Oracle Express Server

Oracle Express Server is a powerful, mature, robust, and flexible multidimensional OLAP database server. Express Server is optimized to support mathematical, financial, statistical, and time-series manipulations, as well as forecasting, modeling, and multi-user what-if scenarios. Express Server is optimized for the query and analysis of corporate data such as sales, marketing, financial, manufacturing,or human resources data — without requiring special programs or reports from Information Systems (IS) personnel.

Current Release

Oracle Express Server 6.3.4
Oracle Personal Express 6.3.4

Key Features

An intermediate release, OES 6.3.2.1 was again a maintenance release, which should be used with OFA and OSA 6.3.2. Major improvements were:

		New non-additive AGGREGATE functions HAverage, HFirst, HLast, and
		HWAverage. These functions are documented under the RELATION command
		in Express Language Help.
		Ability to use a valueset to limit hierarchy dimensions, or to specify which
		values should be calculated on the fly or pre-calculated by AGGREGATE. See
		the RELATE command in Express Language Help.
		An increase to the maximum size of Express Server’s ‘‘ranspace’’ from 2GB
		per object to 4GB. One of the main uses of ranspace is to store BTREE
		information for composite dimensions. The higher maximum is intended to
		address the RSALLOC errors that sometimes occur when aggregating data
		dimensioned by very large composites.

The previous release, OES 6.3.2 included new features such as Non-Additive aggregation methods using the AGGREGATE command, and a block fetch facility from Oracle using the SQL command.

Express Server 6.3.0.1 included many significant improvements on earlier versions. These include:

New Aggregate Management System - AGGREGATE

		2 x Performance Improvement for a typical database
		Up to 5 x Performance Improvement for databases with many dimensions/sparse data
		Pre-calculate or on-the fly aggregates
		Significant MOLAP/HOLAP capacity increases
		Little SPL code required

Enhanced Analytics

		New Statistical functions Categorize, Correlation, Percentage, Smooth, Rank and Mode
		All new Geneva forecasting module

Express Instance Manager

		Java component replacing Session Manager, Service Manager and Configuration Manager
		Enterprise Manager compliant, look and feel consistent with Oracle Instance Manager

The fastest and most scaleable OLAP Server in the world

Express 6.3 has now delivered record-setting performance results using the industry standard Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) Council APB-1 benchmark, which provides an objective measure by which to assess OLAP server performance. The industry's fastest OLAP server achieved leadership positions on both Intel and Sun server platforms.

The results on both Intel NT and Sun Solaris were over three times faster than the previous AQM records, while Express Server 6.3 utilized slower processors, consumed half the memory, serviced more users and created a smaller database using the same basic input data. This proves Oracle Express is the most scalable, most efficient and fastest, enterprise-ready OLAP server available today.

The 6.x line of Express Server added a number of important new features including:

		Express Web Agent enabling OLAP over the Internet using a browser client
		Enhanced sparse data management
		64-bit architecture
		Huge increases in theoretical size limits: The maximum number of cells per
		variable rises from 2 billion (OES 5.x) to 263 cells per array (variable), while the
		theoretical limit on the size of each Express database rises by a similar factor.
		Multi-threaded architecture to take full advantage of SMP platforms
		Server to Server XCA: Support for multiple instances of Express Server to
		communicate with one another as well as with Personal Express

The 6.2 release saw the availability of the Personal Express 6.2. Effectively a single user Express Server, Personal Express 6.2 supports all the new client tools and applications designed for Express Server 6.2 for Thick Client, PC/LAN based apps, or slices of data while disconnected from the server.

Availability

Express Server 6.3.4 is available for Windows NT (Intel), Windows 2000 and Sun Solaris
Express Server 6.3.2 is available for Windows NT (Intel) / Windows 2000 and Sun Solaris
Express Server 6.3.1 is available for HP/UX, IBM AIX and Compaq TRU-64 Unix
Express Server 6.2.0.1 is available for Alpha NT (NT has been discontinued on the Alpha platform)
Personal Express Server 6.3.2 is available for Windows NT and Windows 95/98

Future Releases

Benchmarks

Express Server 6.3 Smashes APB-1 Benchmark

Oracle Express Server 6.3 has delivered record-setting performance results using the industry standard Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) Council APB-1 benchmark, which provides an objective measure by which to assess OLAP server performance. The industry's fastest OLAP server achieved leadership positions on both Intel and Sun server platforms.

Oracle's record-setting performance on Windows NT ran on four 450 MHz Intel Pentium II Xeon CPUs and 4 GB of RAM. Oracle Express Server 6.3 delivered 3,006 analytical queries per minute (AQM) for 200 concurrent users running 500,000 no think-time queries. This is nearly 3 times faster on a small Dell NT server, with half the memory and much smaller client PCs than the previous benchmark. The resulting database is also about half the size.

Oracle's record-setting performance on Sun Solaris ran on four 300 MHz Sun UltraSparc II CPUs and 4 GB of RAM, where it delivered 3,487 analytical queries per minute for 300 concurrent users running 750,000 no think-time queries. These results further demonstrate Express Server's scalability as query time per user remained the same despite a 50 percent increase in the number of concurrent users. The results on Sun Solaris were over three times faster than the previous AQM record set by Hyperion Essbase on an IBM RS/6000. And, Express Server 6.3 utilized slower processors, consumed half the memory, serviced more users and created a smaller database using the same basic input data, proving Oracle Express is the most scalable, most efficient and fastest, enterprise-ready OLAP server available today.

Additionally, Express Server 6.3 set the bar for OLAP server performance on an eight-processor Sun Solaris machine. Oracle ran Express Server on a Sun E3500 with 8 GB of RAM and 8 400 MHz processors and serviced 1,200 concurrent users. Express Server 6.3 scored an incredible AQM of 13,209, 11.5 times better than Essbase. This was a qualified APB-1 run on a beta version of the Solaris operating system (v2.8). It was compliant, however, with all operational aspects of the APB-1 specification. In the query phase alone, Express Server 6.3 completed 3 million queries in less time than it took Hyperion Essbase to complete 500,000 queries against equivalently defined data sources. This included using slower clients, slower processors on the server and with no increase in RAM.

Collateral

		Express Server Data Sheet 961K
		Note: You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the file above

Oracle Express Objects & Analyzer

Express Objects is Oracle's object-oriented development environment for Express Server. It is a powerful tool that enables professional developers to create custom OLAP applications for client/server and the Web. Express Analyzer provides a powerful end-user environment leveraging the power of Express Objects while providing a more structured Analysis environment for end-users. The approach of Express Objects and Analyzer affords complete programmatic control over every object in the system for the developer while allowing the end user to leverage these benefits without requiring programming skills.

Current Release

Oracle Express Objects 6.3.2, Oracle Express Analyzer 6.3.2

Key Features

The 6.3 release of Express Objects and Analyzer adds to the functionality of the previous versions with improvements to increase productivity and ease development for the application developer. These include:

		Major Express Basic Editor & Debugging Enhancements
		Support for Multi-Project Applications including Associated Projects
		Application Deployment wizard and Replace Database wizard
		Project Compression and Backup utilities
		40% Smaller Memory Footprint

These improve on the 2.2 release which added extra functionality including:

		Ability to export data from Discoverer 3.1 to Express Objects and Express Analyzer 2.2, generating an Express database on the fly
		Ability to hyper-drill from Express Objects and Express Analyzer 2.2 to detailed data in Discoverer 3.1

Availability

OEO & OEA Versions 6.3.2 are available for Windows95/98, Windows NT4/2000

Collateral

		Express Objects Data Sheet 130K
		Express Analyzer Data Sheet 333K
		Note: You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the files above

Oracle Express Web Agent & Web Publisher

Express Web Agent brings the powerful analytical capabilities of Express Server to anyone with a web browser. It provides a scalable, high-performance interface to Oracle Express Server; working as either a Cartridge, plugging directly into the Oracle Applications Server platform for network application deployment; or via CGI (Common Gateway Interface), enabling Express to work with any Web server.

Express Web Publisher is an option to Express Analyzer and Express Objects. It is a powerful tool that makes it simple to build live, interactive, data-driven OLAP Web sites, powered (via the Express Web Agent) by Oracle Express Server. Web Publisher enables knowledge workers in an organization to become Web masters, creating entire sites in just a matter of minutes. No knowledge of HTML syntax or programming is required. Web Publisher makes it easy for end users to communicate critical business information.

Current Release

Oracle Express Web Agent & Express Web Publisher 6.3.4

Key Features

Features released in 6.3.4 include:

		Fit to page option for printing Java tables
		Export Java tables to Excel with format preservation
		Control appearance of grid lines and background in Graphs
		Improved control over Graph fonts attributes
		Support for Ranking reports
		Create custom buttons in Toolbar
		JAWS screen reader for non-sighted and low-vision users

The intermediate release of Web Agent, 6.3.3, is only for use with OFA and OSA 6.3.2. Features included:

		Automatic cell sizing in Java tables
		Saving selections
		Measure hierarchies
		Drag and drop sorting in the Selector list tool
		Multiline text support in the Java table
		Automatic sizing of applets within a page or frame
		Support for drill images and cell formatting in an HTML table
		Macintosh browser support and plug-ins

The major enhancements to version 6.3.2 of Web Agent (and therefore also Web Publisher) include: Data entry for Java tables.

		Cell-level color coding and data-driven formatting in Java tables
		Label sizing of rows/columns in Java tables
		Developer-specified page breaks for printing Java tables
		Pop-up dimension names
		Multi-line footnotes, titles and subtitles
		Graph printing
		Ability to move a graph legend
		New Object, Properties, and Programs

Version 6.3 of Web Agent included the following enhancements New Java table which has enhanced the earlier Java table to increase flexibility and enable printing.

Version 3.0 of Web Agent contained a large number of enhancements which include:

		Complete set of data selection tools
		Support for the Attribute, Exception, Family, Level, Match, Measure Exception, Range, Sort and
		Top/Bottom tools is now available on the View toolbar
		Faster start-up times for users
		Export all pages to spreadsheet
		Support for multiple OS machine configuration and installation
		Improved support for firewall software

Availability

Express Web Publisher 6.3.4 is available for Windows95/98 or Windows NT/2000, while Express Web Agent 6.3.4 is a free module of Express Server 6.3.4

Future Releases

Collateral

		Express Web Agent Data Sheet 330K
		Express Web Publisher Analyzer News 175K
		Note: You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the files above

Oracle Express Administrator

Express Administrator is shipped with Express Server and Personal Express, and is an intuitive graphical tool which allows you to define, build, populate and maintain Express databases. It automatically creates the meta data required to enable all the Oracle OLAP client tools including Express Objects, Analyzer, Web Agent/Publisher and the free Spreadsheet Add-in. Its makes creating and maintaining Oracle Express Server databases easy for the novice, and provides advanced functionality for the expert user/Express DBA

Current Release

Oracle Express Administrator 6.3.4

Key Features

Key new features in 6.2 include:

		Database Wizard: A simplified, step-by-step method that guides users through the process ofautomatically creating Express databases.
		Rollup Wizard: A graphical interface that facilitates rolling up data to summarized levels within dimension hierarchies.
		Hierarchy Editor : Provides a drag-and-drop functionality that simplifies changing structure or values of dimension hierarchies.
		New powerful Express SPL Editor
		New Express Command Window
		New Task scheduler and monitor
		A new graphical interface that allows users to schedule batch jobs.
		Extra database search options
		New database browser options
		Support for the Selector
		Context-sensitive right-mouse menus
		Import files exported from Discoverer

Availability

Express Administrator 6.3.4 is available for Windows95/98 or Windows NT/2000 and is distributed with Express Server and Personal Express 6.3.4

Collateral

		Express Administrator Data Sheet 73K
		Note: You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the file above

Oracle Sales Analyzer

Oracle Sales Analyzer is a complete application for business intelligence that gives users the tools they need to analyze sales, marketing and other corporate data. Sales Analyzer combines a central, integrated information source with powerful online analytical processing capabilities, enabling users to access, analyze, and distribute information from their enterprise data warehouse or data mart, without IS support.

Current Release

Oracle Sales Analyzer 11i, Release 6.4.0

Key Features

New Features in OSA 6.4 include the following:

		High fidelity export to Excel-2000/XP
		Row/Column level formatting on reports
		Ranking/exception report creation
		Fit-to-page option for printing
		Print multiple
		Control over the presentation of NA data in reports
		Multi-select of anchor in the selector family tool
		Multiple strings in the selector match tool
		Non-numeric measures in the exception tools and sort tool
		Apply custom aggregates, custom measures or saved selections to open document
		Publishing related objects with 'parent' objects
		Oracle Portal Integration

OSA 11i contains dramatic enhancements to the Web client, utilising the new features in Web Agent 6.3.4

		Document formatting
		Color coding / Stoplight reporting
		Enhancements to the web document tree, including modify, search, delete, rename and move
		Java Graph printing
		Single sign-on for better integration with other Oracle Applications.
		An Enhanced Webcall API, which allows custom links which can identify and work with the selected cells on an open report.
		New Measure support; a new Selector tool: Selection by measure exception.
		Custom right-click actions

OSA 6.3 utilised the improvements in Express Server and Web Agent 6.3.0.1 including:

		Build times can be dramatically reduced by using the new Aggregate function within Express Server 6.3.
		Support for 10 dimensions in the data loader
		Workbook style export to Excel from the Windows client
		The enhanced Java table from Web Agent has been utilised in the Web Client to increase flexibility and enable printing.

OSA 6.2.1 provided a significant enhancements to the Web Client including :

		Selector Tools - OSA Web users will be able to take advantage of the intuitive tools and full data selection capabilities of the OSA Selector.
		Custom Measures and Aggregates - OSA Web users will be able to customize their analysis by creating their own calculated measures and aggregates through the browser interface.
		Forecast Wizard - OSA Web users will be able to utilize the Forecast Wizard to predict future
		measure values based on historical performance.
		Document Management and Sharing - OSA Web users will be able to manage document folders, and publish documents and document objects such as custom measures and custom aggregates to other OSA users through the browser interface.

OSA 6.2.1 also provides a number of improvements to the Web Analysis Library. First introduced in OSA 6.2, the Web Analysis Library is designed to help companies distribute key sales and marketing information to information consumers across the enterprise. The Web Analysis Library is comprised of a series of pre-defined, web-based analysis templates that give the user an instant picture of key sales and marketing performance indicators. The Web Analysis Library document templates focus the user’s attention on a number of analysis categories, including:

		Comparisons - What is the product mix in a particular region?
		Distribution - In which regions are sales increasing or declining?
		Exceptions - Which channels contributed more than x% of total sales?
		Growth - Which products are showing sales growth?
		Quota - How are your sales reps performing versus plan?
		Rankings - What are your best and worst-selling products?
		Reviews - What is the status of a particular customer account?
		Trends - How has your business performed over time?

The OSA 11i client is available for Windows 95/98 and Windows NT4/2000, while the server runs on all platforms supported by Express Server 6.3.2

Future Releases

Collateral

		Sales Analyzer Data Sheet 168K
		Note: You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the file above

Relational Access Manager/Administrator

Relational Access Manager is distributed free with Express and it broadens the data access options available within your business intelligence environment. RAM creates a dynamic link between the Express multidimensional calculation engine and a relational data warehouse or data mart. With RAM Express can be implemented as a ROLAP (Relational Only OLAP) or HOLAP (Hybrid OLAP) depending upon the information and analytical requirements and to provide the best on-line performance.

Current Release

RAM 6.3.2 / RAA 6.3.2

Key Features

Relational Access Manager 6.3 features significant performance improvements in the following areas:

		Build/Update time reduced by 25% for simple models, up 25 times for complex Express models and Warehouses
		Smaller Express databases
		Net change dimension member processing
		Run time performance improved by 10-20% for simple models, more with complex models

Relational Access Manager 6.2 featured a new database maintanance application for managing the Express database and build process. This allows the DBA to:

		Define multiple database build and update procedures for managing the periodic maintenance of the Express database.
		Define hybrid database population procedures.
		Schedule update and hybrid procedures to be run automatically onperiodic basis.

The Relational Access Manager Query Statistics model allows the DBA:

		Capture key RAM performance statistics.
		Capture SQL generated by RAM.
		Analyze RAM performance statistics.

In addition, the Relational Access Manager allows levels to be skipped in a hierarchy when using a star style dimension lookup table. Child dimension values may now have parents that are two or more levels higher in a hierarchy.

Availability

RAM 6.3.2 is certified for Express Server 6.3.2. RAA 6.3.2 is available for Windows NT/2000 and Windows 95/98.

Future Releases

Collateral

		Relational Access Manager Data Sheet - Not Available 377K
		Note: You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the file above

Spreadsheet Add-in

The Express Spreadsheet Add-in is distributed free with Express Server and Personal Express, and provides live dynamic access to Express data direct from your spreadsheet.

Current Release

Oracle Express Spreadsheet Add-in 6.3.2

Key Features

The Express Spreadsheet add-in 6.3 increases the functionality of earlier versions by adding:

		Ability to display up to 10 dimensions on the page edge.
		Ability to copy all pages to separate worksheets for printing
		Ability to suppress NAs and zeroes in rows of a particular query
		Ability to specify, per each edge (page, across, and down) whether short or long labels are used

The Spreadsheet Add-in 2.3 version added new features, including:

		Ability to write data back to an Express database
		Right mouse popup menu for performing various functions on the query
		Enhanced data layout control
		VBA scripting support
		Support for Microsoft Excel 7.0 and Excel 97

Availability

The Express Spreadsheet Add-in 6.3.2 runs under Windows 95/98 and Windows NT/2000.

Collateral

		Spreadsheet Add-in Data Sheet 421K
		Note: You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the file above