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I sat the Web Intelligence XI 3.x Level Two exam last week and passed, which means I’m now a BusinessObjects Certified Professional in Web Intelligence XI 3.x.  This is a new certification from BusinessObjects and covers the new Web Intelligence features, as well as the old, and also some universe features.  I’ve noticed that recently BusinessObjects have stepped up the complexity of the exams and I’ve find both the Webi and Data Integrator exams to be more difficult than the older Crystal Reports and Admin exams.

However, I also noticed, especially during the Level 2 exam, several mistakes about the questions, including errors in Webi formulas.

I also recently got hold of a pre-release copy of Polestar XI 3.1.  I have to say, without having spent much time with it, I’m impressed with the improvements they’ve made to Polestar.  It feels more stable, and has some nice new features.

A word of warning however, during the install (I performed it on two different servers runnning XI 3.1), major problems occurred with the deployment of the new WAR files into Tomcat.  The Polestar install replaces, or creates, the following WAR files for:

• InfoViewApp
• InfoViewAppActions
• CmcApp
• CmcAppActions
• PlatformServices
• polestar
• polestar_help
• polestar_tutorial
• PolestarAppActions

However, Tomcat doesn’t successfully deploy these WAR files, and the above Tomcat directories, when viewed, are empty, so to the end-user, both InfoView and the CMC stop responding, and you can’t access them.  This can be resolved by undeploying, then redeploying, the affected WAR files.  I used the Lambda Probe (http://www.lambdaprobe.org/d/index.htm) to do this, but it can also be done by deleting the affected directories within the ‘webapps’ folder, and copying the above WAR files into the ‘webapps’ directory.  Tomcat should then deploy the WAR files automatically.

Apart from the issue described above (a major one BusinessObjects are now trying to work into a hot fix), Polestar seems stable and has some great new features.  When I get to play and experiment with it more, I will post a more detailed description.

EDIT:  I also forgot to mention that SAP BusinessObjects also released an online demo version of Polestar that anyone can play with.  Find it here (http://polestar.ondemand.com/polestar/).

- Josh

Hi all. Sorry again for the gap since my last post (at least it’s shorter than the last gap!).

Today I wanted to put down my thoughts about the new BO Enterprise XI 3.1, having recently implemented at a few sites, including a Dev/UAT/Prod 3-tier system.

So, what’s changed? And what did I like and dislike?

I do really like the new Web Intelligence Rich Client, and the zero-client Web Intelligence report panel (the Ajax-y one) is really coming along – in the next few releases it will be awesome! I did have some stability issues with the Rich Client during training sessions, however I put this down to slower, older machines. In day-to-day use I’ve found it fairly stable, however saving often doesn’t hurt! =)

I found the BusinessObjects documentation about the new LifeCycle Manager (released with XI 3.1) to be lacking. From the documentation, I could understand the process of creating a new promotion job, or how to version control a universe. What I couldn’t find is best practices – how should I use the promotion tool? All-in-one-go, or a folder of reports and a few universes at a time, or some other method?

I ended up designing and documenting my own best practice, however it still a little unclear as to how best to use it, down at the nitty gritty level.

Being able to track session usage (which was available in XI 3.0 also) is great, however I feel we Administrators really need the ability to kill a session as and when required – especially handy for those running BO Edge.

I also love the Widget and Live Office functionality, which I find great, however be warned – those of you running Vista x64 (like me) will find that Xcelsius visualisations can’t be added as a BI Widget. I currently have a case logged with SAP/BO to sort this out.

Until next time, Josh.

It has been far too long since I blogged. Sorry for that. Time just keeps slipping, as Professor Farnsworth once said (avid Futurama fan here). Work and life are keeping me really busy, and work especially is taking me in new directions.

Recently I have been involved in Enterprise Data Warehouse strategy reviews, and complete end-to-end install and designs for Edge Professional, including building data marts from core systems. Really interesting stuff, and I have got to practice my DI (now Data Services) skills. Even more interesting has been the chance to use Data Services to design and implement data marts with SCD Type 2 (Slowly Changing Dimensions), and using Changed Data Capture.

It’s amazing to look back to when I joined this employer (only two years ago), and my role at the time was Crystal Reports, and that was it. My experience was limited to Crystal Reports XI, with Crystal Reports Server, albeit limited experience with CR Server.

However, I really enjoy my job, and I think that is what has helped me, within two years, to gain my certification in both Business Objects Enterprise XI 3.0 and Crystal Reports 2008, as well as becoming a certified Migration Specialist. I was promoted to a Senior Consultant and now am doing things that I only would have dreamed of two years ago. In short, a huge shift in role and responsibility.

I put it down to, mainly, loving BI. I love the potential of BI, the way you can help small and large organisations grow their business and make better business decisions. And it’s just so cool, you can’t forget that. Even when you are just a Crystal cowboy, slapping together reports for a client in the minimum amount of time (not really best practice of course), you are still making a big difference, and getting job satisfaction. Hearing the words ‘we’ve never been able to look at it that way before’ – I’m sure all BI people have heard that – is great.

Taking it a step further though, and using best practices, designing and documenting, keeping to standards, encouraging the use of bigger and better tools, and growing the BI culture within an organisation is what I really enjoy.

I love my job. I think I’m very lucky. What about you?

(PS – Under three months and I’m going to be a dad. Wow.)