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Add an HFM Data Source

You must add a Hyperion Financial Management (HFM) data source so that CDM users can use to create and refresh HFM formulas at the report object level.

Users do not create queries using an HFM data source. After an HFM server is defined, users can create and refresh HFM formulas. These formulas are resolved when a report is generated.

Supported HFM Formulas

These HFM formulas are supported:

  • HsGetValue
    Retrieves data from a data source for the dimension members that you specify.
  • HsGetText
    Retrieves the cell's text description from a data source for the dimension members that you specify.
  • HsLabel
    Displays the default member label for a specified dimension member.
  • HsCurrency
    Retrieves the currency value of the specified dimension member.
  • HsDescription
    Displays the description of the specified dimension member.

Setup

To connect to HFM from CDM, deploy the CDM Data Source Connector on the HFM server machine. The DSC files are provided by Certent CDM Support upon request.

Prerequisites

  • JDK 25 deployed on the HFM server
  • Java certificate converter (recommended: openSSL)

Unsecured Connection Configuration with Java 25

CDM Server Side

No configuration is required. Confirm the values below.

In CDM.config, confirm that useSecureConnection is set to false in DataSourceConnector under <DataSources>.

<DataSources>
<DataSourceConnector useSecureConnection="false" ></DataSourceConnector>

Configuration folder: {CDM Server installer folder}\Connector\Config\CDM.config.

Default location: C:\inetpub\wwwroot\CognosDM-Server\Connector\Config.

HFM Server Side

  1. Run the config.bat file from CDM Data Source Connector and enter the required data:
    • javaw.exe location (default location for JDK 25: C:\Oracle\Middleware\Java\jdk-25\jdk-25_2\bin\javaw.exe).
    • jar.exe location (default location: C:\Oracle\Middleware\Java\jdk-25\jdk- 25_2\bin\jar.exe ).
    • EPM Home directory (default: C:\Oracle\Middleware\EPMSystem11R1).
    • EPM Instance directory (default: C:\Oracle\Middleware\user_projects\epmsystem1).
    • hfmconnector.jar file (default: D:\jdk-25- hfm\DeployHfmConnector\hfmconnector.jar ).
    • Port the connector should listen on (default: 7911).
    • Type false when prompted for a secure connection.
  2. After the configuration process is completed, run the start.bat file to start the Connector.

Verify the Unsecured Connector Port

Run the following command in Command Prompt, replacing 7911 if you configured a different port:

netstat -ano | findstr "7911"

Expected result:

TCP 0.0.0.0:7911 0.0.0.0:0 LISTENING 5104
TCP [::]:7911 [::]:0 LISTENING 5104

Secured Connection Configuration with Java 25

CDM Server Side

  1. Import the certificate you want to use for the connection in IIS in the Server Certificates area. Alternately, the certificate can be created in IIS directly using the IIS manager and exported to file.
  2. In the CDM.config file from the Connector web application (default location: C:\inetpub\wwwroot\CognosDM-Server\Connector\Config\CDM.config), modify the DataSourceConnector key as follows:

    <DataSourceConnector useSecureConnection="true" serverCertificateName="%certificateNamefromIIS%" sslProtocols="Tls12"/>

    The sslProtocols attribute is set to Tls12 by default because Java 25 data source connections require TLS 1.2.

  3. Perform an IIS reset.

HFM Server Side

The certificate file from the CDM Server-side configuration must be converted to a keystore file with a .jks extension. Use any utility that supports this conversion. Certent recommends OpenSSL, which is used during internal testing.

Convert the Certificate Using Certent Recommended Method

  1. Copy the certificate from the CDM Server to the HFM server.
  2. Run the certconvert.bat file from the CDM Data Source Connector and enter the required data:
    • Certificate file path (for example: C:\Certificate.pfx).
    • Certificate password (the one it was exported with).
    • Path to the OpenSSL executable (default: C:\Program Files\OpenSSL-Win64-v1.1.1\bin\openssl.exe).
    • Path to the keytool executable from the deployed JDK 25 (default: C:\Oracle\Middleware\Java\jdk-25\jdk-25_2\bin\keytool.exe).
    • Password for the resulting keystore.

After this operation is completed, an hfmconnect.jks keystore file is created in the CDM Data Source Connector directory. This file is used to configure the Connector. The default connector path is D:\jdk-25-hfm\DeployHfmConnector\hfmconnector.jar.

Configure and Start the Connector

  1. Run the config.bat from the CDM Data Source Connector directory and enter the required data:
    • javaw.exe location (default location for JDK 25: C:\Oracle\Middleware\Java\jdk-25\jdk-25_2\bin\javaw.exe).
    • jar.exe location (default location: C:\Oracle\Middleware\Java\jdk-25\jdk- 25_2\bin\jar.exe ).
    • EPM Home directory (default: C:\Oracle\Middleware\EPMSystem11R1).
    • EPM Instance directory (default: C:\Oracle\Middleware\user_projects\epmsystem1).
    • hfmconnector.jar file (default: D:\jdk-25- hfm\DeployHfmConnector\hfmconnector.jar).T
    • Port the connector should listen on (default: 7925).
    • Type true when prompted for a secure connection.
    • Path to the jks keystore (default: <HFMConnectorPath>\hfmconnect.jks).
    • Password for the keystore.
  2. After the configuration process is completed, run the start.bat file to start the Connector.

Verify the Secured Connector Port

Run the following command in Command Prompt, replacing 7925 if you configured a different port:

netstat -ano | findstr "7925"

Expected result:

TCP 0.0.0.0:7925 0.0.0.0:0 LISTENING 54033
TCP [::]:7925 [::]:0 LISTENING 54033

Add a HFM Data Source

  1. In CDM, do either of the following to open the Data Source Connectivity tab in the work area:
    • Click the File tab, then navigate to Administration > External Data > Data Source Connectivity.
    • Click the Home tab, then in the Navigation Pane, click Administration and double-click Data Source Connectivity under External Data.
  2. Click Home > Add > HFM Data Source, or right-click any existing data source in the work area and click Add > HFM Data Source.
  3. Specify the connection parameters.
  4. Click Test Connection.
    • If the connection succeeds, the Connection successful icon Connection successful icon is displayed.
    • If the connection fails, the Connection test failed icon The connection test failed icon is displayed. Check with the database administrator to ensure that the database server is running and that you have the correct parameters. You can also expand the error message to see further details to help you troubleshoot the connection.
  5. Click OK.

Users can now refresh HFM formulas that use the data source. These formulas are resolved when a report is generated.

Connection Parameters for HFM Data Source

To connect to HFM as one of your data sources in CDM, use the following parameters:

Parameter

Description

Name

Enter the name of the data source connection. This will have to be referenced in all HFM formulas.

Description

Specify a description for the data source. This is optional.

Expiration Policy

Select the expiration policy. Expiration policies determine when the cached data must be refreshed from the underlying external data sources.

HFM Connection Type

Select which HFM version to connect to:

  • For HFM 11.1.2.3 and earlier, select Autodetect HFM version.

  • For HFM 11.1.2.4 and later, select Use Data Source Connector.

EPM Server name

Enter the name of the machine where HFM is installed, without the domain.

HFM Connection Port

Enter the port that was defined during HFM Connector configuration (default: 7911) .

Server Name (see EPM)

Enter the server name that was defined in EPM, without the domain.

Cluster Name

Enter the cluster name that has been defined in EPM (visible in the EPM System Configurator), without the domain.

Use current Active Directory user

Select this option if you want to use the user that is logged into the CDM client for data retrieval.

Domain

Enter the domain where the user is located.

Username

Enter the username of a user that has access to the HFM DB.

Password

Enter the password for the user.

URL

Optional: Smart View URL.

Application

Select the name of the application where the data is located.

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