user at the Oracle.
5. Select * from all_users
Create user Infodev identified by Infodev default tablespace users temporary tablespace temp. Grant connect, resource, select any table, insert any table, update any table, delete any table to Infodev.

Configuring Repository Server:
6. Note down your Computer name or IP address
7. Open Repository management console. Then, right click on Informatica repository server, then add “New server registration” as your computer name.
8. Right click repository => add repository (Infodev)
9. Repository Configuration:
Database type: Oracle
Code page: default (Don't change)
Repository Name: Infodev
Connect String: ORCL
DB User:Infodev (Created User at the Oracle Backend)
DB password: Infodev

The rest of the network & configuration Tabs maintain as default.

10. Repository Server:
Server Port number: 5001
Administrator Password: Give Administrator Password
Minimum Port: 5002
11. Once you have given all this information, it will start creating Repository (OPB) tables at the Oracle user you have created.
12. Once the repository is created, it will create a local repository and an option will be provided by Informatica to convert the local repository to a Global repository.
13. Convert the local repository to Global repository.
14. Now go to services. There you will find Informatica Repository server service. Start that service by giving the Administrator User ID & password.

Informatica Server Configuration:
15. Go to Informatica Server set up. Install the Informatica Server and login as Administrator. Use Administrator's rights User Id & Password and Domain as your computer name.
16. In Server set up, enter all the License keys for platform key, Oracle key ODBC key in Key tab.
17. In the server tab, you will need to enter server name once the sever is created at workflow manger. However, leave that blank for the time being.
18. Enter the TCP/IP address or computer name in this place, the rest leave set as the default.
19. In repository Tab
Repository Name: Infodev
Repository User: Infodev
Repository password: Infodev
Repository host name: Computer name
Repository port number: 5001
20. Compatibility & Database TAB: default values
21. Configuration TAB: default values
22. Open Server Manager, click the Add folders to Repository Server Manager.

Steps for registering Server in Workflow manager:
23. In the workflow manger, connect to the repository.
24. Choose connection server.
25. Add register to new server.
26. Give the name as temp_server.
27. Now server dialog box appears.
28. Enter the following Info:
Host Name: Your Computer name/IP address (IP address is better)
Port Number: 4001(default)
Code page: default
Timeout: 60
27. Server Variables:
$PMRootDir: C:\Program Files\informatica\informatica PowerCenter 6.2-Server - all others should be set to the default values
28. Now go back to the Informatica configuration. There in Server tab enter the name of server as temp_server. Click OK & apply.
29. Go to services, start Informatica Service. Login as Administrator with the User Id & password.
30. In workflow manager, right click the server and select monitor.
31. Now th

HRP-2m Choromet

The Choromet is expected to be available from General Robotics in September, with price which is less then five grands. The Choromet is about 13-3/4 inches tall, and is capable of walking upright on two legs. Four companies in Japan have created a relatively low-cost, user-programmable humanoid robot targeting educational and research applications. The HRP-2m Choromet uses technology from Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), and is user-programmable thanks to open software running on a user-space real-time Linux implementation. AIST hopes Choromet's ability to run software-based movement programs on a real-time Linux platform will enable researchers and schools to experiment with the effectiveness of humanoid robot motion pattern applications. The Choromet is based on several technologies developed by AIST, including A business-card sized SBC (single board computer) 240MHz SH-4 processor, 32MB of RAM, "ARTLinux," an operating system that provides a user-space real-time Linux environment. Humanoid motion application software based on OpenHRP (Humanoid Robotics Project) Some other Choromet features are: Triaxial force sensors on legs, Accelerometer and gyroscope in trunk, and real-time sensor feedback. More info at http://linuxdevices.com/news/NS8377820601.html

ASIMO Humanoid Robot

ASIMO (Advanced Step in Innovative MObility) is a bipadel humanoid robot from Honda . This robot has been evolving since its inception in 1986. Current version of ASIMO is 1.2 meter tall and weighs 43 Kg. This size enables ASIMO to actually perform tasks within the realm of a human living environment. It also walks in a smooth fashion which closely resembles that of a human being.
Advanced Walking Technology Predicted Movement Control (for predicting the next move and shifting the center of gravity accordingly) is combined with existing walking control know-how to create i-WALK (intelligent real-time flexible walking) technology, permitting smooth changes of direction. The latest updates on the ASIMO robot are available at Honda .
Following image gives the different version of this robot.