Upgrading to BI 4.

2
Basics and Best Practices
Sathish Rajagopal, SAP
January 30, 2018

PUBLIC
Agenda

Upgrading to BI 4.2 - How to best plan and execute the Upgrade project;

 Upgrade strategy
 BusinessObjects BI versions and Upgrade paths
 Things to do prior and post Update and Upgrade
 Product enhancements and how they further improve the Upgrade experience
 Key Takeaways and Useful Resources
 Q&A

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BusinessObjects BI Upgrade: Basics
Upgrade Strategy

Three key elements to a solid upgrade strategy;

 Defining the scope (The What)

 Learning the value drivers/value proposition (The Why)

 Blueprinting the upgrade workflow (The How)

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BusinessObjects BI versions and Upgrade paths

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BI4.2 Upgrade Paths - Update

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Key Considerations: Update Project

 When you are on BI 4.0 or BI 4.1, the process of moving to BI 4.2 is called “in-place” Update.
Because it’s a single step process, you can also call it as “one step upgrade”

 Again, there is no need to migrate or move your objects from one system to other. But similar to
applying a patch or support pack, you will apply BI 4.2 on top of your BI 4.0 / 4.1 system

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Things to do prior to Update – Preparing Update Checklist

 Communicating to the end users about the upgrade

 Don’t’ forget to stop the scheduled report refresh

 Backup the repositories – CMS, Audit and FRS

 Run the RepoScan utility to find the anomalies

 Run the Platform Support Tool to capture the system snapshot and more

 Disable system updates such as regular OS, third party components’ update etc.

 Review the latest Platform Support document (PAM) to make sure the versions/releases are
supported, including third party software components

 If you have add-ons in your deployment, make sure to download and have the required
components ready to move to BI 4.2

 Request for the new license key

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Things to do post Update – Preparing Update Checklist

 Enter the new license key that you received from SAP for the BI 4.2 system

 Check and validate to make sure all the required services are running, including by verifying the
corresponding .exes are running ok using task manager

 Make sure to check and apply the changes or any customization done previously in system files
such as “server.xml”

 Make sure to run / execute any relevant add-on installation, if applicable

 Perform random check on authentication, authorization, report access etc. to make sure
everything works fine post update

 In addition, it’s also recommended to run tools / utilities like RepoScan, Platform Support Tool to
make sure everything is comparable to prior and post update snapshots

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BI4.2 Upgrade Paths - Upgrade

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Key Considerations: Update Project

 Upgrading from BOE XI 3.1 or BOE XI R2 SP2+ to BI 4.2 is what we call as a two-step process;
▪ Install and configure up your new BI 4.2 system
▪ Move objects from source (3.x or R2) to target (4.2) using Upgrade Management Tool

 Understand the value drivers / value proposition in moving to the latest release ( BI4.2) to secure
proper resources and support

 Do proper planning and upgrade assessment before executing your upgrade project

 Make sure to follow proper methodology for successful completion of your upgrade project

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Things to do prior Upgrade – Preparing Upgrade Checklist

 Disabling default system database updates

 Pausing scheduled report instances

 Clearing CMS temp storage

 Stopping those (not required to run during upgrade) BI platform services

 Running RepoScan (on the source system)

 Making sure to learn the new features in Upgrade Management Tool and how it can impact the
overall upgrade process

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Recommendations

 Decide on the upgrade method – incremental or complete upgrade?

 Revisiting the requirements and accordingly sizing the new BI 4.2 environment is very important

 Understand the importance of optimal server configuration (starting with APS , WAS and so on)

 Review the security model and learn the differences between release to come-up with proper
implementation plan

 It’s recommended to host the Upgrade Management Tool (UMT) on a dedicated server for better
throughput / performance

 We did talk about upgrade assessment but it’s worth mentioning again about “content inventory”.
This will significantly help determine to move the right number of objects to BI 4.2

 Run a mock test of the upgrade workflow in UMT to accurately estimate the efforts, time and
duration of the upgrade project

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Things to do post Upgrade

 Enabling and re-starting all BI services

 Creating the required data source connections

 Verifying or creating (if security is not migrated) the security model in BI 4.2 landscape

 Resuming the (stopped) scheduled report instances

 Enabling default system (such as anti-virus) and other operating system updates (that was
paused before the upgrade)

 Be familiar of the known issues and perform proper testing and validation before releasing the
new BI 4.2 landscape to end users

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Product Enhancements - FAQ
Full install for updating? Think again…
How should you do it?

How should you update from BI 4.x to another BI 4.x ?

▪ Apply the ‘update’ package

– From any BI 4.x to another other BI 4.x (e.g. BI 4.0 SP4 to BI 4.2 SP4)
– Direct update, no need to go via any particular version

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Full install for updating? Think again…
Misconceptions

▪ Full install is needed to save disk space (not entirely true)

– Older Support Packs and Patches can be uninstalled
– However, older ‘add-ons’, cannot be uninstalled

▪ Full install is needed for new features (not true)

– New features can be added by ‘modify’ installation
▫ Applicable for Languages as well as product components

▪ Full install is somehow ‘cleaner’

– Against an existing repository (not true)
– Alternative is a new repository and migrate content at huge cost

▪ Full install is needed when changing Operating Systems or CMS database vendor (not true)
– Repository and Cluster management alternatives are far more suitable

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Update ‘rules’
Workflow B Workflow A

Installed: Installed:
Update Server software before Client software Any BI 4.x SP x Patch x Any BI 4.x SP x Patch x
E.g. BI 4.0 Support E.g. BI 4.0 Support
Pack 5 Patch 3 Pack 5 Patch 3

Client software
Server software Client Software
must never be
(Support Pack or Patch (Support Pack or Patch
applied before
Level) Level)
server software

Client Software Server software

(Support Pack or Patch (Support Pack or Patch
Level) Level)
All software on a machine must be the same
version, no mismatched client-server versions Supported Not supported

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Update ‘rules’ Workflow C Workflow D

Installed: Installed:
Any BI 4.x SP x Patch x Any BI 4.x SP x Patch x
E.g. BI 4.0 Support E.g. BI 4.0 Support
Pack 5 Patch 3 Pack 5 Patch 3

Update to same Support Pack level

before updating to same Patch Level
Server software Server software
(Support Pack Level) (Support Pack Level)

Server software
Client Software is on a different
Server software
(Support Pack Level) Support Pack
(Patch Level)
level to the client
software

Server software Client Software

(Patch Level)
Notice server and client software (Support Pack Level)

updated to same level before starting

next update
Client Software Client Software
(Patch Level) (Patch Level)

Supported Not supported

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 Update ‘rules’

Each node must go through the update Must never mismatch node and repository version
▪ You must update at least 1 node within the cluster ▪ Can’t just install new software on a new machine and
▪ You must update all(*) other nodes within the cluster point it to an old repository
▪ * You don’t have to update nodes that will be deleted

CMS database
CMS database Version 4.1

Node 1 Node 2 Node 3

Node 1 Node 2 Node 3
(Version 4.1) (Version 4.1) (Version 4.2)

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Update ‘rules’

Update servers either Node 1 Node 2 Node 3 Node 4

(has a CMS running (has a CMS running (does not have a CMS (does not have a CMS
▪ In series
on it) on it) running on it) running on it)
– One server after another
– CMS servers first

▪ In parallel Once complete. Then..

– CMS servers first Node 1 Node 3
(has a CMS running (does not have a CMS
– Then non-CMS servers on it) running on it)

Node 2 Node 4
(has a CMS running (does not have a CMS
on it) running on it)
▪ Add-ons must be installed separately
In Parallel In Parallel

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 Phase-wise Update
Split install into 2 steps
Phase-wise
Install
(cache files)
Standard Install
No Downtime
(cache file and
install)
Phase-wise
Downtime Install
(actual install)

Downtime

Phase wise installation splits the install into 2 steps

▪ Cache files (no downtime)

▪ Actual file installation (requires reduced amount of downtime)

▪ Requires BI 4.2 Support Pack 3 onwards

▪ Command Line install also supports this feature
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Deploy Web Apps Later
Deploy Web Apps just once to save downtime

Updates Updates Updates

Installs Web Installs Web Installs Web
Applicaitons Applicaitons Applicaitons
After each and every install Installer Installer Installer

Support Pack Add-on (Lumira) Add-on (Explorer)

▪ Web Applications are:
– Uninstalled
Updates
– Re-packaged for new content Installs Installs Installs Web
Applicaitons Downtime saved
– Re-deployed Installer Installer Installer
Support Pack Add-on Add-on (Explorer)
(Lumira)
From BI 4.2 Support Pack 3
▪ Web Applications can be updated just once,
on the last install
▪ If you forget to deploy on the last, just run wdeploy

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Adding / Removing Nodes CMS database
Changing OS or CMS RDBMS

Rule
Node 1 Node 2
▪ Must be the same version
Windows Windows

Changing Operating System CMS database

▪ Simply adding nodes to existing cluster
▪ Deleting nodes from the cluster
Node 1 Node 2 Node 3 Node 4
Changing RDMBS for the CMS Database Windows Windows Unix Unix
▪ Use the CCM-CMS Database Setup-Copy
CMS database

Node 3 Node 4

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Unix Unix 24
Adding / Removing Nodes
Repointing new install to existing Repository CMS database CMS database

Rule
▪ Must be the same version Node 1 Node 2 Node 3

New Nodes:
▪ Could be a ‘full’ installation and not patched like other nodes
CMS database CMS database
Adding “Node 3” into existing CMS database
▪ Central Configuration Manager: Add Node - Recreate node
▪ Specify exact same name, “Node 3” in this example
▪ Specify new CMS database Node 1 Node 2 Node 3

▪ All services defined will be re-created but against new Repository

▪ If any Add-ons are installed, must ‘repair’ the Add-on

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Mass copy of Repository content: Promotion Management Wizard (BI 4.2 SP05)
Repository Consolidation and other use cases

Merge complete
CMS database contents
Duplicate selective
content
CMS database CMS database CMS database
CMS database
Production Test

New ‘Client’ Tool: Promotion Management Wizard

▪ Supports true mass promotion of objects and suitable for above use-cases
– Complete Repository
– or Selective Content
– Live-to-Live, LCMBAIR-to-Live*, Live-to-LCMBAIR
▫ * LCMBIAR selective not supported with initial version
▪ Significant performance improvement
– Live to Live promotion took 2.5 hours for 65,000 objects
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Promotion Management Tools Comparison

Promotion Management Promotion Management Promotion Management

Web (CMC) Command Line Wizard (new client tool)
(LCMCLI)
Purpose Project Automation One mass promotion
Truly massive
Objects <1000 objects / job Significate number / job
(limit only by RAM)
Rollback Yes No No
Save the job Yes Yes No
Schedule Supported Partial No
Client
Executed on Server Server (but part of Server
installer)
▪ Same LCMBIAR files can be used by all tools
▪ Same rules for source and target versions for all tools
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New Promotion Management Wizard

First level
▪ Second level
– Third level

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Useful Resources and Key Takeaways
Useful Resources…..1

Key SAP BI Upgrade Resources;

• BI4.2 Virtual Upgrade Workshop : http://scn.sap.com/community/bi-platform/blog/2016/07/18/announcing-the-
launch-of-sap-businessobjects-bi-42-upgrade-virtual-technical-workshop-online-videos
• SAP BI Pattern Books : https://wiki.scn.sap.com/wiki/display/BOBJ/Business+Intelligence+Platform+-
+Pattern+Books+Index

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Useful Resources…2

SAP BI Recommended Links

• Watch SAP Analytics Customer Stories : http://www.SAPAnalyticsStory.com
• SAP BI Statement of Direction : http://bit.ly/SAPBI_SOD
• SAP BI Recourse Center : www.sapbi.com
• Official tutorials for SAP BI : http://sap.com/learnbi
• Choosing the right BI Client : http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-38981
• SAP BI Sizing : www.sap.com/bisizing
• SAP BI Platform Support Tool : http://wiki.scn.sap.com/wiki/display/BOBJ/SAP+BI+Platform+Support+Tool

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Useful Resources…3

SAP Generic Links

• SAP Community Network : https://www.sap.com/community.html
• SAP Road Maps in SMP : https://www.sap.com/products/roadmaps.products-solutions.html
• Product Documentation : http://help.sap.com
• Product Availability Matrix : https://apps.support.sap.com/sap/support/pam
• Maintenance schedule : https://support.sap.com/en/release-upgrade-maintenance/maintenance-
information/schedules-for-maintenance-deliveries.html
• Remote Supportability: https://support.sap.com/remote-support.html

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Key Takeaways

✓ (Be)Aware of the SAP BusinessObjects BI maintenance schedule

✓ Understand your current BusinessObjects version and suitable upgrade path

✓ Learn the business and technical considerations and review them carefully before starting the
upgrade project

✓ Plan and execute a proper upgrade assessment exercise before kick starting the workflows

✓ Make sure to study the new features/innovations and how they can impact the overall upgrade
project and the proposed new architecture

✓ Don’t forget to follow the important post-upgrade procedures including user training to
proactively communicating the new features/changes to the business and IT teams

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Questions?
Thank you.
Sathish Rajagopal
Senior Director, Analytics Product Management
SAP Labs USA
SCN: https://people.sap.com/sathish.rajagopal
Twitter: @srajagpl