1.
Data:
Data, if
present on premise, needs to be ported to Oracle DB cloud service for BICS
Reporting. Oracle provides numerous options to achieve this, such as,
i. Data
Sync Tool can be used to load data from files, JDBC data sources, OTBI, Oracle
Service cloud, etc. It can be installed locally in Windows or UNIX machines.
Data Sync is especially useful in case of combing data from multiple data
sources and scheduling of incremental data loads. Supported databases are
Oracle, DB2, Microsoft SQL server, MySQL, Teradata, TimesTen, Greenplum, Hive,
Impala, Informix, MongoDB, PostgreSQL, Redshift, Salesforce and Sybase.
ii. SQL
developer can also be used to load data from relational databases.
iii. PL/SQL
scripts, BICS REST API and Oracle Database Cloud Service API can be used for
automating the data load process.
2. Data Modelling:
a.
Modeler on Cloud:
Inside
BICS, you have the Modeler tab, where the traditional Star and Snowflake Facts
and Dimension model can be created and later published as a subject area for
analyses and dashboards. This ensures that BICS is completely on cloud and no
installation on client machine is required for repository data modelling and
everything required for Analytical Reporting can be achieved using a browser
alone.
b.
'Lift and Shift' On Premise
Repository:
On the
other hand, Lift & Shift is a feature that enables user to upload RPD built
on- premise to the BICS, provided there is a DBaaS (DB as a Service) instance
available for the RPD to connect on premise. (Currently, Database included with
BICS cannot be used for this.) Also, the BI Admin tool used should be 11.1.1.6
or later and RPD must pass consistency check before being uploaded.
The RPD
can then be uploaded to BICS using the 'Replace Data Model' option. During the
upload process, an option can be selected for the RPD to use the database
included with BICS or use the DBaaS used initially for configuring RPD.
Lift
& Shift is especially useful in case of migrating from on premise Oracle BI
Apps to BICS.
3.
Dashboards and Reports:
BICS
Dashboards and Analyses are very similar if not same as that of OBIEE. This
ensures familiarity and easy adaptability to self-service cloud for most BI users.
In line with Oracle's Cloud first policy, newer visualizations, features. bug-fixes,
etc., are made available in BICS on a continuous basis without additional costs
or effort.
· Lift & Shift of WebCatalog
Recently, Oracle has enabled Lift and
Shift of OBIEE webcatalog too. This is a simple process provided OBIEE 11.1.1.9
or later is available. Using on premise catalog manager, any '/shared' folder
is renamed '/company_shared' and then Archived. Inside BICS, the Archived
file is imported in to a catalog folder and then Unarchived.
Application Roles can also be Lifted
and Shifted from on premise OBIEE 12c. Additionally Oracle BI Apps requires connectivity
to OLTP (e.g. Siebel, EBS) for variables and initialization blocks and this is
achieved using Remote Data Connector (RDC).
Fig 1. Oracle BI on the Cloud
4 Security and Administration
BICS security is completely managed
within Oracle without any 3rd party interfaces and ensures highest
standard of fine grained data security. Dashboards and analyses can be easily
shared by users, yet at the same time recipients will be able to see only what
is accessible based on their application roles and access levels.
Since the physical infrastructure
related Admin activities are taken care by oracle itself in the Cloud, the BICS
Administration is lot more simplified compared to on premise, making it
maintenance friendly.
5.
Snapshot Archival:
BICS
can be backed up by simply creating a single Snapshot file of latest
repository, catalog content and application roles combined. Snapshots can be
migrated across different BICS environments (Oracle provides one Pre-Production
environment for development/testing along with the Production environment). Since
all existing content will be overwritten while restoring using Snapshot,
caution is required. Once restored, previously used content cannot be
recovered, unless it was backed-up using snapshot. Also, while restoring, all
active user sessions will be terminated, hence should preferably performed
during scheduled maintenance window.
Snapshot
is useful in case of temporary termination of BICS too, wherein the snapshot
file provided by Oracle can be used to restore BICS while renewing subscription
later on.
6.
Why BICS?
Some of the Key reasons
to consider moving to Cloud BI are,
a. Lowest Total Cost of Ownership due
to,
-
Predictable,
Cost Effective Licensing.
-
No
additional upgrade/patching costs.
-
Lesser
Support and Maintenance required.
b. If planned well, implementation cost incurred
in migrating from on premise to Cloud BI can be recovered in the first year
itself.
c. Faster time to market.
d. Mobile ready without additional
configuration effort.
e. No additional training required for
users familiar with OBIEE Reporting.
f.
Quick
Roll out of new charts and features, made available at no additional cost.
g. Flexibility to archive and renew
subscription later as per requirement.
h. Lift and Shift can be used to migrate
Oracle BI Apps to BICS. Also, in specific scenarios, Lift and Shift can be used
to ensure both On-Premise and Cloud BI are in Sync.
i.
Users
require only a browser (web client) to access Self Service BI Reporting on the
Cloud.
- Subramanian S.