Making TARs helpful

How to log a professional SR?

As an Apps DBA sometimes we might need to open an SR (I hope no one will ever need to but in case you need, I know its not a good feeling when we open a Tar especially if it’s a SV1 tar) to solve a problem or to ask oracle a question to ask for an enhancement. It will be easier for us and them (Oracle Support) to send them a clear/direct info. On what we need and what we have.

Try always to keep a template of your current environment and when you open a tar just copy/paste it on the TAR.
Below is an example of what I have:

Subject
Oracle Apps 11i - Installation hanging Problem


Problem
On the Database tier installation at Step 5 of 7 (97%), when 'Converting database character set', the installation hanged. All pre-requests patches have been applied. I have also checked OS patches and every thing is applied and the server is ready for the installation.


Product
Oracle E-Business Suite 11i Release (11.5.10.2)


Platform
Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS 3.0


Installation Type
Multi-node Installation

Installation Structure
[Database Server-Database]
Directory: /oracle/proddb
Instance Name: ebprod
Port: 1521

[Database Server-Application]
Directory: /oracle/prodapp
Product installed: Concurrent Node, Admin Node


[Application Server-Application]
Directory: /oracle/prodapp
Product installed: Apache Node, Forms Node

Server Spec
CPU: Intel Xeon 700MHz x 4
RAM: 2Gb
HD: SCSI 36.4 Gb x 5 (Raid 5)
Swap: 2Gb


Last Message On InstallAction Log
OracleHome = /oracle/proddb

Query Returned: 03e48df5d45face1cf9265b70d70512baa33bc8d601a13d079
Calling Action generalActions2.3.0.8.0 setenv
selectedNodes = null
name = CALMGRVALUE
value = *Protected value, not to be logged*
append = null
replace = true
Calling Query calQueries9.0.4.0.8 Obfuscate
inputString = *Protected value, not to be logged*


Of course if the problem is not in the installation try to add the following:

Has the problem always occurred? or has it recently happened ?
If recent, then what has changed? Have you applied a patch, or what changed were made recently?

All this information well be helpful for oracle support to solve your problem and it will save you time because they will try to ask you questions ( try to answer them before you open the tar).
- try to be specific as much as you can.
-Avoid as much as you can opening Severity 1 TARs.

The above was an example so please; don’t consider it a real case.

I hope that was helpful and waiting for your comments

Upgrading discoverer 4i to 10g on Apps 11.5.10

Upgrading discoverer 4i to 10g on Apps 11.5.10.1

As you all know oracle has de-supported oracle discoverer 4i on apps 11i, therefore all DBA's will have at some point to upgrade their discoverer from 4i to 10g. Below are the steps I used to do that.
Kindly note that you have to refer to note 313418.1 in order to do that upgrade and not to my posts, my post will just give you a direct hint on what to do.

Steps are as follow based on note 313418.1:
-Install Oracle Business Intelligence Server 10g Release 2 (10.1.2.0.2). This installation type does not require installation and association to Oracle Application Server 10g Release 2 (10.1.2.0.2) Infrastructure. (You can choose this option if you are not planning to use features Discoverer Connection Management, Discoverer Portlet Provider, and Oracle SSO).

- Create secure directory under $Disco_ORACLE_HOME/discoverer
cd /u07/discoverer_home/discoverer
(mkdir secure)

-cp the $FND_SECURE/.dbc , $FND_SECURE/_.dbc TO your $Disco_ORACLE_HOME/discoverer/secure directory.

-Update tnsnames.ora file in $Disco_ORACLE_HOME to include connect to your Oracle E-Business database Use the same entry as exists in the tnsnames.ora file on your Oracle E-Business application tier server node.

-Migrate your existing Discoverer End User Layers to Discoverer 10.1.2.
$Disco_ORACLE_HOME/bin/eulapi -CONNECT /@ -AUTO_UPGRADE

-Set Applications Profile Options for Discoverer using AutoConfig
-open your xml file and specify variables as listed in the table below:
s_disco_standalone=true
s_disco_machine=for example: ap6162rt.us.oracle.com
s_disco_port=for example: 7778
s_disco_protocol=http https
s_disco_ver_comma=10,1,2
s_disco_eul_prefix=EUL

After that you have to run autoconfig

-Verify Applications profile options in Oracle Applications
Log into Release 11i with the System Administrator responsibility
Navigate to the Profile > System form
Query the %Discoverer% profile options.
Verify the following ICX profile options in Oracle Applications

ICX_DISCOVERER_LAUNCHER=http://:/discoverer/plus?Connect=[APPS_SECURE]
ICX_DISCOVERER_VIEWER_LAUNCHER=http://:/discoverer/viewer?Connect=[APPS_SECURE]
ICX_DISCOVERER_RELEASE=10
ICX_DISCOVERER_USE_VIEWR=Y N
ICX_DEFAULT_EUL=EUL
ICX_DISCOVERER_EUL_LANGUAGE=US
ICX_DISCOVERER_PARAMETERS=exitURL=http://:/OA_HTML/OA.jsp?OAFunc=OAHOMEPAGE

Note:
When you open the discoverer EUL using the Discoverer 10g Desktop/Admin it will ask you if you want to upgrade your EUL and you have to choose yes.

To start/stop the new discoverer do the following:
$Disco_ORACLE_HOME/opmn/bin/opmnctl stopall (to stop).
$Disco_ORACLE_HOME/opmn/bin/opmnctl startall (to start).

If you have any question please leave at comments part

Stone Soup (Steven Chan)

After reading Steven's last post on his blog Stone Soup I took a decision to start posting on my blog even if at least once a week. My next post will be on (upgrading oracle discoverer from 4i to 10g on apps) so keep monitoring this blog because I am going to need your encouragement and your comments.

Thank you steven and thanks to all other bloggers and readers
fadi hasweh