Cognos Planning Analyst and Contributor

Using SQL Server 2005 with Contributor 8.1

Overview

When considering an upgrade of your database server to Microsoft SQL Server 2005 there are a number of things to be aware of when using Cognos Planning Contributor version 8.1 to ensure that your Planning environment functions correctly.

SQL Server Native Client

By default Cognos Planning Contributor uses the SQLOLEDB drivers to connect with SQL Server.  This is currently known to cause “Unknown Error” messages in the Contributor Web client during data download and data upload (or save) processes.

To avoid these issues it is advised that the Contributor Web site be configured with a PAD connection using SQLNCLI (SQL Server Native Client) rather than SQLOLEDB.

It is also advisable to change the connection setting within the PAD in the Contributor Administration Console by navigating to “Tools / Change Planning Administration Domain”, selecting your PAD from the list and choosing “Configure”.
On the “Configure Datastore Server Connection” screen click “Advanced” and replace SQLOLEDB with SQLNCLI.
Click “Ok” then “Select” to get back to the Contributor Administration Console.

Repeat these steps for any Contributor Datastore Servers you have listed in the PAD tree, choose the datastore server and then click the “Configure” button.  Select “Advanced” and change the “Provider Driver” to SQLNCLI.

Publish Containers

There is a problem, however, with using SQLNCLI with publish containers, users can experience difficulties creating new publish containers when using this driver, so for Publishing it is still recommended to use SQLOLEDB.
The change of setting for this is done on a Publish-Container by Publish-Container basis.