OBIEE WebCatalog and RPD Backup Automation

1. Backup Schedule and directory

The OBIEE Webcatalog and RPD files are backed up regularly, [twice a week while compiling the document] using a shell script. This shell script is scheduled to run using cronJob. 

 
1.1 Backup Script

The shell script RPD-And-Catalog-Backup.sh that takes the backup of both OBIEE Webcatalog and the RPD resides under /obiee/OBIEE_Weekly_BKP. It is a regular shell script that navigates to the catalog folder and takes the archive of webcatalog and stores in the specified backup directory. Further, it copies the latest RPD from the Repository folder to the backup folder.

It also deletes all those backups that are older than 30 days to avoid too many backups occupying space with no use. 

 
1.2 Backup Directory

The OBIEE WebCatalog and RPD backups regularly created by the shell script are being stored under /obiee/OBIEE_Weekly_BKP in FLAOBIRPA01.mtn.co.za under respective folders.

That is,

For Web Catalogs, it is /obiee/OBIEE_Weekly_BKP/OBIEE_WebCat_BKP

And for RPD files, it is /obiee/OBIEE_Weekly_BKP/OBIEE_RPD_BKP

The backups are suffixed with the current date for easy identification and uniqueness. You may find a backup easily for a particular date by looking at its name.

Example, SampleAppLite_2015-09-06.zip – shows that the catalog archive was taken on 6th of September, 2015.

2. Creating a Backup on Demand

If a backup has to been taken on ad-hoc basis, on demand, you may run the shell script specified in section 2.1. That is, simply execute the following commands from the terminal window.

cd /obiee/OBIEE_Weekly_BKP

./ RPD-And-Catalog-Backup.sh

This will create a backup of both Web Catalog and the RPD in the respective backup directories.

3. Restoring a backup

This section details on how to restore a backup from the backup directory to the operating directory.


3.1 Restoring catalog backup

i. In order to restore a backed up catalog, simply unarchive the desired catalog backup file to a particular directory, say /obiee/FMW/instances/instance1/bifoundation/OracleBIPresentationServicesComponent/coreapplication_obips1/catalog/BackupImport/SampleAppLite

ii. Login to Enterprise Manager with the admin credentials and open core applications [from the left hand side tree]




iii. Open Deployment à Repository tab and click on Lock and Edit configuration







iii. In the bottom most BIPresenation Catalog section, modify the path and the catalog name to the backup directory [as created in step i] and click Apply button.

iv. Click on Activate changes and restart the presentation services.
1.1 Restoring RPD backup

In order to restore a particular RPD backup, indentify the backup file to be deployed and follow the regular deployment process.

That is,

i. Login to Enterprise Manager with the admin credentials and open core applications [from the lefT hand side tree]


Open Deployment à Repository tab and click on Lock and Edit configuration







i. In the Upload BI Server Repository section, click on Browse and select the identified repository. [To do this, please move the RPD file to your local machine from where you are trying to deploy]

ii. Key in the Repository password.

iii. Click on Apply and then Activate changes. Restart presentation services.