Use Promotion Management

[Former Member]

Hi,

We create dashboards in Dev Server and we want to move them to Prod Server.

So our problem is to change the connections of "Query Browser" in "Dashboard" to make the dashboard works on the Prod. Server (and off course when we change the connections in the Dashboards we need to point the objects and the excel again...) so, it's a lot of work unecessary.

I know that we have a tool called "LifeCycle Management" that's supose to do that work, and we create the .biar file export to import to the Prod. Server.... next we import the .biar file.... we just don't know what to do next......

We acess the dashboard through the link "http://[ServerName]:8080/Dashboard/dashboard.jsp"

Anybody can help us?

tks, regards.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Jonhy,

You don't mention which version of the product you are using, but I am assuming you are using BI 4.x for this - however, you called the product "LifeCycleManagement" (LCM) which is now called Promotion Management (PM) and Version Management (VM), so I'm not 100% sure. Also, Dashboards can mean different things but I am assuming you mean what use to be called Xcelsius and are now called Dashboards.

Anyway, IN LCM or PM there is a component called Overrides. You initially have to go to settings and make sure you have your "Origin" and destination servers setup, but once you have this you can create a list of overrides (connections, etc) that can be "overriden" when you promote from one environment to another.

However, that said - the BEST practice for Dashboards is to create these URLS as RELATIVE URLS instead of having the hostname or FQDN of the server in the URL.

So instead of using "http://servername:8080/dswsbobje/...." you would simply use "/dswsbobje/..." - this would allow you to move the dashboard from one machine to another without having to remap those URLS.

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Kind regards,

Patrick Bulteel

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

We're using BI 4.0.....

I call "LifeCycleManagement" (LCM) because i enter in the console with the url "http://[ServerName]:8080/BOE/LCM/"

Yes the Dashboard should be "Dashboard Design"

1 -

"Anyway, IN LCM or PM there is a component called Overrides. You initially have to go to settings and make sure you have your "Origin" and destination servers setup, but once you have this you can create a list of overrides (connections, etc) that can be "overriden" when you promote from one environment to another."

I can't understand how i will make that.... the servers are in different domain so i create a job to export the file .biar and on the Prod. Server i import the same file.... BUT, i do not have nothing in the Prod. Server.. no connections, no Universes created, even Dashboards (.xlf) off course... because i want use the Dashboards created in de Dev. Server...

what is missing me? i'm felling that i don't know what i'm doing.....

2 -

"So instead of using "http://servername:8080/dswsbobje/...." you would simply use "/dswsbobje/..." - this would allow you to move the dashboard from one machine to another without having to remap those URLS."

when you said that, you're meaning that i should use another type of connection (i'm unsing now the "Query Browser") ??

Sorry by the noob 😐 and tks a lot

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Jonhy,

Wow if you are using the URL BOE/LCM then you are on BI 4.0 SP02 or prior! That version is not really supported anymore. (It came out in July 2012.) The latest 4.0 is SP09 and we also have 4.1 SP04. In 4.0 FP03 ("Feature Pack 3" - think of it as SP03 but with new features...) we made the change to include everything in the CMC as another application. Here you would find Promotion Management, Version Management and Visual Difference.

I would highly recommend upgrading soon!

So - that being said - this promotion overrides database can be "exported" to an LCMBIAR file and then imported into your target as an LCM BIAR. Then you would go in and edit those connections. (This includes database connections, Crystal Reports and QaaWS urls.)

If you are using the Query Browser then you are using a Universe as your source and therefore you would need to promote the universe and it's connection (as well as the dashboard). If you promote the connection, you would use the overrides database. (Or you change it once and then don't every promote the connection.)

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Kind regards,

Patrick Bulteel

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Patrick, tks for everything....

ok, that's correct, i think i'm using the BI 4.0 SP02

1 -

so, when you recommend to upgrade, you recommend to upgrade the BI 4.0 SP2 for what version?

2 -

The Prod.Server it's a critical server on a big client, and I do not want to make mistakes.... can you give me any note or someting to read, like a tutorial step-by-step?

3 -

That recommendation it's only to better use the Promotion Management? Or you recommend even i do not use that? I'm question this because in the moment the Prod. Server, like the reports... and everything it's working now... can you understand me?

tks again....regards

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

1. From BI 4.0 SP02 there are quite a LOT of fixes to webi, dashboards, performance, and so on... So you although it would be a good idea to go to the latest version it also means that quite a bit of work has to be done. For example, the CMS database has been changed from SQL Server Express on Windows and DB2 on Unix/Linux to SAP SQLAnywhere (since SAP now owns Sybase.)

Also, there are several new features - so these are not usually added automatically in the upgrade. You have to "modify" the installation and include all the new features. However, these are some really worthwhile features - like mobile (where you can then use on ipad, iphone, android, etc) and you can use them with the BI Mobile app (which is free on iTunes and Google Play store.)

There are things to be aware of, like the fact that we changed the CMS DB - if you are using the provided DB when you repair the installation it would remove the first DB (sql server/db2) and then reinstall the new db (sqlanywhere) but it didn't move the CMS Repo data - so you had a useless system. This isn't a problem if you are on your own DB - i.e. one not provided with the product.

2. I can't think of any 1 note that discusses the upgrade process. If this is a critical system then it obviously needs to be planned.

3. I recommend using Promotion Management - however the best practice for using PM/VM is not really documented well anywhere and we have an Expert Guided Implementation (EGI) which can help in setting this up. We are currently redoing some of the slides and examples for the EGI since it had been cancelled and all of a sudden there's been some request from customers to provide the EGI once again.

So - understanding how to use PM is not as simple as "export a biar file" and "import a biar file" as there are a few things that can help improved the process, like using version management, using the overrides database, etc. All explained in the EGI of course.

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Kind regards,

Patrick Bulteel