Why Security-Conscious TM1 Teams Are Moving to On-Premise Visualization

Inherited a TM1 model with no documentation? 

Now you're digging through 27 cubes and 62 rules to fix an APAC forecast issue the CFO needed yesterday. 

Sound familiar? You’re not alone. 

In security-restricted environments where cloud tools are off-limits TM1 admins are still troubleshooting in the dark. No lineage view. No dependency mapping. No audit trail. 

That’s 15+ hours a week lost to guesswork. 

And it’s avoidable. 

At Omni, we’ve worked on 30+ TM1 implementations in heavily regulated industries. Our key finding: Security doesn’t have to come at the cost of model control 

What You'll Learn in This Post 

We’ve created a practical breakdown for security-conscious TM1 teams who want full model visibility without violating compliance protocols. 

✔ Why on-premises TM1 visualization tools are redefining model management 
✔ 4 Hidden Risks of Limited Model Visibility 
✔ 5 practical ways to improve model clarity today 
✔ ROI calculator: Quantify the value of model transparency 
✔ 5-Phase Action Plan for Secure TM1 Model Control

Why Modern TM1 Deployment Models Fall Short 

IBM Planning Analytics (TM1) can run in multiple environments: On-premises, private cloud, IBM-managed SaaS, or hybrid. 

But for specialized sectors like finance, government and healthcare that face strict regulations (Eg. GDPR, HIPAA, SOX), cloud is not just “less secure.” It’s non-compliant. 

This is because only on-premise deployment gives full control over: 

• Data location (Sovereignty) 
• Network isolation (Air-gapped, no external exposure) 
• Custom security controls (Beyond what cloud providers allow) 
• Audit access (Complete log visibility without vendor mediation) 

4 Hidden Risks of Limited Visibility 

Beyond time drain, limited visibility creates significant organizational risks: 

1. Knowledge Concentration 

Critical knowledge will become concentrated among a few experts.  

One banking client discovered that 84% of TM1 model knowledge resided with just two individuals. This created extreme vulnerability when one retired. 

2. Error Propagation 

Model errors will remain undetected for longer periods.  

For 3 months, a pharmaceutical company remained unaware of a process modification that affected 17 downstream cubes. By the time they traced it, the cost totaled to hundreds of man-hours required to debug and fix the issue, and much more in potential system downtime. 

3. Compliance Vulnerability 

Limited visibility hampers audit and compliance activities.  

During a financial services client’s audit, they received regulatory findings that cited "inadequate controls and visibility into financial planning systems" as a material weakness. 

4. Change Risk Aversion 

When your TM1 team cannot clearly see potential downstream impacts, they become more hesitant to make improvements. As a result, necessary changes are not made, delaying critical model enhancements. 

5 Immediate Strategies to Improve TM1 Model Transparency 

While on-premises visualization tools offer the most comprehensive solution, here are 5 immediate strategies that you can implement to improve TM1 model transparency. 

1. Leverage TM1's Native Transparency Features 

Use TI processes like this to regularly export rule definitions, process listings, and cube structures to secure internal repositories.  

TM1 includes several built-in features that can enhance transparency without additional tools: 

Example TI Process to Export Cube Rules for Documentation  

# Define process variables  
sProcess = 'ExportCubeRules';  
sOutputDir = 'D:\TM1_Documentation\Rules\';  
 
# Loop through all cubes  
nCubeCount = DIMSIZ('CubeName');  
nIndex = 1;  
WHILE (nIndex <= sCubeCount);  
    sCubeName = DIMNM('CubeName', nIndex);  
      
# Get rule content  
    sRuleContent = CubeRuleGet(sCubeName);  
      
# Create output file for this cube's rule  
    sFileName = sOutputDir | sCubeName | '_Rule.txt';  
      
# Write rule content to file  
    ASCIIOUTPUT(sFileName, sRuleContent);  
      
# Move to next cube  
    nIndex = nIndex + 1;  

END;  

2. Implement Automated Dependency Tracking 

Instead of static, quickly outdated maps, leverage TM1's REST API to create automated dependency documentation. This method builds self-updating documentation with no manual effort required.  

You can do this via custom coding: 

Example JavaScript using TM1 REST API to track dependencies  

const tm1RestEndpoint = 'https://your-tm1-server/api/v1/Cubes';  
const credentials = Buffer.from('admin:password').toString('base64');  
 
fetch(tm1RestEndpoint, {  
  method: 'GET',  
  headers: {  
    'Authorization': `Basic ${credentials}`,  
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'  
  }  
})  
.then(response => response.json())  
.then(data => {  
  // Process cube data to extract and map dependencies  
  // Store in secure internal documentation system  
})  
.catch(error => console.error('Error fetching TM1 data:', error));  
  

3. Create a Secure Model Governance Framework 

Implement a comprehensive model governance framework that includes: 

1. Ownership matrix: Document clear ownership for each TM1 component 
2. Change control process: Create detailed documentation of all changes 
3. Review cadence: Schedule regular model reviews with business and technical stakeholders 
4. Component tagging: Implement a metadata tagging system for TM1 objects to identify purpose, sensitivity, and dependencies 

This governance framework creates structured visibility, without compromising security.  

4. Develop a Secure Internal Knowledge Repository
 

Create a secure internal knowledge base dedicated to TM1 model documentation: 

1. Use secure collaboration tools like Confluence with appropriate access controls 
2. Create standardized templates to document model components 
3. Implement version control to track documentation changes 
4. Include screenshots and diagrams of model structures where helpful 
5. Maintain a glossary of business terms and their technical implementations 

A large healthcare provider implemented this approach and reduced onboarding time for new TM1 administrators by 65%, while maintaining strict HIPAA compliance. 

5. Implement Security-Focused Code Reviews 

Establish a formal peer review process for TM1 model changes: 

TM1 Change Review Checklist 

1. Security Requirements 

• Does the change maintain appropriate data segregation?  
• Are all new rules and processes aligned with security policies?  
• Does the change create any new data exposure points?  
  

2. Performance Impact  

• Have rule optimizations been considered?  
• Is the change likely to impact processing time for critical workflows?  
   

3. Dependency Analysis  

• Which downstream cubes and processes will be affected? 
• Have all potential calculation impacts been traced?  
  

4. Documentation Requirements  

• Has the change been documented in the knowledge repository?  
• Have dependency diagrams been updated?  
    

Use the checklist we provided above to identify issues before they hit production. 

These 5 practical strategies above act as a temporary fix. However, they are not the most efficient method, and do not provide comprehensive model insight. 

On-Premises Visualization Pays Off in 10-Minutes 

For maximum efficiency and compliance, on-premises visualization tools are the optimal solution. 

From Installation to Insight in 10 Minutes 

On-premises TM1 visualization tools fundamentally change how teams interact with their models: 

1. Instant Dependency Mapping: Visualize entire model structures and dependencies, within minutes rather than days of manual documentation 
2. Interactive Exploration: Trace calculation flows from source to destination in real-time 
3. Impact Analysis: Immediately identify all areas affected by potential changes 
4. Security Alignment: Maintain all data and processing within your existing security perimeter 
5. Immediate Time-to-Value: Resolve model issues in your first session 

A TM1 developer at a manufacturing company shared: " Within 10 minutes of installing our TM1 visualization tool, we found an error that had gone undetected for weeks. The ROI was instantaneous.