WebSphere Commerce Analyzer
WebSphere Commerce Analyzer is an optional application included with WebSphere Commerce. When installed, it can provide a robust business intelligence solution designed to analyze and report on the activities of your customers. It is the tool used by WebSphere Commerce to perform business intelligence and analytics.
Important: Ensure that the WebSphere Commerce Analyzer and WebSphere Commerce are installed on two different machines.
How WebSphere Commerce Analyzer works
Customers use Web browsers to shop at a store that was created using WebSphere Commerce. During a shopping session, a customer browses the products, views the displayed ads, and might purchase products. WebSphere Commerce collects detailed data such as the products and ads that were viewed and the items that were purchased during each session. This customer session data is stored on the WebSphere Commerce database.
WebSphere Commerce Analyzer replicates the customer session data, along with product and promotion data from the WebSphere Commerce database, into staging tables on the WebSphere Commerce Analyzer server. Once the staging tables are populated, WebSphere Commerce Analyzer runs the Extract, Transform and Load (ETL) process. This process transforms the data into a star schema that can be used for reporting and stores it in the WebSphere Commerce Analyzer's database, which is known as the data mart.
To keep the data mart up to date, WebSphere Commerce Analyzer can be scheduled to automatically replicate and extract, transform, and load (ETL) data from the WebSphere Commerce database on a regular basis. WebSphere Commerce Analyzer then processes logs and numerous database records to compile reports based on customer traffic and site usage. Replication must run at least as often as ETL and can run more often if desired. Refer to Replication and extract, transform, and load (ETL) processes and Customizing Extract, Transform and Load (ETL) processes for more detail.
Who uses WebSphere Commerce Analyzer?
There are three types of WebSphere Commerce Analyzer users: system administrators, business analysts, and business managers.
The system administrator installs, configures, and maintains the WebSphere Commerce Analyzer server. The system administrator also performs the following tasks:
- Administers DB2
- Schedules the replication and ETL processes
- Performs maintenance activities, such as backups, on the WebSphere Commerce Analyzer server
- Diagnoses and resolves problems that might occur
The business analyst is knowledgeable about data analysis. For WebSphere Commerce Analyzer, the business analyst works with the system administrator to define how the business reports are customized.
The business manager is concerned with the store's business operations. Using the results of the WebSphere Commerce Analyzer reports, the business manager develops the marketing strategy, determines the types of customers the store's marketing activities target and plans promotional events and their associated advertising.
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