An application is a management structure that contains one or more Essbase databases and related files. Essbase applications and databases usually reside on the Essbase Server. The server computer can store multiple applications.
An Essbase database is a data repository that contains a multidimensional data storage array. A multidimensional database supports multiple views of data so that users can analyze the data and make meaningful business decisions.
Files that are related to Essbase databases are called artifacts or objects. Database artifacts perform actions against one or more Essbase databases, such as defining calculations or reporting against data. By default, artifacts are stored in their associated database folder on the server. Some artifacts also can be saved to a client computer or to other available network directories. See Understanding How Essbase Files Are Stored.
The common types of database artifacts in Essbase:
Some of these artifacts are optional, such as calculation scripts, filters, and LROs.
For a complete description of each database artifact, see Understanding Database Artifacts.