13 Configuring, Generating, and Viewing Reports

Configuration Change Console provides a library of predefined reports to aid in analyzing compliance with policies and spotting potential problems. These reports can be viewed online, printed, or distributed to specific individuals. To create reports specific to your environment, you must create report instances, based on predefined reports.

Several steps are required to complete the report-configuration process. Some tasks must be completed prior to using Configuration Change Console Auditor and other steps can be taken using the Configuration Change Console report features.

Before you can use the Configuration Change Console report features:

1. Install and configure the BI Publisher Server, if it is not already available in your enterprise. Refer to the Configuration Change Console Installation Guide.

2. Publish the Configuration Change Console reports to the BI Publisher Server. This step integrates the Configuration Change Console reports into the BI Publisher Business Objects Enterprise system. You can select from a list of reports provided with the Configuration Change Console product. Refer to the Configuration Change Console Installation Guide.

Using the Configuration Change Console report features, described in this chapter:

1. Configure the Configuration Change Console BI Publisher Server, described in BI Publisher Server Configuration.

2. In the Configuration Change Console BI Publisher Deployment screen, described in this chapter, customize the run-time parameters and make report instances available for users to run.

3. Create a report instance (a specific, customized version of the deployed report), based on a predefined report.

BI Publisher Server Configuration

The BI Publisher Server Configuration screen completes the integration with your BI Publisher software. Using this screen, you canestablish the connection with your BI Publisher Server.

To access this screen, navigate to Administration --> Server Administration --> Configuration' BI Publisher Server.

Configure the following parameters:

• Server -- Connection URL for the BI Publisher server, in the following format where servername is the hostname or IP address of the server and port is the port number used for access:

  <servername>:<port>

• User name -- Used to connect to the BI Publisher server web portal interface. This field is case sensitive

• Password -- The password used to connect to the BI Publisher server web portal interface

• Password (verify) -- Used to verify accuracy of the password entered in the Password field

• Authentication Type -- Authentication type used on the server. The recommended type for use with this Configuration Change Console product is Enterprise

• Report folder -- The name of the folder in which the published reports are stored, in the format /folderName

  You can verify the folder through the BI Publisher Central Management Console, located in the following location where servername is the BI Publisher server hostname or IP address, and port is the access port number:

  http://<servername>:<port>/businessobjects/enterprise11/admin/en/admin.cwr

  Following console login, click the folders link and enter the folders page. Locate the folder and view its link properties to find its ID number.

• Viewer URL. The full BI Publisher viewer url in the following format where servername is the hostname or IP address of the BI Publisher server, and port is the port number used for Tomcat. Note that this is not the same port number used in the Control Panel URL. The default port value used for Tomcat is 8080:

  http://<servername>:<port>/businessobjects/viewrpt.cwr

  You can further append the connection URL with the desired report format. Note that if no format is specified, the default type of HTML will be used.

  To specify your report format, append the following line to the connection URL:

  ?cmd=EXPORT&EXPORT_FMT=<export format representation>

  The following export format representations are supported:

  Adobe PDF. U2FPDF:0

• Is Enabled. Used to enable or disable the BI Publisher server configuration. If the configuration is disabled, all the activities (such as synchronizing the report templates from the BI Publisher, running the report, and so on) between the Configuration Change Console server and Publisher server will be stopped or disabled. Users can only view the existing reports in the Configuration Change Console system.

BI Publisher Deployment

This section provides instructions for deploying BI Publisher Reports through the Oracle Enterprise Manager 10g Configuration Change Console user interface. Follow these steps to deploy BI Publisher Reports:

1. Log into the Oracle Enterprise Manager 10g Configuration Change Console Product interface using the Administrator login

2. From the Navigation tree, select Administration > Server Administration > Configuration BI Reports Deployment

3. The BI Publisher Reports Deployment screen will display. This screen shows all reports that have been published on the BI Publisher Server. The columns displayed include:

   • Report Name -- The name of the report as published in the BI Publisher server

   • Description -- A brief description of the report, specified in the BI Publisher Server

   • Deployed -- Indicates whether the report can be seen/run by users in the Oracle Enterprise Manager 10g Configuration Change Console server

   • Default Parameters -- Indicates whether default parameters have been configured through the Oracle Enterprise Manager 10g Configuration Change Console user interface, for use by the Oracle Enterprise Manager 10g Configuration Change Console server in report generation

   • Last published in crystal server -- The date the report was published into BI Publisher Server

   Click on a report name link to configure default parameters for the report, as well as to modify the deployment status.

   Check the checkbox and click the Deploy checked reports button to make the report available in the Oracle Enterprise Manager 10g Configuration Change Console server.

4. Click on a Report Name link to configure any default parameters for the report, as well as modify the report deployment status.

5. The Update a BI Publisher Reports Deployment screen will display. Click the deployed checkbox to make the report available in the Oracle Enterprise Manager 10g Configuration Change Console server.

6. Specify the following report elements:

   • Report Start and End times -- Specify the start and end time for report data set. The report will include data collected within the time interval specified. Note that certain reports feature an Include Current Hour option which can be toggled to include all data collected during the hour leading up to the report.

   • Report Parameters -- Specify a range of data elements to include by default in each report. Depending on the report type, you will have a different set of configurable Default Parameters. These include such things as individual monitored devices, or device groups, application users, and/or individual files (The report in the screenshot below features an input field for file rules). Note that that most reports feature only device and group report parameter selections. Further note that you can select device groups or individual devices, but not both at the same time.

   Repeat steps 4 through 6 for all reports that you want to make visible through the Oracle Enterprise Manager 10g Configuration Change Console user interface. Once the reports have been deployed they will be viewable by all users on the Oracle Enterprise Manager 10g Configuration Change Console server.

7. Navigate to Reports > Configure Your Reports > Reports to view all the report instances created by the available reports that have been deployed into the Oracle Enterprise Manager 10g Configuration Change Console server

8. Click the Add Report Instance button or the report instance name link to create/update the report instance. Fill in the following information:

   • Report Instance Name -- The unique instance name

   • Report -- The report list that has been deployed into the Oracle Enterprise Manager 10g Configuration Change Console server (we can call them report templates)

   • Description -- the description from the selected report template. Also you can change it

   • Run Schedule -- Specify the schedule for this report instance. Currently we support Daily, Weekly, Monthly, First day of the month and None (means no schedule)

   • Run on Demand? -- If you uncheck it, the report can't be run

   • On demand parameter? -- Specify whether you should re-configure the parameter's value before running the report instance or not. Checking it means need to re-configure the parameter's value, otherwise not

   • Priority -- Use to define the priority when sending notification for the generated report. The range is from P1 to P5, P1 is most urgent

9. Click the number link under the Recipients column on the Configure Report Instances screen and navigate to the Report Distribution List screen.

   You can specify the person who can receive the notifications.

10. After the report instance is created, navigate to Reports > View Your Reports > View Reports. You can generate a report by clicking the report's Run Now link. When running a report you will have the option to specify unique runtime parameters. By specifying runtime parameters you can override the default parameters configured for the report.

11. Once a report has generated you can click the page icon next to the report name to view the report.

Update a BI Publisher Deployment

Using the Update a BI Publisher Deployment screen, you can modify the deployment or active status of a configured Crystal Report.

To access this screen, navigate to Administration --> Server Administration --> Configuration --> BI Publisher Deployment' Report Name link.

The following details are displayed for each report, with the capability of configuring the Deployed status and the default parameters:

• Report -- The report name is displayed as a link in the BI Publisher Deployment screen to direct you to the Update a BI Publisher Deployment screen

• Last Published Date -- Date and time of the last report run

• Description -- Brief description of the information contained in the report (optional)

• Deployed -- Indicates whether or not the current report is active

• Default Parameters -- If the report accepts parameters, you can select which parameters are included by default. For example, you may be able to include start and end times for each event in the report, or you might be able to specify device groups or individual devices for application instances

Configuring Report Instances

To configure an offline report, define the general report and then assign and configure report modules from the predefined report library supplied with the installation package. The Configure Report Instances screen displays a list of reports that have already been configured.

To access this screen, navigate to Reports --> Configure Your Reports --> Reports.

To create a new report instance, click the Add Report button. To modify an existing report instance, click the link in the Report Name column. Either way, the Configure Report Instance screen is displayed. Enter the following report details:

• Instance Name -- Unique name identifying the report

• Report -- Select one of the packaged reports from the drop-down list

• Description -- Brief description of the content or purpose of the report

• Run Schedule -- Enter the options for when the report will run, if scheduled. Select None if there is no need to have the report run at regular intervals

• Viewable Online -- If the checkbox is selected, the report can be viewed online

• Run on demand -- Check this box to enable a user to run reports when needed. When this box is checked, the default parameter values are used at run-time

• On demand parameter -- Check this box to require a user to supply parameters, such as the start time and distribution list, at run-time. If you check Run on demand without checking the On demand parameter, the report will use the default parameter values at run-time

• Priority -- Set the notification priority. See Escalation Priorities

Click Save to save changes or Undo Changes to reset the fields.

Selecting Devices for Report Instances

By default, no devices or device groups are selected for any report; you must assign them to a report instance. In Devices mode, you can select devices individually. In Group mode, if devices are added or removed from the group, the report will change dynamically, but you cannot change the selection of individual devices using the group mode. By default, a group includes all devices in that group.

To access this screen, navigate to Reports --> Configure Your Reports --> Reports --> Report Name link.

To select device(s) for a report, follow these steps:

1. Select a Device Mode: either Groups or Devices

2. Select specific devices or device groups

3. Click Save to save changes or Undo Changes to reset the fields

Configuring the Report Distribution List

The Report Distribution List screen allows you to select the people or team(s) that will receive reports.

If you assign a report to a team, new members will receive the report on joining the team. If you unselect a person from a team, then that person will be excluded from receiving the report. If you do not select a team and you select only select individuals from that team, then the report will only be sent to the specified individuals, even as the team membership changes.

From the Configure Report Instances screen, click a link in the Recipients column.

To access this screen, navigate to Reports --> Configure Your Reports --> Reports --> Recipients link.

Note:

You also can access this screen if you have configured a report instance to enable on-demand parameters. When you click the Run Now link in the BI Publisher screen, you will see this screen as the second set of on-demand parameters.

To specify the distribution list, follow these steps:

1. Select Individual People or Teams from the drop-down option. Click Apply Filters. If you select Teams, expand the teams to display a list of all users assigned to the team.

2. Select specific users or teams to receive the report.

3. Click Save to save changes or Undo Changes to reset the fields.

Generating and Viewing Reports

The BI Publisher screen displays all configured report instances. By default, all reports can be viewed online by a user through the user interface. The administrator has the option of making the report viewable online as a PDF file, as well as to send the generated PDF report to specified users via email.

To access this screen, navigate to Reports --> View Your Reports --> View Reports.

To instantly run a report, click the Run Now link to instantly generate the selected report. If the report is configured as an On-Demand report, you will be prompted to supply parameters. The report will generate and its status will change to Waiting to Run, until it has run successfully. If problems are encountered, the Last Run Status will display an error message. To view an existing report, click on the Report Name or the PDF icon to report as of the last run date. You need Adobe Acrobat Reader on the local system to view the PDF file.

The BI Publisher screen displays the following details:

• Instance Name -- The report name is displayed as a link that directs you to the Configure Report Instance screen where you can view items such as the run schedule and report settings. A PDF icon will be displayed next to the report name if a copy of the report has been generated, and if the report has been configured to be viewed online. Click the PDF icon to view the PDF file.

• Description -- The content and purpose of the report as provided by the user

• Report Name -- The deployed report to which the instance is related

• Last Run Date -- Date that the report was last run

• Last Run Status:

  • Successful -- The last report generation attempt completed successfully

  • Report ran too long -- The last attempt to generate a report took an excessive amount of time. The report did not generate correctly

  • Report too large, truncated -- The last report generation resulted in an excessively large file. The final report made available did not include all the available information so as to remain within file-size constraints

  • Exceptions encountered -- The last report generation attempt ran into errors. The report did not generate successfully

  • Could not write report -- The last report generation attempt could not write the data to a PDF file. The report did not generate successfully

  • Unknown fatal error -- An error was encountered during an attempted report run. Report did not generate successfully

  • Waiting to run -- A report run is pending

  • Currently running -- A report run is currently in progress. The generated report will be available shortl.

• Run Now -- This option is only available if the report has been configured to run "on demand" from the Configure Report Instance screen. An On Demand Report Parameters window will prompt you to verify your action. If you click No, the report will run using the default parameters as defined in the BI Publisher Deployment screen. If you click Yes, the first of two Crystal Report Instance Parameters screens will display.

The parameters shown on this screen depend on what has been configured for the report instance. At a minimum, you will need to specify the Time or Time Range:

• Specific Time Report Start and End -- The report will generate data starting from the specified number of days and hours before the scheduled report run time. Then the report will stop collecting data ending at the specified number of days and hours before the scheduled report run time.

• Time Range -- As an alternative to a specific run time, you can configure a broader time period in which the report should run. Specify the Report Start and End range by entering the number of days and hours before the report run. To include the current hour, select the Include Current Hour checkbox.

Click the Next button to configure the Report Distribution List. Select Individual People or Teams from the drop-down option. Click Apply Filter.

Viewing Online Reports

The Configuration Change Console solution comes with a number of other online reports available from the Reports menu.

• Notification History -- Lets you examine notifications generated by the Configuration Change Console solution

• Inventory History -- Displays detailed information about infrastructure components. For each device, offers information about CPU, file system, network configuration, and so on

• Archived Files -- Displays information about archived files

• Policy Summary -- Displays information about all policies defined for specific devices

For each of these reports, you can select specific devices and timeframes to confine or filter the information displayed.