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Backend data still being updated - how to suspend Cognos so schedules don't run

  • 1.  Backend data still being updated - how to suspend Cognos so schedules don't run

    Posted Tue April 01, 2025 11:35 AM

    Occasionally we have issues with the data import running long and the job/report schedules start to run while we are importing data. Looking for a way to suspend the running of schedules (or complete use of Cognos) and then when the data import is complete to reactive the running of schedules including any that were missed due to being suspended. Some banks have several hundred schedules. Is there a service inside of Cognos Management Console -> Configuration -> Dispatchers and Services that can be stopped? Stopping the entire Cognos Windows Service is probably not an option. Cognos is finicky and does not always come back up successfully (sad to say). We have tried previously to use Event Monitor to monitor a ImportComplete_Date column in a sql table and did not have success. It was several versions back when we tried. Also - we support 11.0.7 to 11.2.4

    Any ideas or experiences is appreciated.



    ------------------------------
    brenda grossnickle
    BI Programmer Analyst
    FIS
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Backend data still being updated - how to suspend Cognos so schedules don't run

    Posted Tue April 01, 2025 12:27 PM

    Hi Brenda,

    I think the use of triggers to start the schedules instead of a specific time, will be the best fit for your requirement. Once you have defined the Cognos triggers, you will call it from your job scheduler (Control-M or similar, that your organization uses). After the database table load has finished, call the trigger jobs as successors to the database jobs. This will ensure that your cognos schedules begin to run only after the database jobs have completed.

    Please see this for information on how to setup triggers: Cognos Schedules based on triggers



    ------------------------------
    Swetab Sharma
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Backend data still being updated - how to suspend Cognos so schedules don't run

    Posted Tue April 08, 2025 11:48 AM

    So if there is a schedule that runs every day at 8am and we add a trigger (say the change of a last ETL_Import date) - will the schedule wait to run until it is 8am AND the trigger is true? I want to suspend the report running at 8am if the ETL is NOT finished. I don't necessarily want the report to run prior to 8am if the ETL is complete. I still want the reports to wait until their scheduled tim to run - 8am. 



    ------------------------------
    brenda grossnickle
    BI Programmer Analyst
    FIS
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Backend data still being updated - how to suspend Cognos so schedules don't run

    Posted Tue April 08, 2025 12:15 PM

    Brenda, no...you would change the report to run using the Frequency Type: "By Trigger" rather than by schedule.  With that, the report would not fire unless the trigger call is received.  When you setup the trigger batch file, you set the trigger call name (you make it whatever you want (e.g., 'ETL Finished') then when setting the report schedule 'By Trigger' you put the call name 'ETL Finished' in the appropriate field and save the schedule.  So, every time the batch file runs it makes a connection to your dispatcher(s) using the established call name and all reports with schedules set to run by trigger with that call name set will execute.  It took me quite some time to realize how simplistic this option actually is, I thought it was a lot more complicated, but it is not.  

    Setting Up Trigger-based Scheduling - IBM Documentation



    ------------------------------
    Dion Paul
    Cognos Administrator
    Ascend SC
    Daytona Beach FL
    dpaul@scgts.com
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Backend data still being updated - how to suspend Cognos so schedules don't run

    Posted Wed April 09, 2025 02:39 AM
    Edited by Marc Reed Wed April 09, 2025 02:40 AM

    Brenda,

    just to clarify your requirements appear to be.

    • If the ETL finishes at 06:00am you want to wait until 08:00am before any reports run.
    • If the ETL finishes at 09:00am you want the reports to run at 09:00am, as soon as the ETL finishes.

    The first one in the list seems to be the strange one. Why would you not want the reports to run as soon as the ETL finishes?

    Assuming the reports are based on the data in the ETL what is gained from waiting till 08:00am to run the reports?



    ------------------------------
    Marc Reed
    Reporting Lead
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Backend data still being updated - how to suspend Cognos so schedules don't run

    Posted Wed April 09, 2025 09:42 AM

    Hi Brenda,

    Our scheduling tool allows for multiple dependencies.  If you need the report to wait until 8AM to run, another option you could use is to schedule the trigger to run at 8AM and have a dependency to wait for the jobs that load the data to finish.  You can't control the time in Cognos but you may be able to control it through the scheduling tool that runs your data loads.



    ------------------------------
    Pam Ryan
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Backend data still being updated - how to suspend Cognos so schedules don't run

    Posted Wed April 09, 2025 10:18 AM

    Greetings!

    >So if there is a schedule that runs every day at 8am and we add a trigger (say the change of a last ETL_Import date) - will the schedule wait to run until it is 8am AND the trigger is true?

    Trigger is not a Boolean condition. Trigger is a Label which you specify in the Schedule of the relevant Cognos objects. Trigger job is simply a Cognos Java SDK app with Parameter(s) [Trigger Label(s)]. It connects to the Cognos Server and tells it to invoke all Schedules with those Trigger Labels. Cognos will put all these Schedules into the queue to execute as soon as required resources are available.

    It does not affect any Non-Trigger Schedules (based on Time)

    >I want to suspend the report running at 8am if the ETL is NOT finished. I don't necessarily want the report to run prior to 8am if the ETL is complete. I still want the reports to wait until their scheduled tim to run - 8am. 

    Then you need to run your Trigger job at 8am. 

    Though, if I understand your Use Case correctly, your Cognos environment is being used my many independent organizations who can create their own schedules. Then modifying all of these Schedules to use Trigger and then incorporating Trigger job invocation into their ETL processes might be a very extensive task... 

    You probably would be better off by specifying and publishing  an exact time interval when Time schedules can run and Enabling/Disabling responsible Cognos services during that interval only (  I assume Event Management service should be sufficient, but I have not tried that myself).

    Cheers,

    Andrei



    ------------------------------
    Andrei Istomine
    Open to work - anything Cognos
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreii/
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Backend data still being updated - how to suspend Cognos so schedules don't run

    Posted Wed April 02, 2025 09:34 AM

    Hi Brenda,

    I assume disabling Event Management Service should do the trick.

    You can look at the SDK sample sdk\java\DispatcherControl  for guidance how to automate it.

    Regards,

    Andrei



    ------------------------------
    Andrei Istomine
    Open to work - anything Cognos
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreii/
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Backend data still being updated - how to suspend Cognos so schedules don't run

    Posted Wed April 02, 2025 09:49 AM
    Hi Brenda,

    You may try disabling the below services on the dispatchers and start those again once the data load is complete. -
    Batch Report Service
    Job Service &
    Delivery Service

    https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/prevent-schedules-being-run-when-importing-full-content-store-deployment-new-environment-0

    Thanks,
    Prabal


    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: Backend data still being updated - how to suspend Cognos so schedules don't run

    Posted Thu April 03, 2025 09:32 AM

    Hi Brenda, Swetab Sharma's suggestion is the way to go.  Configuring the schedules to run based on a trigger vs. a set time will ensure that everything runs at the conclusion of your data load.  Just have the trigger (e.g. a batch file) execute by whatever system controls the data load and that will kick off those reports.



    ------------------------------
    Dion Paul
    Cognos Administrator
    Ascend SC
    Houston TX
    dpaul@scgts.com
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: Backend data still being updated - how to suspend Cognos so schedules don't run

    Posted Mon April 07, 2025 09:02 AM

    Hi Paul,

    I agree this works since Cognos 8...Two things consider:

    • If you using Azure AD this will not work (confirmed by Cognos Support)
    • Using a service account with option password never expires, make sure you don't have an % insite the password this will nog work (my own practive)

    Herman



    ------------------------------
    Herman Haverhals
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 12.  RE: Backend data still being updated - how to suspend Cognos so schedules don't run
    Best Answer

    Posted Mon April 28, 2025 10:20 AM

    The answer that worked for us - During our testing we found that if you go to Administration Console -> configuration -> dispatchers and services -> batch report service -> more -> stop immediately; that scheduled reports are now Pending. When the batch report service is changed to Start then the pending schedules start to run. 

    Several people suggested adding Triggers to the schedules, but this is not an option for us. We provide a data center for the cognos and sql servers, but our clients maintain the reports and schedules. It would not be successful asking all of our clients to add a trigger to each of their schedules. 



    ------------------------------
    brenda grossnickle
    BI Programmer Analyst
    FIS
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


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