Any difference of the two licence keys given by Cognos

[kiamkhai]

Hi

Would like to seek your expertise whether the RAM usage for the two licence keys given by Cognos:
Licence Key 1

DATABASE_TYPE=TM1 PROPRIETARY
CLASS=510
LICENSE=9****************************
MAX_USERS=30
EXPIRE_DT=--
LOCATION=
ORGANIZATION=Cognos
LICENSOR=16699
INSTALL_ID=7381
PRODUCT=TM1Server8-64
OPTION1=Turbo Integrator


Licence Key 2

DATABASE_TYPE=TM1 PROPRIETARY
CLASS=510
LICENSE=6****************************
MAX_USERS=99999
MAX_READONLY_USERS=99999
EXPIRE_DT=--
LOCATION=
ORGANIZATION=Cognos
LICENSOR=16699
INSTALL_ID=13108
PRODUCT=TM1Server8-64
OPTION1=Turbo Integrator
OPTION2=SAP BW
OPTION3=Planning Manager
OPTION4=Financial Reporting

2. For the above two licence keys, is there a difference between the amount of RAM required by the TM1 server? The MAX_USERS for licence key 1 is 30 and the MAX_USERS for licence key 2 is 99999? What I understand is that whenever a user is logon to TM1 server, about 20MB memory is allocated to that users. In the case of licence key 2, there is a max of 99999 users. Will the system assigns automatically the memory required by 99999 users eventhough the noof users accessing TM1 server is not 99999. Your views, please.

3. The other question that I want to raise here is whenever the licence key 2 is used in the TM1 server, all cells with expression rules will encounter problems either resulted in key-error or the values of those cells with expression disappear. The values appear in the TM1 view but not in the Excel worksheets that link to that cube. This problem does not exist when the licence key 2 is replaced with licence key 1. Your views and assistance is very much appreciated.

Thanks and cheers.

Regards
Tee

[nhavis]

Hi

Would like to seek your expertise whether the RAM usage for the two licence keys given by Cognos:
Licence Key 1

DATABASE_TYPE=TM1 PROPRIETARY
CLASS=510
LICENSE=9****************************
MAX_USERS=30
EXPIRE_DT=--
LOCATION=
ORGANIZATION=Cognos
LICENSOR=16699
INSTALL_ID=7381
PRODUCT=TM1Server8-64
OPTION1=Turbo Integrator


Licence Key 2

DATABASE_TYPE=TM1 PROPRIETARY
CLASS=510
LICENSE=6****************************
MAX_USERS=99999
MAX_READONLY_USERS=99999
EXPIRE_DT=--
LOCATION=
ORGANIZATION=Cognos
LICENSOR=16699
INSTALL_ID=13108
PRODUCT=TM1Server8-64
OPTION1=Turbo Integrator
OPTION2=SAP BW
OPTION3=Planning Manager
OPTION4=Financial Reporting

2. For the above two licence keys, is there a difference between the amount of RAM required by the TM1 server? The MAX_USERS for licence key 1 is 30 and the MAX_USERS for licence key 2 is 99999? What I understand is that whenever a user is logon to TM1 server, about 20MB memory is allocated to that users. In the case of licence key 2, there is a max of 99999 users. Will the system assigns automatically the memory required by 99999 users eventhough the noof users accessing TM1 server is not 99999. Your views, please.

3. The other question that I want to raise here is whenever the licence key 2 is used in the TM1 server, all cells with expression rules will encounter problems either resulted in key-error or the values of those cells with expression disappear. The values appear in the TM1 view but not in the Excel worksheets that link to that cube. This problem does not exist when the licence key 2 is replaced with licence key 1. Your views and assistance is very much appreciated.

Thanks and cheers.

Regards
Tee

2 - No, otherwise 20/1024 * 99999 ~= 2gb of ram would be used when running an empty server.
3 - Don't see an immediate link - are you copying over a tm1s.cfg file over too with a different server name?

[Steve Vincent]

the 1st one is actually an old license, Cognos did away with the "license by file" model when they bought out Applix. They changed to a "license on trust" model where you are basically given an unlimited license on the understanding that you keep within your agreement with them, and allow them to audit that should they request. Shame that at the same time they screwed up the "ACTIVE" status of users in 9.1, making user tracking impossible, but that's a different story

There is no reason why the 2 licenses should make a difference to your numbers. All the file controls is the max number of concurrent users and what parts of the software you can use (TI, Planning Mgr etc). There must be another reason why that's going wrong, the server config maybe a good place to look if you happen to be changign that with the license as well.

As for RAM, the max users has no bearing on that what so ever. It might allocate some RAM for registered users because they could have private shortcuts in the application folders, or subsets/views but the impact should be minimal.

[kiamkhai]

Dear Steve

I am having the same views as well but the problem remains. IBM/COgnos has sent their staff to troubleshoot and conduct a health check at the server (64-bit) and the conclusions are the server is running fine and all configurations are correct.

2. I have audio-conference with staff from Australia and USA but they are still unable to resolve the issues. Every time the new licence key is used, data disappears from the excel worksheets that link to TM1, data source. The cells return either blank or with message "Key-error". These happen on those cells with expression built-in in using TM1 TI or rules. When we revert back to old licence key, the same problems disappear. Very strange.

Hope to get help from TM1 developers or power users.

Thanks.

Regards
TKK

[Steve Rowe]

Very very strange.

I've never known a licence file change the results of the system...

Can I ask why you are changing the licence and if you are making any other changes at the same time? Maybe that will give us a clue.

Are you changing versions of TM1 or anything else at all at the same time?

Cheers

[kiamkhai]

Hi Steve

Initially I also don't believe this. When we change the licence file, we are not changing others including the rules, new dimensions etc. When the situation is getting worse, i.e. the TM1 server needs to restart many times per days else the users are unable to view the data in their worksheets, some cubes are unable to open and the whole TM1 is hanging if we monitor from TM1 Top. After I change back to the old licence file, the whole situation goes back to normal. We have tested again by changing back to the new licence file again for another 5 times and the same things happen. Unbelieable, The last which we tested was 3 weeks ago.

2. For your information, we have upgraded TM1 version from 8.4 to the current TM! 9.1 SP3 in January 2008 but the new licence file was given to us in September 2008. Before that we have changed the licence files 3 times and issued by Applix before Cognos/IBM bought over Applix in Nov/Dec 2007. No problem with the licence files. The problem started in September 2008 when we received the new licence file. WE don't chande the version of TM1 since January 2008.

3. Till now I don't know what is the cause of the problem and dare not to use the new licence file after the last testing end of February 2009. The strange thing is it only affect those elements with expression or formula/rules. The problem doesn't not happen for other elements where there are no rules or expression attached to them.

Regards
Tee

[Steve Rowe]

Hi, it makes no sense to me either.....

If it is the licence file I suppose that it's possible that some kind of deep sitted issue to do with initialising the server to cope with 99999 users causes these instabilities.

I don't think you are alone in suffering on version 9.1 but I've not heard before that the licence file is the issue but I guess it is not impossible!

Should be fairly easy to test though. Can you keep the forum up to date with anything that happens on this? Hopefully someone will read this and test themselves.


Cheers,

[kiamkhai]

Hi Steve

What version of TM1 you are using? If it's version 9.1 SP3, it's possible for you to try and test it at your TM1 server? What I need is just test it but I don't mean to create problem for you.

THanks

Cheers

[Steve Rowe]

I don't have direct control over that install but I am going to get them to investigate as I know they are having issues.
Cheers,

[kiamkhai]

Thanks so much Steve.

Hope to hear good news from you

Cheers

[Steve Vincent]

have you tried to setup a development server with the same license file but no cubes / dims etc in it? I'd try that to start with to try and prove the file on it's own is the issue. it sounds mental to me but it might be specific to the 64bit version, have you tried downloading the 64bit license from cognos again and comparing that with the one you have?

TM1 comes up with firsts all the time, but this is probably the strangest ever

[kiamkhai]

Dear Steve

In fact I have tried this at the backup server which has the same configuration as the production server, i.e. 64-bit server and 24 GB RAM. No users access to the backup server except we replicate all the databases i.e. the cubes etc daily from the production to the backup server. Initially no problem with the replication until we place the new licence key in the backup server. The replication fails twice, i.e. after we tested with the new licence file twice.

2. What do you mean by getting the 64-bit license again from Cognos? I have spoken to the technical staff from USA and he told me even they send me the new licence file, it will be the same except the organisation will be changed to Bank Negara Malaysia instead of Cognos.

3. BTW what version of TM1 you are using? Is't version 9.1 SP3? He has suggested us to try version 9.14 SP1? Waiting for their confirmation by this week.

Thanks and look forward to hear from you soon.

Cheers
Tee

[Steve Vincent]

you can download the licenses from their support site. granted its not too easy to find, but here is a direct link (you'll need to have a login to the IBM/Cognos support site in order to get them)

http://support.cognos.com/supported/en/ ... ml#license

As for the version of TM1 i'm on, its in red in the signature below my posts I'm not surprised they told you to upgrade either, its what they always say if they can't fix it over the phone

[kiamkhai]

Hi Steve

Guess I am unable to get the licence file because I don't have the ID to logon. They send use the new licence key by email. Anyway I will wait for their answer this week and see what solutions they are going to offer.

Thanks.

Cheers