Hyperion EPM V11.1.2.4 Backup Mechanism

1.  General

Recently, I found myself indulged into backup of Hyperion EPM V11.1.2.4 environment for multiple clients. I am not sure how clients from different continents were interested in similar implementation or maybe I was pitched in for similar projects. But I enjoyed working for clients from different countries - different domains - to be specific - Oil and Gas company from Dubai, logistic company from France, Courier service leader from Norway, Donuts chain from USA ☺

As said by famous scientist Benjamin Franklin,

“An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.”

That’s my aim here. I am trying to figure out basic backup mechanism for Hyperion EPM V11.1.2.4 environment to prevent the tremendous efforts required in case of failure.

For the smooth functioning of Hyperion EPM V11.1.2.4 environment, as the Hyperion implementer, My Company is required to define Backup procedure at different levels of EPM application.

This article provides general high-level guidelines on backing up and recovering Oracle's Hyperion products used in EPM application of our client company.

A good backup process is mandatory. There are two types of backups:

1. Full server wide backup (while services are stopped) along with the database backups. This protects from a server wide issues.
2. Object level backups including security, reports, applications, and data. This protects from individual object level issues or corruption.

The best approach is to do both, assuming you have the maintenance window to do so. Set a reasonable retention policy and store backups off-site. Restore procedures should be fully documented and tested. Your backup/Recovery and disaster/recovery procedures are only as good as your last full test. They should be tested annually.

2.  EPM V11.1.2.4 Backup Steps

OS Settings Backup

Windows registry settings and specific system variables in Windows environments should be backed up.

As per standards followed in industry, we should backup these settings once every week.

Windows Registry Settings

Windows Registry Settings
Server	All Hyperion servers WebSvr1, WebSvr2, AppSvr1, AppSvr2, EssSvr
Backup Frequency	Weekly
No of Backups before purging	5

This is the initial plan of backup. We will keep comparing backup versions for couple of months and if there are no changes in backup versions, we can reduce the frequency of backup.

Restoring Registry Setting

In case of modified registry, we need to replace registry from backup.

System Variable Backup

System Variable Backup Settings
Server	All Hyperion servers WebSvr1, WebSvr2, AppSvr1, AppSvr2, EssSvr
Backup Frequency	Weekly
No of Backups before purging	5

This is the initial plan of backup. We will keep comparing backup versions for couple of months and if there are no changes in backup versions, we can reduce the frequency of backup.

• ARBORPATH
• ESSBASEPATH
• HYPERION_HOME
• EPM_ORACLE_HOME
• Path

Restoring System Variable

In case of modified system variable, when we require to restore system variable, we need to just replace value of system variable from backup taken.

File System Backup

File system Backup Settings
Server	All Hyperion servers WebSvr1, WebSvr2, AppSvr1, AppSvr2, EssSvr File Share Server
Frequency	Weekly full and daily incremental
No of Backups before purging	5

Regular file system backups are recommended for following EPM System products:

• Oracle Hyperion Foundation Services
• Planning
• Essbase
• Reporting and Analysis
• HFM
• HSF
• FDMEE

To back up the file system for EPM V11.1.2.4 application:

1.       Copy following folder from all Hyperion Servers to a storage device or another network location after we install or reconfigure EPM system
   MIDDLEWARE_HOME=“D:\Oracle\Middleware\”

2.       Perform a weekly full and daily incremental backup of following folder on all Hyperion Servers
 MIDDLEWARE_HOME=“D:\Oracle\Middleware\”

3.       Perform a weekly full and daily incremental backup of following folders on File Share Server
 LCM=“ E:\EPM_QA\LCM”
RAF=“ E:\EPM_QA\RAF”
FDMEE=“ E:\EPM_QA\FDMEE”

Restoring File System Backup

To restore a database, replace the files on disk with the corresponding files from the backup.

The application should be stopped unless you are restoring from an export file

Database Backup

Regular backups of database content are recommended for these EPM System components:

• Foundation Services
• Oracle Hyperion Planning
• Oracle Hyperion Essbase
• Oracle Hyperion Reporting and Analysis
• HFM
• HSF
• FDMEE
• Calc Manager

These products do not use repository databases:

• Oracle Hyperion Smart View for Office
• Oracle Hyperion Provider Services

Foundation Services

Foundation Services Database Backup
Server	Oracle DB server
DB/Schema	ORADB – HYP_HSS
Frequency	Weekly full and daily incremental
No of Backups before purging	5

To back up the database for EPM Workspace and Shared Services:

·         Back up the Shared Services and EPM Workspace schema if in Oracle RDBMS

Essbase Administration Services

EAS Database Backup
Server	Oracle DB server
DB/Schema	ORADB – HYP_EAS
Frequency	Weekly full and daily incremental
No of Backups before purging	5

To back up the database for EAS:

·         Back up the EAS schema if in Oracle RDBMS

Essbase Studio Server

EAS Database Backup
Server	Oracle DB server
DB/Schema	ORADB – HYP_ESS
Frequency	Weekly full and daily incremental
No of Backups before purging	5

To back up the database for ESS:

·         Back up the ESS schema if in Oracle RDBMS

Reporting and Analysis Framework

RAF Database Backup
Server	Oracle DB server
DB/Schema	ORADB – HYP_RAF
Frequency	Weekly full and daily incremental
No of Backups before purging	5

To back up the database for RAF:

·         Back up the RAF schema if in Oracle RDBMS

Planning Application

Planning Application Database Backup
Server	Oracle DB server
	ORADB – HYP_PLN ORADB – HYP_PLNAPP1 ORADB – HYP_PLNAPP2 ORADB – HYP_PLNAPP3
Frequency	Weekly full and daily incremental
No of Backups before purging	5

To back up the database for Planning Applications:

·         Back up the Planning applications schemas if in Oracle RDBMS

HFM

EAS Database Backup
Server	Oracle DB server
DB/Schema	ORADB – HYP_HFM
Frequency	Weekly full and daily incremental
No of Backups before purging	5

To back up the database for HFM:

·         Back up the HFM schema if in Oracle RDBMS

FDMEE

EAS Database Backup
Server	Oracle DB server
DB/Schema	ORADB – HYP_FDMEE
Frequency	Weekly full and daily incremental
No of Backups before purging	5

To back up the database for FDMEE:

·         Back up the FDMEE schema if in Oracle RDBMS

CALC Manager

EAS Database Backup
Server	Oracle DB server
DB/Schema	ORADB – HYP_CALC
Frequency	Weekly full and daily incremental
No of Backups before purging	5

To back up the database for CALC:

·         Back up the CALC schema if in Oracle RDBMS

Application Backup

PLANNING

Planning application Backup
Server	http://Server:port/workspace/index.jsp
Frequency	Weekly
No of Backups before purging	5

We need to take backup of following artifacts of EPM PLANNING application from QA.

So, we are using couple of technologies to backup EPM PLANNING application.

Go to shared services URL as given below:

http://server:port/workspace/index.jsp

Navigate à Administer à Shared Services Console

Go to application groups à Planning à APPNAME

Select all artifacts

Click on Define Migration

Confirm source application. Click next.

 Execute the migration à Launch Migration report

Execute the migration à Launch Migration report

Once the migration is successful, go to following directory of LCM Backup on File Share Server

E:\EPM_QA\LCM

Copy the directory of migrated artifacts to the backup directory.

Restoring Planning Backup

Restore the planning application from backup using LCM using same procedure.

HFM

Planning application Backup
Server	AppSvr1, AppSvr2 – HFM Server
Frequency	Weekly
No of Backups before purging	5

We need to take backup of following artifacts of HFM application from QA and we are going to use CopyApp Utility or Import Application utility for the same.

CopyApp utility is located on HFM server at following location and need to run it separately.

Import application utility is available from workspace.

Essbase

Essbase Database Backup
Server	EssSvr –Essbase Server
Frequency	Weekly full and daily incremental
No of Backups before purging	5

Posten uses Block Storage Database cube. So we are going to follow procedure to backup BSO.

BSO Backup

Restore

Recover

Recover refers to the process of returning a database to a post-backup state that includes transactions that occurred after the backup was performed.

Restore refers to the process of returning a database to the state it was in when a backup was performed.

We are going to implement Backup and Restore for ESSBASE.

Backing up Block Storage Databases

1.       Places the database in read-only mode, protecting the database from updates during the archive process while allowing requests to query the database.

2.       Writes a copy of the database files to an archive file that resides on the Essbase Server computer.
To back up a database, we can use either EAS or MaxL and here we have specified the MaxL method.
alter database appname.dbname [force] archive to file BACKUP-FILE;
e.g. alter database Gefco.Gefco archive to file '/Oracle/Gefco19Aug16.arc';

3.       Returns the database to read-write mode.

Following Essbase database files that are backed up automatically using above process.

File

essxxxxx.pag

essxxxxx.ind

dbname.esm

dbname.tct

dbname.ind

dbname.otl

dbname.otl.keep

dbname.otn

dbname.db

dbname.ddb

dbname.ocl

essxxxx.chg

dbname.alg

dbname.atx

Apart from above files, following files are also required to be backed up. In our approach, we are backing up these files in File System Backup.

File

essbase.sec1

essbase_timestamp.bak

essbase.cfg

dbname.app

.otl .csc .rul .rep .eqd .sel

Restoring Essbase Application

alter database appname.dbname [force] restore from file BACKUP-FILE

[replace disk volume VOL];

Data Backup

Essbase Data Backup
Server	EssSvr – Essbase Server
Frequency	Weekly
No of Backups before purging	5

This data backup takes care of data for Planning and Essbase applications.

HFM application data is already backed up using during application backup by selection data option.

Login to Essbase server and go to Start MAXL: Start > All Programs > Oracle  EPM > Essbase > Client >MAXL Client and type following commands with actual username and password.
- login username password;
- display session all;
- alter application APPNAME disable connects;
- alter system logout session on database APPNAME.DBNAME;

Start Essbase Export:
Type following 2 command:

Export database APPNAME.DBNAME all data to data_file 'F:\\0322s.txt';

After completion of Export:

After completion of export execute following command

alter application APPNAME enable connects;

Restoring Data

When you reload data that has been exported, it is marked as input data. If you reload data exported from level-0 blocks or input blocks, you must recalculate the database after reloading.

When Essbase recalculates the database, it recalculates every data block.

If you export all data in a database and then reload, Essbase marks all blocks in the database as input blocks. Consequently, you cannot clear data, because the database does not contain no input blocks.

MAXL = Import data

Pre-requistes of Hyperion EPM V11.1.2.4

1.  Pre-Installation Checklist

1.       Work Area

·         Internet Access – Outside firewall (Disable firewall for the working folder – e.g. installers and oracle folder.
At beginning, we will have only installers folder, disable firewall for this folder.)

·         Computer within EPM Servers network

2.       Third party licenses

E.g. web server licenses, Java

3.       Software

Check all installers are downloaded from oracle edelivery

4.       Required documents

Check if all the required documents are downloaded from oracle edelivery 

5.       Preparing the Hardware

·         Confirm your plan of deployment architecture – whether single server or distributed environment for EPM

·         Plan which components to be installed on which servers if we are going for distributed environment.

·         Confirm whether computers meet hardware system requirements. Check following matrix.

·         Resolve Firewall problem
Open a restricted range of ports in your firewalls for client to server or server to server communication.

·         Disable antivirus
Exclude the EPM Oracle home directory from automatic antivirus scans and scan this directory only at scheduled times.

2.  Preparing Environment

Preparing ports

This section contains information about default port numbers for EPM System products.

Necessary ports should be enabled on EPM Environment servers. Firewall should be disabled at these ports for communication between servers or between servers and clients.

EPM Module	Default Port Number	Default SSL Port
Weblogic Administration Server	7001
Oracle Enterprise Manager Java Web Application Port	7001
SOA Server Port	8001
Foundation Services Web Application	28080	28043
Oracle HTTP Server	19000
IIS	80	443
Provider services (SmartView)	13080	13083
Essbase Administration Services	10080	10083
Essbase Agent	1423
Essbase server applications (ESSSVR)	32768–33768
Essbase SSL Agent	6423
OPMN (Oracle Process Manager and Notification Server) Local Port	6711
OPMN (Oracle Process Manager and Notification Server) Remote Port	6712
Essbase Studio Listen Port	5300
Essbase Studio remote Port	12080
Reporting and Analysis Framework Agent	6860
Reporting and Analysis Framework Agent RMI	6861
Reporting and Analysis Framework Services	6800–6805
Financial Reporting Web Application	8200	8243
Financial Reporting Default Service Ports	8205-8228
Reporting and Analysis Framework Web Application	45000	45043
Web Analysis Web Application	16000	16043
Financial Management Java Web Application Port	7363	7365
Financial Management Server port	9091	9092
FM Datasource Start Port	10001	10020
Planning Java Web Application Ports	8300	8343
Planning RMI Server Port	11333

Disable UAC on all servers

UAC must remain disabled in order for EPM System server components to function properly.

UAC can be enabled on end-user client desktops.
In Windows 2008 environments, disable User Access Control (UAC) on each server in the deployment.

Control Panel à System and Security

Synchronize clocks

The clock on each server must be synchronized to within one second difference.

Resolving Host Names

The canonical host name of each server must be the same when accessed from within the server and from other servers in the deployment.

You can modify hosts file located at following location C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc

 epmsys_hostname.bat

An archive of the utility (epmsys_hostname.zip) is available in the directory where you unzip the assembly for EPM System Installer.

Disabling Anti-virus Software

Antivirus software can cause performance issues with EPM System products if, each time you access any resource on the server, the antivirus software tries to open and scan the object. To prevent these issues, exclude the EPM Oracle home directory from automatic antivirus scans and scan this directory only at scheduled times.

Excluding the EPM Oracle home directory from automatic antivirus scans 

Scan EPM Oracle home directory only at scheduled times.   

Preparing User Account

·         Do not use the Administrator user to install and configure. Run EPM System Installer and EPM System Configurator as a user with administrator rights.

·         When you upgrade, apply a maintenance release, or patch this server, use the same user account that was used to install and configure the earlier release.

Check disk space and RAM

Client System Disk Space and RAM

The recommended RAM requirement for all clients is 1 GB.
The installation program checks for twice the required disk space, based on your product installation choices.

Server Disk Space and RAM

1.  Preparing Database

Oracle Database Client

Unlike previous versions of Hyperion EPM system till V11.1.2.2, Oracle Database client comes bundled along with Hyperion EPM v11.1.2.4 installers.

Under Foundation services, we have 32 bit Oracle DB client and 64 bit Oracle DB client.

We can either use the bundled client or we can install DB client separately. In that case we need to uncheck Oracle client under Foundation services.

If we are installing DB client separately, we need to refer following points.

Separate DB client

Install the full Oracle Database client on the following machines before you start your installation of EPM System products:

·         Performance Management Architect Dimension server

·         Financial Management application server

·         FDM Application Server and any machine that has FDM Workbench

·         Strategic Finance

For v11.1.2.4 installation, we need to install DB client. Following are some bullet points to be highlighted.

·         We need to install Oracle DB client (Both 32 bit and 64 bit) on HFM and FDM server if we are using distributed environment.
Reason – HFM is 32 bit application and for running all processes properly, we need both 32 as well as 64 bit DB client.

·         For Foundation server, we can install only 64 bit client. 32 bit client can be skipped.

·         While installing client, 32 bit DB client is first installed followed by 64 bit client installation.

Oracle Database

The database must be created using Unicode Transformation Format UTF-8 encoding (character set).

Database Privileges

The following privileges must be granted to the owners of the database schemas:

l CREATE SESSION

l CREATE VIEW

l CREATE TYPE

l CREATE TABLE

l CREATE CLUSTER

l CREATE TRIGGER

l CREATE SEQUENCE

l CREATE INDEXTYPE

l CREATE PROCEDURE

l CREATE ANY SYNONYM

l DROP ANY SYNONYM

l UNLIMITED TABLESPACE

Clean uninstall of EPM V11.1.2.4

1.  Begin with uninstall

 All Hyperion folks know it clearly that dealing with Hyperion setup will require knowledge about uninstalling Hyperion suite completely.

As it is pending from a long time after we started with Hyperion v11.1.2.4, here are basic steps to follow to uninstall Hyperion EPM V11.1.2.4

Uninstall using same admin credentials with which we have installed Hyperion EPM V11.1.2.4

2.  Uninstall related software

EPM uninstaller uninstalls JRE which comes with EPM installer. It is used for installation and configuration of any Hyperion products. The same JRE is used to uninstall related non-Hyperion software components like weblogic, OHS. So, if we proceed for EPM V11.1.2.4 uninstall, we cannot uninstall related software components by proper procedure and so we might end up in option of deleting folders and cleaning related stuff.

Thus, it is very important to follow following steps before uninstalling EPM V11.1.2.4.

Uninstall Weblogic

Run WL Uninstaller separately

Uninstall OHS

Run OHS Uninstaller separately

Uninstall Oracle Application Developer

Run Oracle Application Developer uninstaller separately

 Once we uninstall above products, check if the respective directory is removed from MIDDLEWARE_HOME.

3.  Uninstall Oracle EPM V11.1.2.4

Uninstall EPM System V11.1.2.4

Stop all Hyperion and Oracle services

Uninstall Hyperion EPM system by running "uninstall.bat" located at "MIDDLEWARE_HOME\EPMSystem11R1\uninstall"

Once the uninstall is complete, the directory "MIDDLEWARE_HOME\EPMSystem11R1" should be removed.

4.  Post uninstallation tasks

Check shortcuts

 Shortcuts should be removed.

Check from Start--> All Programs, all related shortcuts should have been removed.

Windows Registry

Check under Windows registry in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > Software and HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software whether the Brio > Hyperion > Oracle keys have been removed correctly.

Search registry and remove all the keys with keyword "Hyperion" or "Brio" or "Oracle"

With Oracle keyword, there will be keys for Oracle client which is installed as pre-requisite of EPM System.

Environment Variables

Following environment variables are created while installing hyperion EPM system and should be removed after uninstalling EPM system.

ARBORPATH

EPM_ORACLE_HOME

ESSBASEPATH

HYPERION_HOME

To confirm removal of environment variable, first check if the variable is still present.

If the environment variable is still present, delete it as below.

PATH variable

Check the PATH variable and delete any portions that need to be removed.

Manual File Deletion

Manually check the file system to see if any files or folders have been left behind. If any of these are left behind, they need to be removed manually.

    Ensure that <system drive>\Documents and Settings\<install_user>\.oracle.instance file has been deleted.

    Ensure that .oracle.products file in Middleware_Home\EPMSystem11R1 has been deleted.

    Remove any files left in the existing HYPERION_HOME if this location is to be re-used.

    Delete any BEA folder on the file system.

    Delete or rename installer records in C:\Program Files\common files\InstallShield\* if no other programs installed by this tool remain.

    Check for Oracle EPM related entries in the inventory.xml file located in C:\Program Files\Oracle\Inventory\ContentsXML and remove these entries from the file.

    Clean up any remaining Hyperion-related files and directories under the user's install home. E.g. "D:\Oracle\Middleware"

Registry keys deletion

Registry keys which should be deleted:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\wow6432node\oracle\

    Delete any additional 'dds_proxy' settings in the registry.

    Delete any additional 'arborpath' entries in the registry.

    Delete any additional 'hyperion' entries in the registry.

Reboot the system

Please reboot the server after all the steps in the uninstallation have been performed.