Configuring the Microsoft Windows Client Running Change Assistant

Change Assistant needs to be run from a Microsoft Windows client. It is highly recommended that you dedicate a Microsoft Windows client machine that is not used for other PeopleSoft purposes for each PeopleSoft Update Image (PI). It is necessary to configure this Microsoft Windows client machine to access your target environment, as well as the PI. This setup is necessary for Change Assistant to communicate with the PI and target databases in 2-tier mode in order to correctly install updates.

In setting up the Microsoft Windows client, be sure to review the software versions listed on the My Oracle Support home page for the PI you are using, as these will impact your setup.

Note: This documentation uses "release/patch" to refer to the PeopleSoft PeopleTools release, for example, 8.54, and patch number, for example 06. This release/patch example is written as 8.54.06.

The Microsoft Windows client needs to include:

  • Oracle Database Client at a version level that is certified for the PeopleSoft PeopleTools release included on the PI.

    See My Oracle Support, Certifications

  • Database Client for target database platform (if the target RDBMS is not Oracle).

    • For a target database that is not Oracle, you must always install the database client for your database platform.

    • For a target database that is Oracle, it may be necessary to install a second Oracle Database Client if the target database is not at the same PeopleTools release level as the PI.

      For example, PeopleTools 8.53 uses a 32–bit client and PeopleTools 8.54 requires a 64–bit client.

  • PeopleTools Client for Oracle database platform at the same version level of the PI.

    Note: The PeopleTools client will work with all your target databases that are on the same PeopleTools release as the PI in carrying out PUM-enabled maintenance as long as the PeopleTools client is installed from the tools_client shared drive. If your target database is on a different PeopleTools release, you will need to install a second PeopleTools Client for that PeopleTools release.

  • PeopleTools Client for target database platform at a version level supported by the PI.

    Note: The supported PeopleTools client installer is available in the tools_client share. It is not necessary to upgrade the target database to the supported PeopleTools release patch level. The target database will work with the PeopleTools client.

  • Change Assistant installed from the PS_HOME directory for the PeopleSoft Update Image on the Microsoft Windows client. However if the target database is at a higher release level than the PeopleSoft Image, then the latest tools version must be used to install Change Assistant. For example, the customer upgrades the target database to 8.56 and the latest PeopleSoft Image is still on 8.55, the customer must use Change Assistant 8.56 to apply updates.

    Note: This use of PS_HOME refers to the location created by the client installation. You may need more than one client PS_HOME location, when you configure the Microsoft Windows Client. This documentation also uses "PS Home" in some cases to match the syntax on the Change Assistant UI.

After you install and initialize the PI, you access a shared drive which makes the folders from the image accessible to the host (Microsoft Window OS).

From Windows Explorer access the virtual appliance file system from your Microsoft Windows host by selecting Start, Run, and entering the Microsoft Windows UNC path containing your virtual machine IP address.

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the Microsoft Windows Run dialog box with IP address.

 Microsoft Windows Run dialog box with IP address

The shared drive includes 3 folders:

The <product>_pi_home folder contains all files needed for patching.

The <product>_app_home folder contains the application home for the PUM source.

The tools-client folder includes the following:

  • client-858

    The client-858 folder includes a Readme file, a manifest with version information, archives, and scripts for deployment of the PeopleSoft PeopleTools 8.58 client home folder.

  • client-859

    The client-859 folder includes a Readme file, a manifest with version information, archives, and scripts for deployment of the PeopleSoft PeopleTools 8.59 client home folder.

  • client-860

    The client-860 folder includes a Readme file, a manifest with version information, archives, and scripts for deployment of the PeopleSoft PeopleTools 8.60 client home folder.

  • oracle-client

    The oracle-client folder includes a Readme file, a manifest with version information, archives, and scripts for deployment of the Oracle 19c database client home folder.

  • SetupPTClient.bat — Interactive script that installs the PeopleSoft PeopleTools components such as Application Designer and Change Assistant.

    You supply information such as the PeopleSoft PeopleTools release and the RDBMS platform.

  • source.properties — A text file that includes information required for the setup. Do not edit this file. The information is supplied by the setup scripts.

  • tnsnames.ora — Oracle database connectivity file. The file includes the information for the source (PI) database.

You will use the SetupPTClient.bat file to configure the client. When you run the setup script, you will be prompted for information about your environment.

For detailed information on the setting up the client, see PeopleSoft PeopleTools Deployment Packages Installation.

The script uses the information you supplied and carries out the following validations and deployments:

  • Oracle 19c database client for the Update Image source database (PI). The setup process determines whether a 64-bit Oracle 19c database client is present on the Microsoft Windows client machine for connectivity to the source database. If not, the setup process installs it.

  • PeopleSoft PeopleTool 8.59 and 8.60 require 64-bit Oracle 19c. PeopleSoft PeopleTools 8.58, 8.57, 8.56, 8.55, and 8.54 require a 64-bit Oracle 12c Database Client installation. PeopleSoft PeopleTools 8.53 requires the 32-bit Oracle 12c database client.

  • PeopleSoft PeopleTools Client for the source (PI). The source client tools are installed in C:\Peoplesoft\PSHOME\Client<release_number>, where <release_number> refers to the PeopleSoft PeopleTools release and patch, such as 8.58.03.

  • PeopleSoft PeopleTools Client for the target. The target client tools are installed in C:\Peoplesoft\PSHOME\Client<release_number>, .where <release_number> refers to the PeopleSoft PeopleTools release and patch, such as 8.57.14.

  • Change Assistant installation Change Assistant is installed in C:\Program Files\Peoplesoft\Change Assistant. If there is an earlier Change Assistant installation on the machine, the setup script removes it.

After running the SetupPTClient, you will need to update the tnsnames.ora file located in your oracle_home directory with the tnsnames entry from the tools_client folder. If your target database is also Oracle, you will also need to add the target databases tnsnames entry. To update the tnsnames.ora file:

  1. Open the tnsnames.ora file in the tools_client directory.

  2. Copy the entry in the tnsnames.ora file to the tnsnames.ora file located in your oracle_home directory.

    Depending on your installation, the location of the tnsnames.ora file in the oracle_home directory will vary. If you installed the oracle client using SetupPTClient, the tnsnames.ora file is located in oracle_home\network\admin\tnsnames.ora; for example: C:\oracle\product\12.1.0\client_1\network\admin\tnsnames.ora:

  3. If your target database is on Oracle, copy the tnsnames entry for your target database into the tnsnames.ora file.

    The location of the tnsnames.ora file will vary depending on the Windows client installation. If SetupPTClient detects an existing Oracle DB Client 12c with 64-bit installation, it will use that version of Oracle Database, if SetupPTClient needs to install the DB Client 12c , the default location is: C:\oracle\product\12.1.0\client_1.

    The tnsnames entry for your target databases must use the SERVICE_NAME in order for your PeopleTools or Change Assistant clients to connect to the PUM source database within the 12c database server. This is an example of the entry:

    PT855GA1 = 
  (DESCRIPTION = 
     (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = hostname.domain)(PORT = 1521)) 
     (CONNECT_DATA = 
      (SERVER = DEDICATED) 
      (SERVICE_NAME = PT855GA1) 
    ) 
  )

  4. Save the file.

This table describes the Microsoft Windows client installs and when it needs to be installed.

Microsoft Windows Client machine install

When you need this install

Oracle database 64-bit client

Always install for PUM source.

Enter the tnsnames entry into the tnsnames.ora file

Always enter tnsnames entry for PUM source database.

If target database is on Oracle enter the tnsnames entry for the target database.

PeopleTools 8.60 client

Always install for PUM source.

PeopleTools 8.53 through 8.58

Install the PeopleTools client that matches the target environment.

Note: If your target database is on a different release than the PUM source, you will have 2 PS homes.

Oracle database 32-bit client

Required if target environment is on PeopleTools 8.53.

Target database client environment

Set up database connectivity.

Required if target environment is not on Oracle.

This diagram illustrates the relationship between the Microsoft Windows client running Change Assistant and the PI when your target database is not Oracle.

 Target Environment Not on Oracle Database

When the target environment is not on Oracle database, you will always have 2 PS Homes and 2 database clients (one for Oracle and one for the target database platform). The PS Home for the PUM Source database will be on PeopleTools 8.60 and the Target PS Home will be on the same release as the target database.