How can we Restore a corrupted cube.

Question

Hi All,
Please let me know if a cube is corrupted then is their any way of restoring the cube and data. Please help me in detail on this.
In which scenario we need to stop and start the cube? how this method help us?
Thanks in Advance,
Raj.

Answer 1

NN wrote:
If the cube is corrupted, e.g. you cannot start the cube, then you can try the followings:
1. Use a tool like Unlocker Assistant http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/
It is a free tools. This is useful if you have Essbase on Windows. With this tools,
you can detect what object being lock on the Essbase application directory.
This tools help me a lot. Sometimes, you cannot start essbase because it crash and
the object is still being locked by Operating Systems. Removing the lock will help
and most of the time, no need to restore.
In conjunction with this, you can use Process Explorer tool by sysinternal (now microsoft).
This will tell you whehter there is a "dead" essbase process running. In our environment
sometimes Essbase agent crash and when we restart the essbase, the ESSSVR from previous
process is still runing, thus, you cannot start the app / database. Simply kill the "dead" ESSSVR process
using this tool and this will resolve the issue.
2. In case it is really corrupted, then the best way is to reload the data if you have the data exported.
You can do this:
- delete *.esm, *.tct, ess*.pag, ess*.ind file
- by doing this, it will allow you to start the database and it will work as per normal.
- then import the exported data.
3. Alternative method. I found this will works in windows.
If you have ever backup the entire APP directory, then you can restore the entire directory. Of couse you need
to do this properly:
- To Backup APP directory, say SAMPLE app, then you need to either:
-- Stop the application, then backup the entire directory
-- Use beginarchive to archive the database, then backup the directory.
- If you do not have a proper backup as above, then you will not be able to restore.
4. Most of the time, you do not need to recreate the database. Re-create the database is the last resort if you
do not have other options. And most of the time you cannot restore the database is because of locked object
or dead essbase process. (as described in no 1).
The following file is necessary to be backup if you have the data exported (recommended to export the database as a way to have it backed up):
*.otl.
In general backup the following files which is handy if you need to re-create the database:
*.otl
*.csc
*.rul
*.rep
And the following files which sometimes helps to restore your database:
*.db
*.dbb
And the following files which sometimes helps to restore the app:
*.app
*.apb
And the following files which helps to restore essbase:
essbase.sec
essbase.cfg
Hope this helps.
Regards,
LianLian, thanks a lot for your helpful advice.
I would like to know the sequence to stop the dead process and unlock files. Any order required e.g.
1. detect the unlock files (but not unlock before the process is deleted)
2. stop the "dead" process explorer (but how can we know that the process is "dead"?)
3. kill the process at EAS console
4. use unlocker to unlock the files
Cheers!