Connection is a named set of parameters that defines how a Business Objects application (Deski, Webi, etc.,) accesses data from database. Connection links SAP BO application to your middleware and you must have a connection to access data. You must select or create a connection when you create a universe. You can modify, delete, or replace the connection at any time.

Note: Connection objects have an additional administrator-defined security right called “Download connection locally”. The administrator will need to define the security associated with the Connection, e.g. define who can download locally the (sensitive) connection information.

A connection contains three elements:
• Data Access driver
• Connection and login parameters
• Connection type

Data Access Driver
A Data Access driver is the software layer that connects a universe to your middleware. Data Access drivers are installed with Business Objects products. There is a Data Access driver for each supported middleware.

Data access drivers provide the connection between Connection Server and a data source. A database requires a data access driver in order that it can be accessed by an SAP Business Objects application.

Connection Server is the data access software that manages the connection between an SAP Business Objects application and a data source.

Connection Server allows applications such as universe design tool, information designer tool and SAP Business Objects Web Intelligence to connect to and run queries against a data source..

You can optimize the way that data is passed through Connection Server by modifying data access configuration files. These files are in XML format, and are installed with Connection Server. You can set parameter values to apply to a specific data access driver, or to all installed data access drivers

Below is the available database middleware in XI 3.1.

Connection and login parameters

To configure data access driver below connection and login parameters should be defined properly.

Connection Type – Personal, shared, or secured.

Connection Name – Name of the connection which you can identify the universe parameters.

Authentication Mode – Use Business Objects credential mapping, Use Single Sign-On when refreshing reports at view time and use specified username and Password.

Use Business Objects credential mapping – If you selected this option in Authentication mode, the user is forced to enter a database user password associated with their Business Objects account to refresh a report and this option should be defined at CMC level.

Use Single Sign-On when refreshing reports at view time – If you selected this option in Authentication mode, the user name and password used to access the CMS are automatically used as database login parameters.

Use Specific username and password – If you selected this option in Authentication mode, then you have to provide your own Database user name and password (see the screen above)

Data source/Service – Data source or database name. If you are using an ODBC driver the data source name identifies the target database. If you are using a native driver, the database name identifies the target database.

Connection type

The type of connection determines who can use the connection to access data. The universe design tool automatically stores all the connections that you create during a work session. The next time you launch a session, these connections will be available to you.

You can create three types of connections with the tool:
• Personal
• Shared
• Secured

Personal Connection

Restricts access to data to the universe creator and the computer on which the personal connection was created. You cannot export universes to repository using personal connections. You could use personal connections to access personal data on a local machine.

Connection parameters are stored in the PDAC.LSI file located in the LSI folder in the Business Objects 12.0 folder in you user profile directory:

C:\Documents and Settings\<user name>\Application Data\Business Objects\Business Objects 12.0\lsi
Personal connections are unsecured in terms of Business Objects products security.

Shared Connection

Shared connection allows access to data for all users. These connections are unsecured in terms of Business Objects products security.

Connection parameters are stored in the SDAC.LSI file located in the lsi folder in the Business Objects 12.0 folder in you user profile directory, for example:

C:\Documents and Settings\<user name>\Application Data\Business Objects\Business Objects 12.0\lsi

Secured Connection

Centralizes and controls access to data. You must use secured connections if you want to distribute universes through the CMS. Secured connections can be used and updated at any time.

You can edit a secured connection only if you are working in online mode. Personal and Shared connections can be modified in any mode.

Note: You cannot modify the name of an existing connection.

In the Configuration parameters, you can define Connection Pool mode and array fetch size.

You define the life-time with the Connection Pool Mode and Pool timeout parameters. By default, the Connection Pool Mode is set to keep the connection alive for, with a default Pool timeout of 10 minutes.

Array Fetch Size – you can define the Array fetch size parameter allows you to set the optimum number of rows that are permitted in a FETCH procedure.

In this section you can define the Hint / ConnectInit which will be used to improve your query performance. Below is the example.

ALTER SESSION FORCE PARALLEL QUERY

You can create universe connection through Universe Parameters and tools—Connections.

Please read the connection creation & access process and post your comments.