Identifying Additional Tasks for Parallel Calculation

By default, Essbase uses an iterative technique to select the optimal number of task dimensions to use for parallel calculation.

If necessary, you can enable Essbase to use a specific number, n, of task dimensions for parallel calculation. For example, if you have a FIX statement on a member of the last sparse dimension, you can include the next-to-last sparse dimension from the outline as well. Because each unique member combination of these two dimensions is identified as a potential task, more and smaller tasks are created, increasing the opportunities for parallel processing and improving load balancing.

  To specify the number of task dimensions for parallel calculation:

  1. If you are not sure, verify whether parallel calculation is enabled.

    See Checking Current Parallel Calculation Settings. Without CALCPARALLEL (or SET CALCPARALLEL in a calculation script), CALTASKDIMS has no effect.

  2. Optional: Essbase selects a default number, n, of task dimensions to use for parallel calculation and this number is printed in the application log file as an informational message; for example: Parallelizing using [2] task dimensions. To override the default n setting, add or modify CALCTASKDIMS in the essbase.cfg file on the server, or use the calculation script command SET CALCTASKDIMS at the top of the script.

  3. If you add or modify CALCTASKDIMS in the essbase.cfg file on the server, restart Essbase.

  4. If you are using a calculation script, run the script.

Note:

In some cases, Essbase uses fewer dimensions to identify tasks than is specified by CALCTASKDIMS or SET CALCTASKDIMS. See the Oracle Essbase Technical Reference.