This preface describes changes to Oracle BI Publisher administration features for Oracle Business Intelligence Publisher 11g Release 1 (11.1.1).
This preface contains the following topics:
New Features for Oracle BI Publisher 11g Release 1 (11.1.1.7)
New Features for Oracle BI Publisher 11g Release 1 (11.1.1.6)
New Features for Oracle BI Publisher 11g Release 1 (11.1.1.5)
New Features for Oracle BI Publisher 11g Release 1 (11.1.1.3)
This section describes new features for Oracle BI Publisher 11g Release 1 (11.1.1.7). It contains the following topics:
Note:
Information about Oracle BI Publisher 11g Release 1 (11.1.1.7.10) is only applicable to customers using Oracle Fusion Applications 11g Release 8 (11.1.8).
New features for administrators in Oracle BI Publisher 11g Release 1 (11.1.1.7.10) include:
Previously, for web service-based data sets the connection to the web service had to be configured for each data set. This release introduces centrally administered web service connections. Web service connections set up by the administrator are available to data model developers through a list of values. Therefore data models can share the central connection and no longer require set up for each data set. For more information, see Section 9.7, "Setting Up a Connection to a Web Service."
Previously, for HTTP-based data sets the connection to the HTTP server had to be configured for each data set. This release introduces centrally administered HTTP connections. HTTP server connections set up by the administrator are available to data model developers through a list of values. Therefore data models can share the central connection and no longer require set up for each data set. For more information, see Section 9.8, "Setting Up a Connection to a HTTP XML Feed."
BI Publisher provides a set of features to provide options to protect Oracle BI Publisher server instances from out-of-memory errors by blocking report requests that generate excessive amounts of data. These "memory guard" features consist of a set of properties that you set in a configuration file. The properties enable you to configure conditions and processing points at which data size is inspected to determine whether the system continues to process a report request or terminates processing. When processing terminates due to data size, an error message is returned to the user.
For information about implementing memory guard features, see Appendix F, "Enabling Memory Guard Features."
You can now customize the skins and styles used by the BI Publisher user interface. The default style has also been enhanced. BI Publisher now uses the "Skyros" style, which replaces the blafplus (browser look-and-feel plus) style. You can switch back to the blafplus style or you can customize the style to match your company's branding. For more information, see Chapter 16, "Customizing the BI Publisher User Interface."
New features for administrators in Oracle BI Publisher 11g Release 1 (11.1.1.7) include:
BI Publisher now supports integration with Oracle Endeca as a data source for reports. For more information, see Section 10.2, "Configuring Integration with Oracle Endeca Server."
BI Publisher now provides a PDF to PCL converter to enable the printing of PDF output to a PCL printer. This enables the embedding of PCL commands in RTF templates that are executed by the printer when the document is printed. For example, the ability to switch to a specific font cartridge. For more information about the set up, see Section 11.2, "Adding a Printer."
Data model developers can now create and manage private JDBC and OLAP data source connections for use in SQL or MDX data sets without having to depend on Administrators. However, Administrator users can still view, modify, and delete private data source connections, and extend access to other users. For more information, see Section 9.1.1, "About Private Data Source Connections."
New features for administrators in Oracle BI Publisher 11g Release 1 (11.1.1.6) include:
Reporting Organization Support Enabled with E-Business Suite Security Integration
Simplified Configuration Steps for Enabling Performance Monitoring and User Auditing
In 11.1.1.5 support for E-Business Suite security was enhanced to support data-level security based on responsibility. In 11.1.1.6, BI Publisher also recognizes reporting organization. After setting up integration with E-Business Suite security, when a user logs in he can choose both responsibility and reporting organization from the My Account dialog. For more information, see Section 5.4, "Integrating with Oracle E-Business Suite."
In previous releases enabling performance monitoring and user auditing required the manual editing of configuration files. In 11.1.1.6, this process has been simplified and now you simply select a check box on the Administration Server Configuration page. For more information, see Section 8.6, "Enabling Monitor and Audit" and Section 13.6, "Enabling Monitoring and Auditing."
New features in Oracle BI Publisher 11g Release 1 (11.1.1.5) include:
BI Publisher now supports Oracle E-Business Suite's data level security based on user responsibility and enables you to switch responsibilities in-session. You can use BI Publisher 11.1.1.5 to view, manage, and deliver reports against E-Business Suite data and join and aggregate with data from other data sources. For more information, see Section 5.4, "Integrating with Oracle E-Business Suite."
Auditing is not just about compliance, it's a way to improve customer service by understanding what your users like to do, when and how they access and view reports. BI Publisher 11.1.1.3 included a framework to help Administrators collect data required for auditing. BI Publisher 11.1.1.5 enhances the audit and performance information captured and introduces a method to store the data into a database. Now you can use BI Publisher to visualize, analyze and report on your auditing and performance information. For more information, see Section 13.5, "About Performance Monitoring and User Auditing."
Developing reports often involves multiple phases and processes before going live. Reports must be moved to a testing environment after the development and then to the production environment. Now you can use the BI Publisher Catalog Utility to move your reports either one at a time or in batch from one environment to another all without shutting down servers. For more information, see Chapter 15, "Moving Catalog Objects Between Environments."
New features in Oracle BI Publisher 11g Release 1 (11.1.1.3) include:
The user interface has undergone major improvements in several areas, including a new Home page and redesigned editors and panes. These improvements are intended to make working with Oracle BI Publisher easier and more consistent. For information about working in the new interface, see Oracle Fusion Middleware User's Guide for Oracle Business Intelligence Publisher.
The updated architecture of the 11g BI Publisher Scheduler uses the Java Messaging Service (JMS) queue technology. This architecture enables you to add multiple BI Publisher servers to a cluster and then dedicate each server to a particular function: report generation, document generation, or specific delivery channels. The new interface also enables you to configure the number of threads per processor. To facilitate diagnosing issues with the scheduler, a Scheduler Diagnostics page is now available to provide run-time information regarding JMS configuration, JMS queues, Cluster instance status, Scheduler Database status, Toplink status, and Scheduler (Quartz) status. For more information, see Chapter 7, "Configuring the Scheduler."
For installations of BI Publisher with the Oracle BI Enterprise Edition, BI Publisher now shares the same catalog with Oracle BI Presentation services. The catalog integration is configured during installation. For information about the improved catalog, see Oracle Fusion Middleware User's Guide for Oracle Business Intelligence Publisher.
The Oracle Fusion Middleware security model is built upon the Oracle Fusion Middleware platform, which incorporates the Java security model. The Java model is a role-based, declarative model that employs container-managed security where resources are protected by roles that are assigned to users. When implemented with the Oracle BI Enterprise Edition, this provides a much tighter and more rational security integration across products. For more information about using the Oracle Fusion Middleware security model for standalone implementation of BI Publisher, see Chapter 2, "Configuring Oracle Fusion Middleware Security Model." For more information about security when BI Publisher is integrated with Oracle BI Enterprise Edition, see Oracle Fusion Middleware Security Guide for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition
A user's role must now be granted explicit permissions on catalog folders to enable functional privileges. This provides much more control over which users can perform actions on particular objects in the catalog. Permissions are granted by an administrator within the catalog interface. For more information, see Section 3.5, "About Catalog Permissions."
Performance monitoring enables you to monitor the performance of queries, reports and document generation and to analyze the provided details. BI Publisher 11g collects performance statistics through JMX Management Beans or Mbeans. Each MBean reveals attributes, operations, and relevant statistics gathered by the Oracle Dynamic Monitoring Service (DMS). For more information, see Section 13.5, "About Performance Monitoring and User Auditing."