Upgrading BOE XI R2 into XI 3.1

[Former Member]

Dear all,

I have this scenario for upgrading from boe xi r2 to xi 3.1

1. Report just using Desktop Intelligence and about 400 reports

2. there are 4 universe

3. total about 200 users.

4. Using SSO with AD authentification for authorization

There are 2 servers (dev and prd).

I plan using below steps to upgrade (any advice would be useful ^^):

1. First, backup to BIAR file from the boe xi r2 prd servers.

2. Install and upgrade the boe xi r2 in dev server into boe xi 3.1

3. After the boe xi 3.1 is successfully installed in the dev server, this part where i'm still confuse whether using Import Wizard to use the BIAR file in the step one as the source or directly using boe xi r2 CMS as the source (any advice which one is better?) to test whether the report from prd is run and well.

4. Check the data, report and user groups validity after being imported from xi r2 prd server.

5. after all the necessary objects were checked and valid, this step will install and upgrade the boe xi r2 into boe xi 3.1 in the prd server. (need to notify all users about this migration process and the system maybe down meanwhile)

6. after the installation and upgrade is completed in prd server, using the import wizard again to import all the necessary objects from dev server boe xi 3.1 into prd server boe xi 3.1

any help, comment and advice will be useful ^^

Thank you

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Dear Tim,

could you share your experience on upgrading boe xi r2 to boe xi 3.1 ?

thank you

[BasicTek · Accepted solution]

There are 3 possible routes of getting XIR2 to XI 3.1

1) upgrade (risky so backup your XIR2 CMS DB, FRS, and anything else prior) This prtocess is done via 3.1 wizard and should leave the original server with only XI 3.1 plus all items from XIR2

2) Import wizard (This can be tricky time consuming and require multiple attempts depending on the source environment complexity/stability) Use the import wizard guide found on help.sap.com for info on how the IW works.

3) CCM DB copy (essentially the technology behind an upgrade but a more manual approach). You copy the CMS Db to XI 3.1 and move the FRS. This method has not proven to be reliable but when it works can be the fastest way to migrate. Again souce system complexity/stability has a lot of bearing on this method.

In all cases it may be best to have a consultant from BO or 3rd party take a look at your environment. Migration is a complex task and can have many challanges.

Regards,

Tim

[amrsalem1983 · Accepted solution]

Tim

isnt the XI R2 CMS database different structure from the XI 3.1?

or both have the same the structure (tables and fields)

thx

Amr

[BasicTek · Accepted solution]

The CCM DB copy will copy from XIR2 and put the data into XI 3.x. The update objects should change anything that is new. This process may fail due to complexities on the source environment and then you will have to revert to the import wizard.

Regards,

Tim

[BasicTek]

#1 backup your CMS DB and FRS e3specially if you are planning to use the upgrade function of 3.1. A biar file is not considered a safe backup but can be used as a secondary safety measure.

If using the upgrade make sure your servers well exceed [XI 3.x hardware requirements|;

#3 A successful upgrade will need no further imports, you have 2 options for migrating either use import wizard and migrate or upgrade using the installer.

#6 same as #3

Also to note verify any web.config/web.xml SSO settings and backup prior, as well as any external settings if using (java AD such as krb5.ini, keytab, and java options)

Migrating/upgrading is often a better bet with a consultant who can verify your entire environment and be responsible for the results. If you get stuck you can open support cases to have a deployment engineer help out (another option)

Regards,

Tim

[Former Member]

Dear Tim,

Thank you for the response,

I want to ask something regarding my upgrade step above,

when i have already upgrade/ install boe xi 3.1 in the dev server, is it okay if i directly using Import Wizard from boe xi 3.1 in dev server as the destination and boe xi r2 in prd server as source ? ==> this step purpose is to test whether the imported objects from boe xi r2 are running well in boe xi 3.1 after they are imported.

thx

[Former Member]

I have run the import wizard with BOXI R2 as source and BOXI 3.1 as destination including instances and it works quite nicely.

regards,

Pauline

[BasicTek]

I'm not sure why you would want to use IW on the DEV server after it was already upgraded but your workflow will work.

Regards,

Tim

[Former Member]

Dear pauline,

Thx for the response, it's encouraging me to do the upgrade ^^

Dear Tim,

Im using IW on the dev server to test all the reports that were imported to the BO XI 3.1 were working well or not. If it's already well enough then i would upgrade the prd server and then using IW again to transfer from dev to prd in the same environtment BO XI 3.1

What do you think Tim ?

Need advice

thx

[Former Member]

Hello Arif,

Same strategy i am using.

Tim,

I am using Testing server which is already has been upgraded to 3.1. Now i am trying to use IW to import the data from Prod. to Testing machine i.e to 3.1 using 3.1 IW.

I don't understand till the last step in IW i.e" preparing for import done" when i used to click on NEXT for starting the import it automatically gets disappeared. I have tried using removing and installing the client tool i.e IW again but not success.

Can some you guide on this??

Rgds,

Dave