Hyperion Essbase Audit Logs Turning Off Without Notification

Audit logs, or SSAUDIT, are a crucial component of backing up Hyperion Essbase applications in many environments.  It is the equivalent of a transaction log in a relational database.  To use this effectively, the audit log has to consistently log database changes.

If the audit feature in Hyperion Essbase is used, the following information is absolutely critical to know to effectively manage this feature.  If the application is on a shared environment where multiple groups/people are administering the applications, it is critical that everybody understands this, and plays nicely together!

The audit logs are turned off without any notification when the following actions occur on an Essbase server.  To turn the audit feature back on, the Essbase application in question has to be stopped and started.  It is not required to cycle the Essbase service.

• Any operation that causes a database restructure.
• The creation of a new application
• The creation a new database
• Copying a database
• Renaming a database

After any of these operations occurs on the server, stop and start all applications that use the audit feature.