OBIEE Interview Questions & Answers

Question 1. Mention What Is Obiee?

Answer :

Obiee stands for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition (OBIEE). It is a business intelligence system for the enterprise that delivers abilities for reporting, online analytical processing (OLAP), ad hoc query and analysis dashboards, and scorecards.

Question 2. Mention What Are The Main Features Of Obiee?

Answer :

• Key features of OBIEE includes,
• Hierarchy Drilling
• Scheduled Report Generation
• Graphical Reporting (Charts, Pivots, Gauges, )
• Ad Hoc Analysis
• Global support and development capability

Question 3. Mention What Is The End To End Lifecycle Of Obiee?

Answer :

The end to end life cycle of OBIEE is:

• Collecting Business Requirements
• Identify source systems
• Design ETL to load data to the Data Warehouse
• Creating repository
• Create dashboards and reports
• Setting up security (LDAP or External table)
• Decide on aggregations or caching mechanism based on performance
• Testing and QA.

Question 4. Explain How Obiee Architecture Works?

Answer :

• A request is made by the Users and sent to the Presentation Server.
• The Presentation Server transforms the request into logical SQL and sent to the BI server.
• The BI server transforms logical SQL into physical SQL and sent it to the database.
• The result gets back to the user through the same path.

Question 5. Mention What Is Odbc Client Is Used For?

Answer :

ODBC Client is used to connect to the database and execute SQL commands.

Question 6. Mention What Kind Of Sources Can Be Connected To Obiee?

Answer :

Sources like Relational Databases, Cubes or Flat files can be connected to Obiee with following constraints:

The sources must be modeled as snowflakes or star schemas for efficient result In the case of multiple sources connecting directly in OBIee, it has to be used.

Question 7. Mention What All Information Does Obiee Repository Contains?

Answer :

OBIEE repository contains information about the application environment like:

• Data Modeling
• SQL Information
• Caching
• Connectivity Information
• Aggregate Navigation
• Security

Question 8. Mention What Are The Three Layers Of Obiee Repository?

Answer :

The three layers of OBIEE repository are:

Physical Layer (Schema Design): It contains information about the data sources

Business Model Layer: It outlines the business or logical model of objects and their mapping between business model and Schema in the physical layer

Presentation Layer: Presentation layer is used to provide customized views of Business Model in Business Model layer to users.

Question 9. Mention What Does Physical Layer Is Used For?

Answer :

Physical layer is used for:

• Importing data
• Creating Aliases
• Building physical joins
• Setting up connection pool and its properties
• Enabling/ Disabling cache for individual table

Question 10. Mention What Is Lts In Obiee?

Answer :

LTS or Logical Table Source is created when you drag and drop a column from a table that is not presently being used in your logical table. A physical table containing such column is referred as LTS.

Question 11. Mention What Is Session Variable In Obiee?

Answer :

A session variable can be a system variable and non-system variable. It is initialized at login time for each user. System variable uses NQ_SESSION.(system reserved variable). Examples of non-system variables are user defined filters etc.

Question 12. Mention What Are The Different Log Files In Obiee?

Answer :

Different log files in OBIEE includes,

• NQServer.log
• NQQuery.log
• NQSAdminTool.log, etc.

Question 13. Mention What Are The Key Configuration Files In Obiee?

Answer :

Key Configuration Files in OBIEE are,

• NQSConfig.ini
• NQSCluster.ini
• odbc.ini
• instanceconfig.xml

Question 14. Mention What Are The Security Providers Used By Obiee?

Answer :

Security providers used by OBIEE are,

• Authentication provider to authenticate users.
• Policy store provider is used to access privileges on all applications except for BI Presentation Services.
• Credential store provider is used to store credentials used internally by the BI application.

Question 15. Mention What Is The Difference Between Logical Table Source And Logical Table?

Answer :

The difference between logical table source and the logical table is that a logical table consists of one or more logical table source. The mapping between  logical column and physical columns are done in this element.

Question 16. Mention How Many Server Instances Can Coexist In An Obiee Cluster?

Answer :

Maximum 16 server instances coexist in an OBIEE cluster.

Question 17. Mention Whether It Is Possible To Create An Outer Join In An Obiee Physical Layer?

Answer :

In an OBIEE physical layer, it is not possible to create the Outer join. You will create the join type in the Business Layer.

Question 18. Mention How To Bypass The Server Authentication?

Answer :

To bypass the server authentication in NQSConfig.ini and instance config.xml, BYPASS SERVER AUTHENTICATION = YES.

Question 19. Mention What Is Ibot?

Answer :

Ibot is a scheduling agent, used to schedule reports to be sent across various devices such as email, pager, mobile, other devices, etc.

Question 20. Mention How To Get Real Physical Sql Sent By Obiee To The Database?

Answer :

To get real physical SQL sent by OBIee to the database, check following details.

• Verify the value of your session variable LOGLEVEL (5 is fine)
• Go into Administration -> Manage sessions
• Find your query (at the bottom of the list), and click on “View log.”
• Below the logical SQL, you will see the physical SQL.

Question 21. Mention What Does A Fact Table Consist Of?

Answer :

A Fact table consists of two types of columns

1. Facts and
2. Foreign key to dimension tables

Question 22. Mention How To Hide Certain Columns From A User?

Answer :

To hide certain columns from a user:

• Do not add the column in the report
• Do not add the column in the presentation layer

Question 23. Mention How You Will Change The Port Of Obiee?

Answer :

You can change port of Obiee by changing its port in instanceconfig.xml

Question 24. Explain The Architecture Of Obiee 11g And Function Of Each Components?

Answer :

OBIEE Comprises Presentation Services,Oracle BI Server:

The user constructs sql and passes it to the Analytic Engine and then the Oracle BI (Analytic Engine) describes the physical sql to the Datasources and recover the data back to the Engine and presents to the presentation Services .

Question 25. How We Can Extract Sql From Obiee For Reports?

Answer :

There are many ways to extract the sql:

1. Change the request and click Advanced in that you get xml code and also the actual sql.
2. In the catalog Manager click Tools-Create Report . In the Create Report Window –> Click Request SQL and save the sql to the physical path in your PC.
3. Enable Loglevel to 2 in the OBIEE 11g Administration Tool from Manage-> Security and enable the log level to 2 by clicking properties for the user, then go to the NQQuery.log in BI_HOME/OracleBI/Server/Logs.You will find the SQL for that User.
4. By clcking Administration->Manage sessions-> view sql.

Question 26. How Can You Sort In Reports In Obiee 11g?

Answer :

Click on modify and then click on sort (order by icon) on the relevant column in the criteria pane.

Question 27. How We Can Do Different Types Of Narrative Reports In Obiee?

Answer :

By clicking modify request and Narrative View and by giving @1 for the first column result and @2 for the 2nd column and so on and we can also give a heading for No Results by clicking the Narrative view.

Question 28. How Will You Create Interactive Dashboards ?

Answer :

By clicking on Administration and Manage dashboards and by adding column selector we can create interactive Dashboard.

Question 29. What Is Write-back In Obiee ?

Answer :

We can give a column as updatable and then view the reports,this option is called write back option.

Question 30. How Will You Execute Direct Sql In Obiee?

Answer :

By clicking Direct Database Request below the subject area in we can execute Direct SQL in OBIEE.

Question 31. How Obiee Developer Can Create Report From Two Subject Areas?

Answer :

From the Criteria Pane of the Report Created from First Subject Area come to the bottom of the page and click combine request. By this we can create report from two subject areas.

Question 32. How We Can Port Changes For Dashboards, Reports, Rpd From Development To Production?

Answer :

For the RPD we can use the Merge option in Admin Tool and for dashboards and reports we can use Content Accelerator Framework.

Question 33. What Are The Different Types Of Variables In Obiee 11g? Explain?

Answer :

There are two types of variables in OBIEE 11g.

a. Repository variable: This variable is used for the whole repository.

b. Session variable: session variable are of two types: system variable and non system variable.

System variable uses NQ_SESSION. Examples of non system variables are user defined filters.

Question 34. How Will You Enable Or Disable Caching In The System Level And Table Level?

Answer :

In the NQSConfig.ini file use ENABLE under CACHE Section for System Level For tables, if we want to enable the cache at table level , open the repository in offline mode This should be different from the current repository and click enable or disable the cache .

Question 35. How Will You Go About Adding Additional Column To The Repository In The Presentation Layer?

Answer :

Check if the table is already existing if so add in physical layer ,then click on BMM and then Presentation layer, then reload server metadata ,then it will be visible to all users.

Question 36. How Will Effect The Changes For A Report , If For Certain Users Only The Column Heading In The Report Should Be Changed?

Answer :

Using session variables for that user.

Question 37. What Is A Table Alias In Obiee 11g? Where And How Will You Create It?

Answer :

Table alias is used for creating self joins. Table alias can be created by right clicking the table in the physical layer then click alias.

Question 38. Have You Created Hierarchy In Obiee 11g. If So Where And How?

Answer :

Yes, we can create hierarchy in BMM Layer of OBIEE in dimensions for the dimension tables. This can be done by right clicking the dimension table and click create dimension and then we can manually define the hierarchy and its levels.

Question 39. What Is Level Based Metrics? How We Can Create It?

Answer :

Level-base metrics means, having a measure held at a certain level of the dimension. Examples Monthly Total Sales or Quarterly Sales To create a level based measure, create a new logical column based on the original measure .Drag and drop the new logical column to the appropriate level in the Dimension hierarchy.

Question 40. What Are The Different Layers Of Obiee 11g Repository?

Answer :

• Physical Layer,
• Business Model
• Mapping Layer
• Presentation Layer.

Question 41. What Is Authentication? How Many Types Of Authentication?

Answer :

Authentication is the procedure by which a system confirms, through the use of a user

a. Operaing system authentication
b. External table authentication
c. Database authentication
d. LDAP authentication

Question 42. What Is A Bridge Table ?

Answer :

If we want to connect two tables where there is no relationship we can use a thrid bridge table for connecting them which will have same columns in both tables.

Question 43. How Time Based Triggered Report Can Be Generated?

Answer :

Using Scheduler – ibots we can generate time based triggered report.

Question 44. What Is Ibot?

Answer :

Ibot is an arrangement agent, used to arrange reports to be sent across many devices such as email, pager, mobile, other devices etc.

Question 45. What Are Different Types Of Joins That Are Possible In Obiee Rpd?

Answer :

1. Complex Join –it uses multiple conditions, such as A.ROW_WID = B.ROW_WID AND / OR A.A_WID = B.B_WID
2. Natural Join

Question 46. How We Can Have Two Different Columns From Two Different Tables Or Subject Areas?

Answer :

Using confirmed dimensions,we can fetch many metrics across various facts, but the join should be of same level of data detail.

Question 47. How Can We Use Saved Filters And Where We Will Save The Filters?

Answer :

Shared Folders-XYZ Folder- It have two folders

• Prompts
• Reports

Question 48. Have You Worked In Dashboard? When We Run A Dashboard? How Will We Stop The Dashboard Report Run Automatically?

Answer :

By clicking on the cancel button, we can stop a exact report placed on the dashboard.

Question 49. Explain The End To End Life Cycle Of Siebel Analytics?

Answer :

Siebel Analytics life cycle

1. Collect Business Requirements
2. Recognize source systems
3. Plan ETL to load to a DW if source data doesn’t exist.
4. Build a repository
5. Build dashboard or use answers for reporting.
6. Define security
7. Based on performance, decide an aggregations and/or caching mechanism.
8. Testing and QA.

Question 50. If We Have 3 Facts And 4 Dimension And We Need To Join Would You Recommend Joining Fact With Fact? If No Than What Is The Option?

Answer :

In the BMM layer,we can create one logical table (fact) and add the 3 fact table as logical table source.

Question 51. What Is Guided Navigation?

Answer :

Guided navigation is a feature of Oracle BI Interactive Dashboards that enables the content and layout of Oracle BI Interactive Dashboard to change dynamically based on changes in the information being analyzed. Specifically, sections in a dashboard page can be set up and only appear when there is interesting information of the data.

Question 52. Explain The Architecture Of Obiee And What Each Component Do?

Answer :

OBIEE Consists of Presentation Services(Web), Oracle BI (Analytics Engine) Server.The client (Answers) constructs sql and passes it to the Analytic Engine and then the Oracle BI (Analytic Engine) parses the physical sql to the Datasources and retrieve the data back to the Engine and presents to the presentation Services .

Question 53. How To Get Sql From Obiee For Reports?

Answer :

There are many ways to get the sql

Modify the request and click Advanced in that you get xml code and the actual sql.

In the catalog Manager click Tools –>Create Report. In the Create Report Window –> Click Request SQL and save the sql to the physical path in your PC.

Enable Loglevel to 2 in the OBIEE Admin Tool from Mange-> Security and enable the log level to 2 by clicking properties for the user, then go to the NQQuery.log in BI_HOME/OracleBI/Server/Logs.You will find the SQL for that User.

By clcking Administration->Manage sessions-> view sql