Processing Application: Cannot find the object ApShellExtra.dbo.Audit...

While testing a new installation of BPC, I encounter an error processing an Application:

Cannot find the object "ApShellExtra.dbo.AuditActivityHdrApShell" because it does not exist or you do not have permissions.

Sure enough SQL Server Management Studio shows the table is not there. On a whim I restart the Admin client and try processing the Application again; it works!?

Turns out, after the install I always modify security to allow the BPCSysAdmin account to have full control over ApShell. Apparently those security changes weren't completely applied until I restarted.

BPC 7.0 Management Console 'User does not exist'

After installing BPC 7.0 MS the Management Console wouldn't let me view logging. The 'User does not exist' error would appear. This was a Windows Server 2003 R2 dual server environment. Using Fiddler I was seeing a 500 error, with something like 'cannot resolve server name vmw2317'. Hmmm... vmw seems like VMWare, but I was dealing with physical servers.

Looking at the web.config file, I discovered several appSettings with vmw2317 and vmw2315; these were left over by SAP during development. Changed the names to our real server names, saved the file and everything works!

BPC 7.5 MS Prerequisites

Though the install guide for BPC provides the prereqs, I find I have to bounce around in the doc to find them. Here they are as of 8/3/2011:

Pre-Requisites:

App Server: OS (pick one preferably x64):

1. Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard or Enterprise Edition with or without Hyper-V
2. Windows Server 2008 Standard or Enterprise Edition with or without Hyper-V
   
3. Windows Server 2008 Data Center with or without Hyper-V
4. Windows Server 2003 Standard or Enterprise Edition SP2
5. Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard or Enterprise Edition SP2

Database Server: OS (pick one preferably x64):

1. Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard or Enterprise Edition with or without Hyper-V
2. Windows Server 2008 Standard or Enterprise Edition with or without Hyper-V
   
3. Windows Server 2008 Data Center with or without Hyper-V
4. Windows Server 2003 Standard or Enterprise Edition SP2
5. Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard or Enterprise Edition SP2

Service Accounts:

1. SQL Server
   
2. BPC SysAdmin
3. BPC Admin
4. BPC User

NOTE: These are domain accounts.


Have available, but do not install:

Database (pick one):

1. SQL Server 2008: SP2 with Cumulative Update 1 for SP2.
2. SQL Server 2008 R2: Cumulative Update 5.
3. SQL Server 2005: If you wish to use 2005 ask me for SP and CU
   

BPC:

1. BPC 7.5 MS setup

Misc:

1. SQL Server 2005 Backward Compatibility Components

From SAP Marketplace website (SAP Cryptographic Software) :

1. AmyuniPDF.exe
2. XceedZip.dll

Re-installing BPC 7.5 MS

Some notes from re-installing BPC 7.5 MS.

1. Backup AppSets
2. Thru Server Manager, document existing settings
   
3. Reboot the application server
4. Rename the AppServer, ApShell and ApShellExtra databases
5. Rename the AppServer, ApShell and ApShellExtra Data folders
   
6. Uninstall BPC either thru Add and Remove Programs (Win Server 2003) or the new Win Server 2008 method
7. Remove the BPC application folder (Not the data folder)
8. Remove any remaining BPC COM+ objects
9. Remove and remaining BPC, OutlookSoft and SAP registry entries
   

SAP Central Management Console and Windows AD Authentication

When changing Domain Controllers for a UMS/CMS server you need to modify the krb5.ini file. In our case that file was located in C:\WinNT. Simply adding another kdc line, saving the file and restarting TomCat updates the system.

AD.ourdomain.COM = {
kdc = NewDCName.AD.ourdomain.COM
kdc = OldDCName.AD.ourdomain.COM
default_domain = AD.ourdomain.COM
}

Prior to this update, I was receiving this error:

Account Information Not Recognized: Active Directory Authentication
failed to log you on. Please contact your system administrator to make
sure you are a member of a valid mapped group and try again. If you are
not a member of the default domain, enter your user name as
UserName@DNS_DomainName, and then try again. (FWM 00006)

FWM 01003 null When Logging Into Central Management Console

When logging into the SAP Central Management Console used for managing security in UMS, I received the following error:

Server not found or server may be down (FWM 01003) null

Thanks to this post, it turns out that the CMS.exe process was not running. I could tell by looking in Task Manager. To start the process:

1. Run Central Configuration Manager
2. (Re)start Server Intelligence Agent
   

Business Bargains

I found this article in the June 2011 issue of Inc magazine useful. A great way for business owners to save money.

Copying VM While Running

NOTE: I receive a checksum failure error during vm-import when following this method.

To copy a VM while it is still running:

1. Create a snapshot
2. Export as backup
3. Import the backup

Here are the details:

Create a Snapshot

1. ssh into XenServer
2. run xe vm-snapshot vm="VM Name" new-name-label="Name the snapshot"
3. when it completes write down the UUID returned
   

Export as Backup

1. ssh into XenServer
2. xe template-export template-uuid="UUID from step 3 above" filename="Name the .xva file"
3. View progress in XenCenter
   

Import the Backup

1. ssh into XenServer
2. xe vm-import filename="Name the .xva file to import" sr-uuid="SR to restore it to"

Hints:

Use df -ha to view existing disks and available space
Use xe sr-list to find the sr-uuid needed in Import the Backup step 2.

Viewing Data in a NW AppSet

Often I need to know where data is when testing after an upgrade or install. For the NW version do the following:

1. Login to SAP GUI
2. Start transaction RSA1
3. If prompted, decide whether to view or not view the documentation
4. In the Modeling pane, click InfoProvider
5. In the large pane on the right, expand Business Planning and Consolidation
6. Expand your AppSet
7. Right click on your Application, then select Display Data
8. If an information dialog appears about too many characteristics, click the green check

At this point a dialog appears with all the dimensions and their properties. So for example, the P_Activity dimension shows 4 rows:

1. [ ] [ ] CALC[P_ACTIVITY]
2. [ ] [x] CALC[P_ACTIVITY]
3. [ ] [ ] P_ACTIVITY
4. [ ] [x] P_ACTIVITY

Notice there are white check boxes and greyed out check boxes. The grey boxes that are checked indicate the ID for the member, the non checked contain the name. So check the white check box like this to get ID and Name:

1. [ ] [ ] CALC[P_ACTIVITY]
2. [ ] [x] CALC[P_ACTIVITY]
3. [x] [ ] P_ACTIVITY
4. [x] [x] P_ACTIVITY

Do this for every dimension you want to view with your results. Notice the SignedData row at the end, this is the actual value column. Then:

1. Click the green check.
2. Clicking the Fld Selectn for Output button
3. Click the Select All button
4. Click the Clock with a green check button
5. You return to the previous screen
6. Click the Clock with a green check button again
7. Your data displays

Once I know where data is located I can run reports in the Excel client.

Chrome OS Tips

Alt + Ctrl + T will put Chrome OS into shell mode in VirtualBox

BPC Server Version

BPC 7.5

7.5.102 : SP01
7.5.103 : SP02
7.5.104 : SP03
7.5.105 : SP04
7.5.106 : SP05

BPC 7.0

7.0.114 : SP05
7.0.115 : SP06
7.0.116 : SP07

Clearing All Rows From All Tables

This couple of SQL statements will delete all the rows from all tables.

1. It disables referential integrity
2. DELETES or TRUNCATES each table
3. Enables referential integrity
4. Reseeds rows with identity

-- disable referential integrity
EXEC sp_MSForEachTable 'ALTER TABLE ? NOCHECK CONSTRAINT ALL'
GO

EXEC sp_MSForEachTable '
IF OBJECTPROPERTY(object_id(''?''), ''TableHasForeignRef'') = 1
DELETE FROM ?
else
TRUNCATE TABLE ?
'
GO

-- enable referential integrity again
EXEC sp_MSForEachTable 'ALTER TABLE ? CHECK CONSTRAINT ALL'
GO

-- This will reseed each table [don't run this exec if you don't want all your seeds to be reset]
EXEC sp_MSForEachTable '
IF OBJECTPROPERTY(object_id(''?''), ''TableHasIdentity'') = 1
DBCC CHECKIDENT (''?'', RESEED, 0)
'
GO

Thanks to Mauro Cardarelli's post

BPC Processor Preferences

Based on this SQL Server Central post: a processor with more cores is better for Data Warehouses / Decision Support Systems (smells like OLAP). And at this time an Intel processor is better for a transactional system (OLTP).

Changing R/3 SAP GUI Permissions

Recently I needed to apply an SAP Note to our BPC NW environment. To do this, I had to create a new 'admin' user and run the Notes Assistant under that new account. Before I could run the Notes Assistant, I need to grant access to the snote transaction in SAP GUI. This is how I did it:

1. Login with DDIC
2. Go to su01
3. Specify user ID
4. Change
5. Go to Profiles tab
6. enter SAP_ALL or whatever objects
7. Save
8. Exit
   

BPC Dimension Members and Office Version

To specify which version of Excel is used when working with Dimension members look at the tblDefaults table with the row containing KeyID MEMBERSHEET_VERSION.

You can change this to 2007 or 2003

Make sure to install MS Data Connectivity Components on the application server as well. See Note: 1289927 and this link: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=7554F536-8
C28-4598-9B72-EF94E038C891&displaylang=en

SAP Cryptographic Software (XceedZip.dll, Anti-Cross Site Scripting and AmyUniPDF)

To download the XceedZip.dll, Anti-Cross Site Scripting and AmyUniPDF files for BPC go to:

SAP Service Marketplace > SAP Support Portal > Software Downloads > Software Download Center > Installations and Upgrades > Browse our Download Catalog

On the page displayed you will find a link to SAP Cryptographic Software.

Updating BPC Service Pack Work Instruction

Document Server Manager settings

Make a copy of BPC web.config
Make a copy of server level .NET Framework v.2.0 machine.config and web.config

Verify the Office and admin clients can connect

• Run a report
• Manage dimensions

Restart all servers before applying any updates to ensure nothing is locked or open.

Make backup of AppServer DB

Run Startup.exe

Some BPC NW Commands

In SAP GUI using se80 will show tables.

These table prefixes mean the following:

• uj - BPC related
• uja - AppSet
• ujj - Journal
• uje - Security

rsa1 - Data Warehousing Workbench: Modeling (view AppSet, dimension attributes and raw data here)
su01 - Create Users
snote - Run Note Assistant

SAP Supported SQL and Windows Server Versions for BPC

Windows Server

BPC 7.5 SP04 or later:

Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard or Enterprise Edition with or without Hyper-V
Windows Server 2008 Standard or Enterprise Edition with or without Hyper-V, or
Windows Server 2008 Data Center with or without Hyper-V
Windows Server 2003 Standard or Enterprise Edition SP2
Windows Server 2003 Standard configured on the SQL database or OLAP server components only
Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard or Enterprise Edition SP2

SQL Server

BPC 7.0 and 7.5 support:

SQL 2008: SP2 with Cumulative Update 1 for SP2.
SQL 2008 R2: Cumulative Update 5.

"The ABAP server specified in the server configurtion file is not reachable

Problem

When trying to log into the launch page on BPC NW 7.5 I receive either a timeout error or this:

• The ABAP server specified in the server configurtion file is not reachable

Investigating further I find I cannot login to SAP Login

When trying to login to SAP Logon 710 I get:

partner '192.168.1.40:sapdp00' not reached.
WSAECONNREFUSED: Connection refused

SAP Support suggested:

Connection refused errors are normally triggered in two situations:

- There is a firewall in the way of the connection rejecting the
communication
- The service is not running on the server

It seems that the problem here is that you are not being able to reach
the server. If you try to do a telnet test like:

telnet 192.168.1.40 3200

Are you able to open the port or you receive an error too?

I in fact cannot telnet to port 3200

Solution

• Open SAP Management Console
• SAP Systems > SPC > dublin 0 (our ABAP / NW server)
• Right click on dublin 0
• Click Start...

SP 2010: Create New Web Application and Site Collection

Create New Web Application

IIS Web Site

1. Description: MOSS Web App - 80 (Consider TurtlePoint Web App - 80)
   
2. Port: 80
   

Application Pool

1. App Pool Name: MOSS Web App - 80 (Consider TurtlePoint Web App - 80)
   
2. Account: spAppPool
   

Database Name and Authentication

1. DB Name: MOSS_WebApp_Content

MOSS_WebApp_Content DB created
MOSS Web App Web - 80 Site created
MOSS Web App - 80 App Pool created


Create New Site Collection

Title and Description

1. Title: Turtle Point

Template Selection

1. Collaboration > Blank Site
2. Activate these Site Collection Features
   
1. SharePoint Server Enterprise Site Collection
   
2. SharePoint Server Publishing Infrastructure
3. SharePoint Server Standard Site Collection
4. Publishing Approval Workflow if desired
3. Activate these Site Features
   
1. SharePoint Server Enterprise Site
2. SharePoint Server Publishing
3. SharePoint Server Standard Site
4. Team Collaboration Lists
   

Primary Site Collection Administrator

1. TURTLELLC\Administrator

No new database, web site or app pool created