Upgrade a Simple install to 11.1.1.7

Upgrading a simple install to 11.1.1.7 from 11.1.1.6.2 BP1

Following on from the previous article on upgrading an enterprise install of OBIEE here's how to do the same for a simple install.

Not as straightforward as the upgrade of the enterprise install where it is all wizard driven. For this upgrade you can start out as for the enterprise upgrade for the first couple of steps and then do the rest manually.

As with the enterprise upgrade do a software only install specifying the middleware home that you want patched

Then run the patch set assistant for the MDS and BIPLATFORM schemas. If you do this step manually make sure that you upgrade MDS first.

Now instead of running the configuration wizard, which runs all the steps for you, you will run the following manually.

Assume the following: 

the simple install is in the directory C:\obiee11g on windows.
our simple install is version 11.1.1.6.2 BP1

1. Upgrade the system components.

cd C:\obiee11g\user_projects\domains\bifoundation_domain\bin
startweblogic.cmd
(once the server is in the RUNNING state)
set ORACLE_HOME=C:\obiee11g\Oracle_BI1
cd C:\obiee11g\instances\instance1\bin
opmnctl startall
cd c:\obiee11g\Oracle_BI1\opmn\bin
--note replace localhost with your servername if appropriate
run 
upgradenonj2eeapp.bat -oracleInstance c:\obiee11g\instances\instance1 -adminHost localhost -adminPort 7001 -adminUsername weblogic

Unregister instance...

Command requires login to weblogic admin server (V01228730):
  Username: weblogic
  Password:

Unregistering instance
Command succeeded.
redeploy NonJ2EEManagement.ear...

Command requires login to weblogic admin server (V01228730):
  Username: weblogic
  Password:

Redeploying NonJ2EEManagement Application...weblogic.Deployer invoked with optio
ns:  -adminurl V01228730:7001 -username weblogic -name NonJ2EEManagement -source
 C:\obiee11g\Oracle_BI1\opmn\applications\NonJ2EEManagement.ear -redeploy -uploa
d -noexit
<23-Apr-2013 14:12:42 o'clock BST> <Info> <J2EE Deployment SPI> <BEA-260121> <In
itiating redeploy operation for application, NonJ2EEManagement [archive: C:\obie
e11g\Oracle_BI1\opmn\applications\NonJ2EEManagement.ear], to configured targets.
>
Task 0 initiated: [Deployer:149026]deploy application NonJ2EEManagement on Admin
Server.
Task 0 completed: [Deployer:149026]deploy application NonJ2EEManagement on Admin
Server.
Target state: redeploy completed on Server AdminServer

Done
Command succeeded.
re-register instance...

Command requires login to weblogic admin server (V01228730):
  Username: weblogic
  Password:

Registering instance
Command succeeded.
Successfully upgraded NonJ2EEManagement.ear and the registeration.
C:\obiee11g\instances\instance1\bin>

2. update the shared libraries and security.

cd C:\obiee11g\user_projects\domains\bifoundation_domain\bin
stopWeblogic.cmd
cd C:\obiee11g\oracle_common\common\bin
wlst
upgradeJRF('c:/obiee11g/user_projects/domains/bifoundation_domain')
upgradeOpss(jpsConfig="c:/obiee11g/user_projects/domains/bifoundation_domain/config/fmwconfig/jps-config.xml", jaznData="c:/obiee11g/oracle_common/modules/oracle.jps_11.1.1/domain_config/system-jazn-data.xml")
exit()

wls:/offline> upgradeJRF('c:/obiee11g/user_projects/domains/bifoundation_domain'
)
upgradeJRF: skip, JRF is up-to-date.
wls:/offline>upgradeOpss(jpsConfig="c:/obiee11g/user_projects/domains/bifoundati
on_domain/config/fmwconfig/jps-config.xml", jaznData="c:/obiee11g/oracle_common/
modules/oracle.jps_11.1.1/domain_config/system-jazn-data.xml")
{upgradeJseStoreType=null, auditStore=null, password=null, user=null, url=null,
jdbcDriver=null, jaznData=c:/obiee11g/oracle_common/modules/oracle.jps_11.1.1/do
main_config/system-jazn-data.xml, jpsConfig=c:/obiee11g/user_projects/domains/bi
foundation_domain/config/fmwconfig/jps-config.xml}
Starting upgrade of opss configuration and security stores.
WLS ManagedService is not up running. Fall back to use system properties for con
figuration.
23-Apr-2013 14:28:05 oracle.security.jps.wls.JpsWlsPlatformFactory$2 run
WARNING: Cannot get server log directory. Reason: Cannot get audit log path by e
nvironment setting..
23-Apr-2013 14:28:07 oracle.security.jps.wls.JpsWlsPlatformFactory$2 run
WARNING: Cannot get server log directory. Reason: Cannot get audit log path by e
nvironment setting..
23-Apr-2013 14:28:07 oracle.security.jps.internal.tools.utility.JpsUtilMigration
AuditStoreImpl migrateAuditStoreData
INFO: Migration of Audit Store data in progress.....
23-Apr-2013 14:28:07 oracle.security.jps.internal.tools.utility.JpsUtilMigration
AuditStoreImpl migrateAuditStoreData
INFO: Migration of Audit Store data completed, Time taken for migration is 00:00
:00
23-Apr-2013 14:28:08 oracle.security.jps.internal.tools.utility.destination.apib
ased.JpsDstPolicy <init>
WARNING: No identity store associated with policy store found.
23-Apr-2013 14:28:09 oracle.security.jps.internal.tools.utility.destination.apib
ased.JpsDstPolicy migrateDataInternal
INFO: Migration of Admin Role Members started
23-Apr-2013 14:28:09 oracle.security.jps.internal.tools.utility.destination.apib
ased.JpsDstPolicy migrateDataInternal
INFO: Migration of Admin Role Members completed in 00:00:00
Upgrade of opss configuration and security stores is done.
wls:/offline>

3. Upgrade the catalog.

edit the instancecofig.xml
and replace the "false" with "true" in the upgradeandexit tag.


cd C:\oracle\Middleware\instances\instance1\bin\

opmnctl startproc ias-component=coreapplication_obips1

then set the instanceconfig.xml back to "false"

opmnctl stopproc ias-component=coreapplication_obips1

4. Start node manager, adminserver, managed server and OPMN.

Manually Enabling BI Composer after Upgrade

This is a two step process:

Firstly you need to extend the Weblogic Domain

1. Shutdown all services - Node manager, Adminserver, Managed Server and OPMN.
2. Start the Configuration Wizard for Weblogic (in the Tools Menu)
3. On the initial scree select Extend an Existing Domain.
4. Next, select the location of your existing domain (bifoundation)
5. On the Select Extension Source screen, select Extend my domain using an existing extension template and enter the location of the oracle.bicomposer_template_11.1.1.jar file.
Usually in ORACLE_HOME/common/templates/applications/oracle.bicomposer_template_11.1.1.jar
6. Continue with the remainder of the Configuration Wizard screens to apply this template.
7. After the template is applied, restart all Oracle Instances, the Administration Server, Managed Servers, and Node Manager.

Secondly - Manually Enable BI Composer:

If you run the Configuration Assistant or the Configuration Wizard, then that program installs the files that are required for BI Composer. Before users can run BI Composer, you must manually enable BI Composer using an MBean.

Start enterprise manager http://yourserver:7001/em

To manually enable BI Composer:

Display the Fusion Middleware Control MBean Browser and lock the domain.

Navigate to the following folder:

Application Defined MBeans,
oracle.biee.admin,
Domain:bifoundation_domain,
BIDomain.BIInstance.PresentationConfiguration

Locate the following MBean:

oracle.biee.admin:type=BIDomain.BIInstance.PresentationConfiguration,biInstance=coreapplication,group=Service

Set the value of the BIComposerEnabled attribute to "true".

Commit the changes and restart the system.

To use Composer as your report creator.

1. Login as normal to OBIEE analytics.
2. Select "My Account"
3. In more recent versions of OBIEE fill in the Wizard radio button in the Analysis Editor section. In older versions of OBIEE you change the Accessibility Mode to ON.

Now when you create a new analysis you will build your "answers" in BI Composer.

OBIEE TNSNames Revisited

Following on from my previous article on OBIEE and the tnsnames file.

If for some reason you have no access to the OBI server, and you have a tnsnames.ora file do not despair.

It is entirely possible to configure a database connection within the connection pool settings. But bear in mind this is not very portable, especially with regards to promoting repositories to production - you will have to edit these details manually, and should be used sparingly. There is a "higher" risk of mistyping details.

So how does it work?

To configure the Oracle BI repository:

1. In the Administration Tool, open the repository in online mode. Online mode is strongly recommended for performing data access security tasks.

2. In the Physical layer, right-click and select New Database. The Database dialog is displayed.

3. For Name, enter a name of your choice.

4. For Database, select the type of database that you have installed for use with Oracle Business Intelligence (typically Oracle 11g).

5. Select the Connection Pool tab and click the Add button. The Connection Pool dialog is displayed.

6. For Name, enter the connection pool name you require.

7. Select the Call interface appropriate for the database (for example, OCI 10g/11g for Oracle Database). For Data source name, provide the information that is appropriate for the database that you have installed and configured for use with Oracle Business Intelligence. For example, for Oracle Database, enter a connection string similar to the following:

(DESCRIPTION=(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=TCP)(HOST=192.168.1.130)(PORT=1521))(CONNECT_DATA=(SERVER=DEDICATED)(SERVICE_NAME=BIOracle)(SID=BIOracl)))

When connecting to an Oracle Database data source, you can include the entire connect string, or you can use the net service name defined in the tnsnames.ora file. As we have no tnsnames file to provide a net service name we use the method above.If you examine a tns entry in the tnsnames.ora file you should see that it is a fairly straightforward job to build the required string above.

8. Select Shared logon and enter values for User name and Password. In this step, you provide the user/schema name and password that you require to access the physical tables/views/synonyms.

9. Click OK in the Connection Pool dialog.

10. Click OK in the Database dialog.

OBIEE 11.1.1.7 Upgrade

I have just upgraded a test server from OBIEE 11.1.1.6.2 BP1 to the latest and greatest version 11.1.1.7

After past experiences of upgrade I was half expecting to have no nails left and be pulling my hair out, but this time it went right.

Note: If you are running a simple install, ie. everything runs from port 7001, this whole process will not work for you, and at some stage in the next week or two I'll document exactly what you have to do.

This is for the Enterprise Install only.

Software Only Installer

1. Shut down all BI processes, OPMN and node manager.
2. Run the installer and choose Software only install.
    The installer will do a few checks.
    Find the default middleware home
    Find the weblogic install
    and finally start the install.

So that is fairly painless and in about 20 minutes or so you have updated binaries.

Patch Set Assistant

1. Navigate to {middleware home}/oracle_common/bin directory

2. Run psa.bat
3. Select the component to upgrade. (Oracle Business Intelligence)
4. Then, much like most of the GUI installers, fill in the connection details of the MDS and BIPLATFORM schemas.

5. Once you verify you have backed up and are running an appropriate version of the database

6. You are asked to upgrade.

Start Weblogic

Now start the Node Manager Service 

and, navigate to {middleware_home}\user_projects\domains\bifoundation_domain\bin

and run startWebLogic.cmd

When the server is in the running state

Configuration Assistant

1. Start the configuration assistant

   {middleware_home}\Oracle_BI1\bin and run config.bat

2. Select the upgrade option

3. Fill in the details to connect to the admin server (usually 7001)

4. And off it goes.

The configuration assistant will do stopping and starting of all the appropriate services at various times and leave you with a updated OBIEE 11.1.1.7 

Compared to the previous updates this was easy, but be warned, updating a simple install means that you have to do all the steps covered by the configuration assistant manually.

I'm just getting to grips with the new features and visualisations, and hope to bring you more over the coming weeks.

Update
Here are the manual steps for upgrading a simple install. Please keep me informed of any issues you encounter.

OBIEE 11.1.1.7.0 now available

Over the Easter break Oracle released the latest incarnation of OBIEE 11.1.1.7.0.

Follow the link to the Oracle page and select the download tab.

http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/middleware/bi-enterprise-edition/overview/index.html

For those of you interested in upgrading to the latest and greatest, now's your chance. I'll include be upgrading myself and will let you know how it goes, and what to watch out for.

I have successfully upgraded a server to 11.1.1.7 and you can read about it here, it's sooo easy for once.

For those of you with a simple install (everything running on port 7001) it is slightly different so also read this article.

OBIEE and Oracle TIMESTAMP WITH TIME ZONE columns

A short one today.

I recently had cause to report off a table (lots of dynamic real-time stuff) where there was a column defined as TIMESTAMP(6) WITH TIME ZONE.

Unfortunately OBIEE doesn't seem to understand this too well, and anyway all I'm interested in is the date and time, all the timezone stuff is not required for reporting (phew).

There is a way to change the TIMESTAMP(6) WITH TIME ZONE column to a date and it passes a couple of the best practice tests, mainly that it is performed in the database, as far back down the chain as possible and secondly that no new invented code is used, only existing Oracle functionality.

The column in question is LOG_DATE defined as TIMESTAMP(6) WITH TIME ZONE, and to change this to a date column use CAST.

CAST (log_date AS DATE) AS log_date

As the command is fairly self explanatory, I'll stop here.