[OBIEE 11g] Understanding The Key Concepts

Understanding the key concepts of OBIEE 11G

• Middleware Home A Middleware home consists of the WebLogic Server home, and optionally one or more other Oracle product homes (also known as Oracle homes). The Oracle Fusion Middleware home is represented in path names as MW_HOME.
• WebLogic Server Home A WebLogic Server home contains installed files necessary to host a WebLogic Server. The WebLogic Server home directory is a peer of other Oracle home directories underneath the middleware home directory. In path names, it is represented as WLS_HOME.
• Oracle Common Home The Oracle home that contains the binary and library files required for the Oracle Enterprise Manager Fusion Middleware Control and Java Required Files (JRF). In path names, it is represented as ORACLE_COMMON_HOME.
• Oracle Home An Oracle home contains installed files necessary to host a specific software suite. An Oracle home resides within the directory structure of the Middleware home. Each Oracle home can be associated with multiple Oracle instances. The Oracle home is usually represented in path names as ORACLE_HOME. Each Oracle home can be associated with multiple Oracle instances or Weblogic server domains.
• Oracle Instance In 11g Release 1 (11.1.1), product configuration data has been separated from product binaries. The product binaries reside in the Oracle home, ORACLE_HOME, while updatable files reside in an Oracle instance, represented in path names as ORACLE_INSTANCE. All configuration files, repositories, log files, deployed applications, and temporary files reside in an oracle instance. Keeping updatable files separate from non-updatable files facilitates administrative tasks such as patching, upgrades, backup and restore, and cloning. It allows administrators to have their run-time and install-time binaries follow independent life cycles.
• User_projects The User Projects directory is created when you create or configure a domain. A domain is a peer of an Oracle instance. Both contain specific configurations outside of their Oracle homes.An Oracle WebLogic Server domain is a logically related group of Java components. A domain includes a special Oracle WebLogic Server instance called the Administration Server, which is the central point from at which configuration and management of all resources in the domain occur. Usually, you configure an additional domain to include additional Oracle WebLogic Server instances called Managed Servers. You can deploy Java components, such as Web applications, Enterprise Java Beans (EJB), and Web services, and other resources to the Managed Servers and uses the Administration Server for configuration and management purposes only.

The above holds true for all the Fusion Middleware components, but I’m interested specifically at my new BI system.

• BI Domain A BI Domain consists of Java components that are deployed into one or more Java EE (JEE) containers within a single Weblogic domain; system (non-JEE) components and processes; and required configuration files, metadata repositories, and infrastructure.
• Administration Server A JEE container that runs in a dedicated Java virtual machine that contains Java components for administering the system.
• Managed Server A JEE container that runs in a dedicated Java virtual machine that provides the run-time environment for the Java-based services and applications within the system. An Oracle BI domain contains one or more Managed Servers that are distributed across one or more host computers.
• Java Components Java components are deployed as JEE applications to service SOAP, HTTP, and other forms of requests.
• Node Manager Node Manager provides process management services for the Administration Server and Managed Server processes.
• System Components System components are deployed as server processes and provide the core services that enable Oracle Business Intelligence.
• OPMN OPMN (Oracle Process Manager and Notification server) maintains the Oracle Business Intelligence system component processes.
• Other Oracle BI Domain Contents The Oracle BI domain also contains all the necessary software, metadata, configuration files, RPD files, Oracle BI Presentation Catalog, connection and database configuration information that are required to run an Oracle Business Intelligence system.

The documentation also lists the spceific java and system components of my BI system, and explains the system administration tools available for managing OBI:

• Fusion Middleware Control used to monitor, manage, and configure Oracle Business Intelligence System Components.
• Oracle WebLogic Server Administration Console to monitor and manage Oracle Business Intelligence JEE Java Components.
• Oracle Process Manager and Notification Server (OPMN) Tool to manage Oracle Business Intelligence System Components (for advanced users).
• Oracle Weblogic Scripting Tool (WLST) to programmatically administer Oracle Business Intelligence.
• Oracle BI Administration Tool to manage the Metadata Repository.