Lab 10: Automating Site Operations

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In this lab you will learn how to use the Model Builder Data Transformation Services (DTS) task to schedule data import from your Commerce Server databases into the Data Warehouse. The Model Builder DTS task allows users to schedule rebuilds of models, assuring that models will be built even if failovers occur during the build (for example, database or Predictor service failures). The Model Builder DTS task should be run after manually configuring the Predictor resource.

You use the Predictor resource to build analysis models manually before you use the Model Builder task to rebuild models. After you build a model manually using the Predictor resource, you can use the Model Builder task to schedule automatic rebuilding of the analysis model. For more information about manually configuring the Predictor resource, see Configuring the Predictor Resource.

The frequency of updating analysis models depends upon the amount of new data being collected in the Commerce Server databases and Web logs (for example, if there is a significant change in your users and users behavior, product catalogs, or marketing campaigns). Each time an analysis model is built, it is based on the data currently in the Data Warehouse. It is important to import new data into the Data Warehouse.

You should re-build analysis models on a regular basis to maximize business value and the effectiveness of the Predictor resource.

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  • Build one analysis model at a time. If you schedule two or more models to be built simultaneously, the DTS task will fail. To schedule building multiple models, you must schedule them to run one after another.

Step 1: Configuring the Model Builder DTS Task

  1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Commerce Server 2002, and then click Commerce Server Manager

  2. Expand Microsoft SQL Server, expand SQL Server Group, and then expand the server on which your Data Warehouse is installed.

  3. Right-click Data Transformation Services, and then click New Package.

    Alternatively, if you are changing an existing package, right-click Data Transformation Services, click All Tasks, and then select Open Package. Select the package you want to change, and then click Open.

  4. On the Task menu, click Model Builder (Commerce Server).

  5. In the Model Builder Properties dialog box, do the following:

    Use this To do this
    Description Type Rebuild the Transactions model from the Predictor Demo site.
    Source type Select Site from the drop-down list.

    You use the Site option to update only the selected site, and the Data Warehouse option to update all the sites sharing the same Data Warehouse. You use the same analysis models for all of them.
    Site name Select PredictorDemo from the drop-down list.
    Model to rebuild Select Transactions model from the drop-down list.

    Multiple models with the same name can reside in the same Data Warehouse provided they originate from different sites.

    The Model Builder DTS task provides an option to archive the old analysis model when rebuilding it. Using archived analysis models you can analyze differences between new and old models to identify changes in user behavior trends. An archived analysis model can also serve as a backup when the current model is unusable. You can archive analysis models by names, version, or date.

  6. In the Archive properties section, do the following:

    Use this To do this
    Archive current model Select this check box to archive the analysis model.

    If you do not select this option, your existing analysis model will be overwritten.
    Archived model name suffix Select Date of rebuild, Version number, or Custom archive name from the drop-down list.
    Archived model name If you selected Version number, the archived model name would be Transactions.0, and future incremental archives would be Transactions.1, Transactions.2, and so forth.

  7. In the Retry properties section, do the following:

    Use this To do this
    Number of retry attempts Accept the default number of retry attempts of 10 times.
    Seconds between retries Accept the default time interval of 30 seconds.

  8. Click OK.

  9. On the Package menu, click Execute.

    The Executing Package dialog box appears, showing the progress of your import. When the import process is complete, the Package Execution Results dialog box informs you it completed successfully.

  10. Click OK, and then click Done.

The specified analysis model is rebuilt with current data from the Data Warehouse.

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