TM1
TM1 is a multi-dimensional in-memory database system ( MDBMS ) for implementing multi-dimensional OLAP ( MOLAP ) applications. Common areas of application are integrated planning, simulation and analysis applications for operational, sales and financial control. In addition, TM1 is also used for reporting and a variety of special applications (e.g. receivables management, branch control).
history
TM1 was developed as the first multidimensional in-memory OLAP database in 1983/1984 and marketed by Applix under the name Applix TM1. In 2007 the company Applix was taken over by Cognos . The database was renamed to Cognos TM1. In 2008, IBM took over Cognos . Since then, the official name of the database has been: IBM Cognos TM1 .
The current version is IBM Cognos TM1 10.3.
The father of TM1 is Manny Perez, who has actively accompanied the development up to the present and has now withdrawn a little. TM1 began with its vision in 1983 to create a tool that is technically more understandable than relational data models and at the same time high-performance, scalable and flexible.
Specialized areas of application and flexible approach
TM1 is designed as a tool for the specialist area to map specialist processes and the associated business logic using flexible, multi-dimensional data models. Multi-dimensional key figures are given a meaning in the process context. The dimensioning of information can be adapted to the technical requirements in the process. The defined dimensions span the data space as (n-dimensional) "cubes". For example, the number 500 with the dimensions key figure, organizational unit, time, sales region and sales channel becomes a turnover for Deutschland GmbH in April 2013 in southern Germany in stationary sales. Process reference is created by adding the version dimension, for example, and thereby distinguishing between actual and any plan versions. Business logics can then be used to map individual models that also cover complex technical requirements. Deviations in any dimensions (time, version, etc.) can be determined analytically. Since TM1 can be written back, analyzes can be linked directly to plan contexts and simulations. In addition to its well-scalable performance, one of the strengths of TM1 is, above all, the ability, which is also intuitive for specialist users, to adapt structures and logics quickly and at runtime.
Technical characteristics
TM1 is designed as a multidimensional in-memory database for read and write access. Technically, analytical queries are carried out against a data cube ( OLAP cube ). The data is kept in the working memory at the level of the individual facts. In order to execute a query, the necessary aggregations are executed at runtime. Since the data is kept in memory, no (relatively time-consuming) hard disk access is necessary during runtime. The required aggregations and key figures are calculated extremely quickly from the data in the working memory. In contrast to many relational OLAP systems, no aggregations have to be calculated and saved in advance.
Cognos TM1 Web supports the presentation of Excel worksheets on the web and the access of web-based applications to the database ( TM1 Applications ). By using Excel as the development environment, the requirements for planning and reporting are very low.
Cognos Executive Viewer is an end-user analysis tool for ad hoc evaluations and was sold by IBM to Cubus.
Web links
- official homepage
- Memory-Centric Data Management: A Monash Information Services White Paper (PDF file; 429 kB)
- IBM Developer Works Forum
- Popular TM1 user forum
- TM1 Tutorials Blog with references to other sites