Process to compare TM1 instances

[JamiseBondi]

We're going through an evaluation of various methods of checking objects being transported from a Dev environment through to QA and then to Prod. I'm still looking for tools that would manage this process, check dependencies and lock dependant objects while they're being changed by developer A so that developer B doesn't change the same object for instance.

This leads me to wonder how best to compare instances in a three tier environment. For example, has someone out there created a process that will run through all objects (rules, dimensions, subsets, views...) to see if server 1 in Dev differers to server 1 in QA and server 1 in Prod. This would assist in knowing what objects have been changed directly in Prod without having first been tested in Dev and QA amongst other benefits to knowing this information.

[lotsaram]

Vizier has a data directory compare tool that identifies new, missing or changed files between data directories. For text files (rux, pro, sub, vue) you can see the row comparison of what has changed.

There is also a promotion tool which means you don't have to hunt and peck in the file system and there is a "structure dependency" for example it is easy to grab attributes and subsets with the dimension, or dimensions with a cube. There is however no "logic or calculation dependency checker" for example if promoting a cube rule it won't identify that the rule relies on another cube, likewise for processes there is no check that source and target objects are available. My guess is that this would simply be very difficult to implement and would also never be 100% foolproof. The Vizier promotion is "hot" in the sense that no server bounce is needed as objects are updated and registered in real time, but this does mean performance can be slow for a largish dimension with attributes as the API is nowhere near as fast as TI.

Performance Modler has a promotion/migration tool which is a "warm" promotion in that files are exported then imported. I haven't really used it but I believe the level of dependency checking is as per Vizier in that it handles object level but not calculation or logic type dependency.

There is also Flow Model Packager which is more cold promotion but again with object level dependency and without having to hunt and peck from the file system.

And TM1 simple replicate http://www.tm1forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=7821

If you search it shouldn't be a problem to find more info on all these.

[jim wood]

If you do a search on Google for "compare directories" there are some open source directory comparison tools that you can you use. There are also some that cost money as well if you're that way inclined.

[IuseTM1]

We have the full version of TM1 Compare.

Please PM if you are interested in the full version and want to know any specifics.