Database Save settings

OLAP is an in-memory technology. For performance reasons, the data that you work with is held in active memory. Changes that you make to that data are held only in memory and are lost in the event of an irregular shutdown. Best practice is to save changed data back to disk regularly. This is distinct from backing up the database and is analogous to saving your files regularly when working with a word processing application, for example.

You can specify that an OLAP database is automatically saved to disk. You can also specify the minimum interval between saves. Saving and database changing operations can block each other. It is possible that some of them are delayed or even time-out.

These requests can be time-consuming and can be sent in parallel with a database save operation:

Every MDX query except those containing the SplashValue, WriteComment, WriteProperty, and WriteValue functions, and those using session members.
Cube Read XML function when using a data area.
Exporting cube data to a file.
Dimension Read XML function.
Exporting a dimension hierarchy.

You should specify a save interval that keeps a balance between the likely number of data changes and the need to minimize disruption to users.

You can trigger a save operation manually when the corresponding button is enabled. The button may be disabled when certain operations are in progress and is enabled again when these operations are finished.

Follow these steps to configure the automatic saving:

Select Dashboards > OLAP > Save and Backup.
The Database Save widget shows the time at which the next save is scheduled, and the time elapsed since the last save.
In the Databases widget, select the database to administer.
In the Database Save widget, select Save Database Automatically.
Select the appropriate time zone and specify this information:

First Save At

Select the time at which the database is first saved to disk and click Set Time.

Save Interval

Specify the interval after the first save, at which the database is saved automatically.
Click Save Settings.