Q:
"I have been reading online about IBM Cognos Command Center tool which does this functionality. Does this tool come with RDP which IBM provides us in the welcome kit or do we need to install this tool on the separate on-prem server to operate centrally?"
A1:
No, IBM Cognos Command Center (CCC) does not come with RDP to access your IBM Planning Analytics on Cloud (PAoC) environment.
IBM CCC is a client-server application, or in CCC terms an agent-client application.
By default a CCC agent is installed on the data tier of your IBM PAoC environment. It uses the TM1 Rest API to interact with a TM1 server instance running on said data tier.
The CCC server ( and client ) must be installed locally on one of your on premise machines.
A prerequisite to install the CCC server is a relational database, either Microsoft SQL Server or Oracle. SQL Server Express will do.
The CCC server includes three frontends, or in CCC terms three clients: A command line client, a web client or a Windows fat client. AFAIK most CCC users prefer to use the Windows fat client.
Tasks are the basic building blocks of CCC, thus CCC ships with a library of task templates covering many common tasks like FTP uploads and downloads or executing TI processes.
Using the CCC frontend aka one of the CCC clients, a task can be triggered manually or can be scheduled.
Thus CCC substitutes for the Windows Task Scheduler which is not supported by IBM PAoC.
Links:
https://www.ibm.com/products/cognos-command-center
IBM Cognos Command Center
https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/planning-analytics/2.0.0?topic=cloud-cognos-command-center
Cognos Command Center
You can use IBM Cognos Command Center on-premises to automate your IBM Planning Analytics on Cloud.
A non-interactive account is required to connect Cognos Command Center with Planning Analytics on Cloud
https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/planning-analytics/2.0.0?topic=ccc-setting-up-non-interactive-account-use-in-ldap-namespace
Setting up a non-interactive account for use in the LDAP namespace
The non-interactive account that is provided in the welcome kit can be used when you use automation tools and processes that are scheduled, or when you need a user name and password that are non-interactive. For example, Cognos Command Center and Cognos Integration Server.
https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/planning-analytics/2.0.0?topic=overview-planning-analytics-shared-folder
Planning Analytics shared folder
Shared folder content
The shared folder contains the following files:
- Installation files for IBM Cognos Command Center (not available with Planning Analytics Digital Pack)
https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/ccc/10.2.4?topic=os-server-installation-prerequisites
IBM Cognos Command Center
Server installation prerequisites
The IBM Cognos Command Center server requires a relational database management system (RDBMS) repository, in either a Microsoft SQL Server or an Oracle database. If you plan to install the server component, you must also meet the system requirements for the repository.
https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/ccc/10.2.4?topic=installation-installing
IBM Cognos Command Center
Installing
IBM Cognos Command Center has a unified installation wizard that installs all the Cognos Command Center components that you select.
https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/ccc/10.2.4?topic=ftp-plug-in-task-reference
IBM Cognos Command Center
FTP plug-in task reference
The FTP tasks have arguments that you can specify.
A2:
Since removing the rich tier IBM PAoC no longer supports RDP, see for instance
https://community.ibm.com/community/user/blogs/tracy-peppy1/2024/05/07/planning-analytics-on-cloud-rich-tier-removal-faq
Planning Analytics on Cloud Rich Tier Removal FAQ
RDP access to the rich tier of an IBM PAoC environment was used to access it's Shared Folder. This functionality is now delivered by the Planning Analytics Workspace (PAW) Drive Explorer.
Regards
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Bernd Siebert
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