Thursday, September 26, 2013

APOS Storage Center for Migration

Your content management strategy will be key to your migration success. The APOS Storage Center enterprise BI archive, backup and selective restore solution is a dependable and time-tested solution for SAP BusinessObjects.

Now available: APOS Storage Center for Migration, a product designed specifically to help you migrate your content seamlessly to SAP BusinessObjects BI 4.1. APOS Storage Center for Migration lets you archive reports and instances, save instances to multiple formats (including neutral formats), and works in conjunction with the DCP to help you leverage your Desktop Intelligence investment in BI 4.1.

Learn more about APOS Storage Center for Migration...

Saturday, September 21, 2013

Planning Your SAP BusinessObjects BI 4 Upgrade Webinar Q&A

We had a number of interesting questions and answers during our webinar sessions on September 19. Here they are for your convenience:

Q: If we are migrating from 4.0 to 4.1, should we export and import the content or does simply running the Upgrade Package serve the purpose of upgrading the server?
J.C. Raveneau: You would apply 4.1 on top of your BI 4.0 server. No need to move content around.

Q: Will the documentation be available on SAP for this presentation?
APOS: APOS will send you a link to a recording of the webinar tomorrow.

Q: Is there a white paper that describes the differences in best practices between 3.x and 4.x?
J.C.: You should go to www.sapbusinessobjects.com and get a personalized report generated. This will give you many good details.

Q: We use Java JDK extensively to automate our reports based on prudential specific calendar dates. We also use Java JDK to streamline/automate our deployment of reports so our tech staff does not have to interact with designer tools and keep track of which folders, categories, reports and universes. This is automated through JDK in XI r3.1. Will we still have functionality through JDK in BI 4.1?
J.C.: All SDK functionalities are there in BI 4, but there may be changes in the model so code adjustments are probably needed. Check http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-40754.

Q: Does BI 4.1 support installations on virtual servers?
J.C.: Yes. Check http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-41308.

Q: What about Crystal reports using Business Views. Will they also get upgraded to CR 2011?
J.C.: Yes.

Q: Do you have any comments regarding why we would want to go to 4.0 vs. 4.1 (or vice versa)?
J.C.: 4.1 is the latest and greatest. We have good feedback on stability. I would choose 4.1.

Q: While migration from 3.1 to 4.0, does the Upgrade Management Tool automatically convert UNV to UNX formats? Is it recommended to migrate Web Intelligence universes as UNV and continue to use Designer? And maybe after ensuring system stability, convert them to UNX?
J.C.: UNVs remain fully functional in BI 4 and not converted. Conversion can happen in a second stage either manually, or with the tool offered by APOS. The recommendation is to keep UNV as is in your upgrade project. Then upgrade to UNX to benefit from the new capabilities.

Q: Do we have to manually change each Web Intelligence report to point to UNX format if we convert UNVs at a later point?
J.C.: Check here: http://www.apos.com/content/bi4-webi-repointer

Q: Does the Upgrade Management Tool form SAP carry the instances from 3.1 to 4.0 automatically?
J.C.: Yes, if you select to do so in the UMT.

Q: Without using APOS Web Intelligence Converter, I am assuming that if we need to point Web Intelligence reports to UNX format, it needs to be done manually, and that there is no tool available from SAP?
J.C.: Correct.

As always, your comments and questions are welcome.

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Planning Your BI 4 Upgrade

With SAP BusinessObjects BI 4.1 in GA, there is no time like the present for upgrading. Are you planning your migration? Tune in to our migration-focused webinar series for an interactive experience with SAP experts.

Today: Planning Your SAP BusinessObjects BI 4 Upgrade, featuring J. C. Raveneau, Senior Director, BI Solutions, SAP.

View recorded webinar

View other webinars in this series.

Monday, September 9, 2013

SBOUC Booth #201: Visit the APOS BI Pit Crew

Our theme for this year's SAP BusinessObjects User Conference is the BI Pit Crew. Visit us at Booth #201. We promise it will be a magical experience. Ask us about:

·         APOS Migration Accelerators


Why the BI Pit Crew?

In auto racing, the unsung heroes are the members of the Pit Crew who maintain and manage the race car in real time. They respond quickly and efficiently to all challenges ‑ both expected and unexpected.

The "Pit Crew" of your BI deployment includes the skilled technologists and team leaders who maintain and manage the BI platform. Like their auto racing counterparts, the BI Pit Crew responds with speed and efficiency to manage many challenges. They keep the business intelligence platform running effectively to serve the information needs of the organization, making it the driving force behind innovation, operational efficiency, and return on investment. They, too, are often unsung heroes.

Well Managed Migration, Well Managed BI

Well managed migration starts with well managed BI. The first priorities in planning your migration should be to gain a deep understanding of your current system, and to rationalize the structure, security, and content of that system before migrating to the new system.

APOS Well Managed BI solutions and Migration Accelerator products give your BI Pit Crew the specialized tools they need to automate and simplify the many labor-intensive, time-intensive, and potentially error prone tasks they face daily.