[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.

[OBIEE 11g] Migration of The Security Stores

Migration of the Security Stores – OBIEE11g

  

To get security setup migrated to say Test environment . One easy way to do this is just up-grade your Test env and during the up-grade process your user/group list will be automatically updated to the security store of 11g and will be automatically done by Upgrade assistant behind the scene. However this is a work around but this process is not the Oracle suggested method for security policy store migration.

The actual process to do this is using the Migration assistant under Security realm of  Weblogic Console. See below image . Go to Export tab and put any directory name where you want the exported copy like : D:\Share\Security …

The .dat file list would be like below:

 

Now once you get this list click on Import button of the target environment (say. Test) and simply click the update button . You will see all list of users and groups will be automatically migrated from Dev to Test .

[OBIEE 11g] Edit Analysis - Criteria Tab

OBIEE 11g Edit Analysis – Criteria Tab

If you have observed in 11.1.1.5 version, there was no direct option to go to criteria tab when clicked on edit analysis. This feature is available now in 11.1.1.6 in my account section.

If you want this feature, click on my account -> Analysis editor and select “Start on Criteria tab when editiing analysis”. click ok.

Next time when you click on edit analysis, the system will take you to criteria tab.

 

[OBIEE 11g] Refresh User Guid's

Refresh User GUID's - OBIEE 11G

- Update the user GUIDs after changing the directory server used as the data source for the authentication provider. If the same user name exists in both directory servers (original and new), the original user GUID may conflict with the user GUID contained in new directory server. 

 A refresh forces the system to reference the user GUID contained in the new directory server. Authentication errors may result if the GUIDs are not refreshed and the system detects a mis-match for the user GUID.

To refresh the user GUIDs:

1.Open the NQSConfig.INI file for editing.Locate the setting FMW_UPDATE_ROLE_AND_USER_REF_GUIDS = NO and change its value to YES.

2. Modify the instanceconfig.xml file to instruct Oracle BI Presentation Server to refresh GUIDs on restart.  Edit the file to add the last line in the following instruction

      3. <ps:Catalog xmlns:ps="oracle.bi.presentation.services/config/v1.1">           <ps:UpgradeAndExit>false</ps:UpgradeAndExit> <ps:UpdateAccountGUIDs>UpdateAndExit<ps:UpdateAccountGUIDs>

From a terminal window, stop and restart the managed processes using the opmnctl parameters stopall and startall. You can use the parameter status to verify process status throughout.

1. Edit the NQSConfig.INI file to reset the FMW_UPDATE_ROLE_AND_USER_REF_GUIDS = YES to NO and restart the Oracle BI Servers.

2. Remove, set to none, or comment out the line (see UpgradeAndExit in the following example) added to the instanceconfig.xml file (that instructs Oracle BI Presentation Server to refresh GUIDs on restart).

<ps:Catalog xmlns:ps="oracle.bi.presentation.services/config/v1.1">

<ps:UpgradeAndExit>false</ps:UpgradeAndExit>

<ps:UpdateAccountGUIDs>none<ps:UpdateAccountGUIDs>

Restart the Presentation Server for the instanceconfig.xml file that was updated.

3.Make sure Oracle WebLogic Server and the system components are also running, if they are not running, restart them.