You implement BI to optimize operational efficiency. What do you do to optimize BI efficiency?
Today at 2 pm EST, Ian Treleaven follows up his earlier Platform Architecture and Sizing for SAP BusinessObjects BI 4 webinar with a practical session in which he leads you through a detailed sizing exercise and demonstrates some specific techniques for achieving performance and reliability.
Register for today's webinar: SAP BusinessObjects BI 4 Sizing Cases & Demos.
For a thorough grounding in SAP BI 4 platform architecture and sizing issues, view a recording of Ian's earlier webinar session.
2013 is winding up, but our SAP BusinessObjects BI 4 migration focused webinar series continues into 2014 with great topics and great subject matter experts. Coming in the new year:
Do you want to be notified of upcoming webinars. Sign up for webinar notifications?
All of the webinars in the series have been well attended and well received. If you missed any of the earlier sessions, you can view these recorded webinars at your leisure.
The earlier sessions included:
We're busy firming up dates, guest presenters and topics for further sessions. If there are any topics you'd like to see us tackle in this webinar series, please feel free to let us know in the comments below.
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.
Q: BI 4.0 comes with a migration tool, so what value do APOS solutions and Migration Accelerator productsbring to the table?
Fred Walther, APOS: When you use the BI 4 migration tool, you move the content from your XI 3.1 environment to your BI 4 environment, but you are moving it as is. Converting UNV universes to UNX universes is another task altogether, and APOS Migration Accelerator products can help you convert universes in bulk, and repoint Web Intelligence reports to the new universes. APOS well managed BI solutions also allow you to compare your old system with your new, and to bulk-manage security, objects, schedules and instances.Okay, that was a bit of a softball, and right in Fred's wheelhouse, to continue the baseball analogy.
Great question from one of our "The Business Case for Upgrading to SAP BusinessObjects BI 4" webinar attendees:
Q: What is the biggest challenge in migrating from 3.1 to 4.x you've seen?
...and a great answer from our guest presenter, SAP's Saskia Battersby:
Saskia Battersby, SAP: In general, the biggest challenge is understanding the size and complexity of the migration project. BI 4 contains many changes which complicate the migration process, but which are necessary for the future of BI within your organization. It is important to come to terms with the scope of the migration project during the planning stage, to use all of the resources at your disposal, and to work with experienced partners to increase your prospects for an effective and efficient transition to BI 4.
...and also from APOS Systems' Fred Walther:
Fred Walther, APOS: One specific challenge is the migration of large amounts of content. Sometimes migration of a large number of instances is not practical, so it is important to have a strategy and solution in place to archive those instances, and to be able to retrieve them selectively as needed, whether for operational or compliance purposes.
For more help in planning, preparing and achieving an efficient migration, see our migration webinar series.
There are known knowns; there are things we know that we know.
There are known unknowns; that is to say, there are things that we now know we don't know.
But there are also unknown unknowns – there are things we do not know we don't know.
