Microstrategy Questions and Answers

Name the 3 Engines of the iServer?

- SQL Engine
- Query Engine
- Analytical Engine

What is the difference between the 3-tier and 4-tier architectures?

The 4-tier architecture includes MicroStrategy Web, connected via HTTP.

What connection type exists between iServer and MicroStrategy Desktop?

TCP/IP

What difference is there in how reports are processed between 3-tier and 4-tier architectures?

None. Both depend on the iServer. The only difference is in how the report is formatted for display.

What are the 9 steps for report execution query flow?

1 - User submits report
2 - Desktop sends request to iServer
3 - iServer checks for valid cache
4 - Server gets report definition from Metadata
5 - The SQL Engine generates the SQL
6 - The Query Engine submits the SQL and retrieves the result set
7 - The Analytical Engine performs additional analytical processing and formats the result set
8 - iServer sends the report to Desktop
9 - Desktop displays the report

When is cache created for a report?

After saving and closing a new report, a cache is created is the report is re-run.

What are the 5 identifiers the iServer checks for a valid cache?

- Report ID
- Template ID
- Filter ID
- Security ID
- Prompt Answers

What 3 identifers can you can also associate cache properties (not including the 5 default IDs used by the iServer)?

- User ID
- DB Connection ID
- DB Login ID

What does it mean to "re-execute" a report?

It means to re-run a report against the data warehouse, ignoring any report cache.

What 2 scenarios apply to re-executing a report?

1 - Running non-prompted reports
2 - Running prompted reports that keep the original prompt answers (ie. user is not re-prompted)

What is a Security Filter?

Like a View Filter, but used to ensure that users only see the data to which they should have access.

By default, all metrics calculate at the ______.

Report-level.

What are Level Metrics?

Enable you to determine the attribute level at which a metric is calculated against.

What 3 settings are used when defining a level metric?

1 - Target
2 - Filtering
3 - Grouping

What is the Target setting used for when defining a level metric?

It represents the attribute level you want to calculate the metric against.

What is the Filtering setting used for when defining a level metric?

It determines how the metric will interact with any defined report filters.

What 2 options are there for grouping when defining a level metric?

- Standard: Groups at the attribute-level (think sub-total)
- None: Excludes the target and groups one total for the target attribute

What is the Grouping setting used for when defining a level metric?

Dictates how the level metric aggregates (meaning whether or not the metric aggregates at the attribute level specified as the target).

What 4 options are there for filtering when defining a level metric?

- Standard: Follows the report filter as is.
- Absolute: Raises the level of the filter to that of the target.
- Ignore: Completely ignores any report filtering.
- None: Directs the MSTR Engine to use a particular Fact table to calculate a metric. You would select the ID columns of the Fact table for the target. Typically used with Grouping = None.

When would you ever remove report-level targeting?

For example, when you want to compare revenue performance against that of the entire company.

What are non-aggregatable metrics?

A metric that should not be summed across a particular attribute or hierarchy. Like Inventory.

True/False? A transformation metric is a schema object used to compare values at a different time.

True.

What are the 2 types of transformations?

1 - Expression-based: The transformation is based on a mathematical formula.
2 - Table-based: The transformation is based on relationship tables in the data-warehouse.

What grouping options are used by non-aggregatable metrics?

The Beginning and Ending grouping options.

True/False? Base formulas are compound metric formulas that are saved as separate objects for re-use.

False. Base formulas are simple metric formulas.

What are Conditional Metrics?

Metrics that contain their own filters.

How can you control how conditional metrics interact with report filters?

With the 'Remove related report filter elements' option.

What is a Nested Metric?

A metric that contains an inner formula that calculates at one attribute level, and an outer formula that calculates at a different attribute level.

MicroStrategy offers over ____ built-in functions that can be used to create metrics.

200

What are the differences between Custom Subtotals and User-Defined Subtotals?

- You create User-Defined Subtotals using the Subtotal Editor
- User-Defined Subtotals are standalone objects
- Custom Subtotals exist only at the report-level, thus cannot be re-used