Before we start discussing about the method on deploying OBIEE 11G BIP reports. Let us firstly look back to the 10g deployment of BIP reports. For example, we have two servers A and B. And we are trying to deploy the “BIPreports” under the xmlpserver repository on Server A to Server B.

Usually on 10g BIP, the default location of xmlpserver respository looks like below:

 <OracleBI_Home>/xmlp/Reports

So basically for a full deployment of the example we mentioned above. We could simply copy the BIPreports folder from the above location on Server A to Server B and then restart the BIP service. After that you could be able to see the BIPreports is deployed on to the new server and you could start view/edit the reports by login to xmlpserver.

However on OBIEE 11g, BI Publisher reports are integrated into the BI answers catalog, which means if you want to see the actual catalog you have to go through BI Answers. It still maintain an xmlpserver repository with the location:

 <middleware_home>/user_projects/domains/bifoundation_domain/config/bipublisher/repository/Reports

We might think of using the same methodology to deploy the OBIEE 11g BI Publisher reports by just copying the reports to the above location. And upgrade the BIP catalog to BI Answers catalog.This would work if you upgrade the 10g reports to 11g reports and then deploy them to the folder above.

What you need to do next is to go to login to analytics.On the upper right corner, click Administration link:

Then on the next page, click Manage BI Publisher on the panel.

    Click Server Configuration on the Administration Page.

   

    On the next page click the button Upload to BI Presentation Catalog. And then click Apply.

  

   In this case you would be able to see the new folder and the reports underneath it once you login to analytics. Refer to previous blog on how to migrate 10g BIP reports to 11g   

   But this method didn’t solve the original question that if we want to get the reports from an 11g server and deploy them to another 11g server.We need to know after we upload the xmlpserver repository to BI Presentation Catalog. What happened?

    Well, it reformats the BIP repository to an BI Presentation Catalog folder entry. Say the folder BIPreports would be reformatted to folder BIPreports/ and BIPreports.atr. The reports under the original folder are also reformatted. The most obvious detection is by adding a atr file for each report and folder and sometime renaming some of the reports.The location of the BI Answers catalog is :

  <middleware_home>/instances/instance1/bifoundation/OracleBIPresentationServicesComponent/coreapplication_obips1/catalog/SampleAppLite/root/shared

   The problem is that you cound not simply copy the uploaded BIP reports folder to the same location on to another server. The presenation service would not recognize the folder as what 10g xmlpserver would do. And also once you have modified the uploaded reports from presentation service, the changes go directly to the catalog not the xmlpserver repository. And there is no way to reverse the BI Answers publisher reports back to the xmlpserver publisher reports having the changes we just made.

   In order to solve the problem, there are two ways available both with the help of presentation service. On OBIEE 11G, oracle tends to put more heavy usage on the frontend operation instead of backend manipulation.Good or bad? You tell me.

   Method 1.

   If you want to deploy a whole folder of BIP reports from OBIEE 11g Server A to B, simply login to analytics on Server A.

   Click Catalog:

  

   On the left panel, expand shared folders and choose the perticular report folder that you want to deploy to Server B. For example, I would do Sample2. Click on the folder and then click Archive

  

   Now depends on if you want to remain the permissions and timestamps. Check the boxes and click ok.

 

  Click Save. Then this archived file contains all the reports under Sample2 and is ready to be deployed to Server B.

 

  Login to analytics of Server B. And go to catalog as the step above.Choose the folder where you would like to deploy the reports. In this case, I would choose shared folder. And then click unarchive.

  At the pop-up window. Choose the Sample2.catalog and then input the neccessary parameters.Click OK

 Now Sample2 is showed under the shared folder and all reports are under it.

  Method 2.

  The second methodology for deployment of BIP reports is that you could simply download and upload a single report. This is useful when you are not deploying too many reports.

  Instead of login to analyitcs, this time you need to login to xmlpserver on Server A at:

  http://domain_name_onServerA:9704/xmlpserver

  Step 1.Click Catalog on the right corner to traverse down to the reports.

  

Step 2. Navigate to the report you want to move to another server. Click on More->Download

You have to download the data model correspondingly as well like below:

Now the files that we have just downloaded are looking like this:

    Balance Letter.xdoz

    Balance Letter Datamodel.xdmz

Step 3. Go to the Server B and upload the files. Login to the following link:  

http://domain_name_onServerB:9704/xmlpserver 

Go to catalog and navigate to the folder you would like to upload to.

At the left corner, click upload

Upload the two files we just downloaded to Server B and remember to associate the template with the data model.