FDMEE 11.1.2.4.220: Essbase Export data file has changed naming convention

It has not been long since we applied FDMEE (Financial Data Quality Management, Enterprise Edition) Patch Set Update 11.1.2.4.220 (Patch 25312033) in one of our TEST environments. Earlier it was on version FDMEE 11.1.2.4.210. The patch got successfully applied but during environment validation, we observed that for data load to Essbase target applications, the data export files (.dat) coming into the FDMEE outbox folder have changed its naming convention. 

This naming convention change is there only for Hyperion Essbase data files. HFM (Hyperion Financial Management) application data files continue to be using the same old naming convention. 

On investigation, we noticed it's happening exactly after we applied FDMEE (Financial Data Quality Management, Enterprise Edition) PSU 11.1.2.4.220.

What is the issue?

Earlier, in FDMEE 11.1.2.4.210, for Essbase Target applications data load, the export data file names were in the format: 

<Essbase Application Name>_<Process ID>.dat. 

But now in FDMEE 11.1.2.4.220, the data file naming convention has changed to the format: 

<Essbase Application Name>-<Essbase Database Name>_<Process ID>.dat

We see Essbase Database Name has been added with Essbase Application Name in the .dat file name.

You can see below how all the Essbase export .dat files had started to generate with the new naming format after a particular date:

This was also confirmed by comparing the data load process logs of FDMEE 11.1.2.4.220 and 11.1.2.4.210 for the same FDMEE Location or Essbase target application, as shown below:

FDMEE 11.1.2.4.210 process log:

FDMEE 11.1.2.4.220 process log:

What is the impact?

This naming convention change for Essbase target applications had broken one of our automation processes for Essbase application data load. One impacted script identified was AftLoad.py which was called after the data is loaded to the Essbase target application. In that script, it was hardcoded to read the generated data file in format <Essbase Application Name>_<Process ID>.dat.

Investigation?

As per Oracle documentation, we know that data is written to a data file in the outbox directory of the application (defined in System Settings) in the format <APPLICATION NAME>_<PROCESS ID>.dat. It is then loaded to your Essbase target applications. 

Details of our target applications (Data Management > Setup > Register > Target Application) are stored in AIF_TARGET_APPLICATIONS table in the FDMEE database. 

When we query this table for the below columns:

SELECT TARGET_APPLICATION_TYPE, TARGET_APPLICATION_NAME, ESSBASE_DB_NAME, APPLICATION_NAME FROM AIF_TARGET_APPLICATIONS WHERE TARGET_APPLICATION_TYPE = 'ESSBASE';

We get the following output:

Values in the three columns come as: 

• TARGET_APPLICATION_NAME  = Essbase Application Name
• ESSBASE_DB_NAME                    = Essbase Database Name
• APPLICATION_NAME                   = Essbase Application Name-Essbase Database Name

So apparently, to generate the Essbase export data file, FDMEE 11.1.2.4.220 is taking the value of column APPLICATION_NAME while FDMEE 11.1.2.4.210 was taking the value of column TARGET_APPLICATION_NAME. That's why the naming convention of Essbase export data files has been changed in FDMEE 11.1.2.4.220. 

HFM export data files names are unaffected because, for HFM, both APPLICATION_NAME and TARGET_APPLICATION_NAME columns values are the same as obvious:

What Oracle said?

We raised an Oracle SR and below is what they updated:

We have cross verified this with Product Development Manager and they said that this is an accepted behavior in FDMEE (Financial Data Quality Management, Enterprise Edition) 11.1.2.4.220 PSU as the Developer has changed the backend code for FDMEE functionality with Essbase. So you need to modify your automated scripts accordingly. 

So what is the workaround?

Well, as advised by Oracle we have modified our automated scripts like AftLoad.py and related batch scripts to incorporate the new naming convention of Essbase export data files. 

That's all for this post. 

I hope this article has helped you. 

Your suggestions/feedback are most welcome.

Keep learning and Have a great day!!!