Server Configuration¶
Compare BusinessObjects server settings across all your environments, change them in bulk with a reason, and keep an audit trail and snapshots of every change.
Before you begin¶
- The BO console is enabled: see Enable the Web Console.
- The environments you want to compare are connected in MetaMiner. Settings are read live from each CMS through the MetaMiner Server (MMS), not from the last pull.
- To apply changes you need the Change Server Configuration permission on every environment you touch. Viewing needs only BO console access.
Open it¶
In the BO console sidebar choose Servers. The module has two tabs:
| Tab | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Config Management | Read, compare, edit, export and import server settings |
| Change Audit | Every server setting change written through MetaMiner |
Image of Servers > Config Management in Compare view: Server Type facet with Web Intelligence Processing Server ticked, Environments facet with three environments, and the grid showing one column per server with a differing row highlighted
../../images/web-console/bo/config-management-compare.png
View settings by server type¶
The left panel filters what is read and shown:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Filter servers | Narrow the columns by server name |
| Server Type | Pick one or more types. Keep at least one selected. |
| Environments | Include or exclude environments. An environment that could not be read shows error; hover it for the reason. |
Server types you can read:
| Code | Server type |
|---|---|
| WIPS | Web Intelligence Processing Server |
| CMS | Central Management Server |
| APS | Adaptive Processing / Web App Container |
| AJS | Adaptive Job Server |
| CS | Connection Server |
| CRP | Crystal Reports Processing Server |
| CRC | Crystal Reports Cache Server |
| RAS | Report Application Server |
| FRS | File Repository Server |
| EVT | Event Server |
The toolbar offers two views and three switches:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Tree | One row per server: Server, Enabled, SIA host, Settings, Drift, Requested vs running |
| Compare | One column per server, one row per setting. A delta mark flags rows whose values differ; a dot flags a non-default value; a warning icon flags settings that need a server restart. |
| Only differences | Hide rows where every server has the same value |
| Group by service | Group setting rows by the BO service they belong to |
| Show additional properties | Add command line, ports, auto start and runtime facts per server |
Click a server header to open its details drawer with the tabs Identity, Requested vs running (settings whose running value has not caught up with the requested value) and Drift (settings that differ from a reference server in the grid; the drawer names it).
Image of the server details drawer, Requested vs running tab, listing two settings with their requested and running values
../../images/web-console/bo/config-server-drawer.png
Apply changes¶
- In Compare view, click a cell and pick or type the new value. The cell turns yellow (staged). To give a whole row the same value, use set all on the setting name or the push button on an edited cell.
- Repeat for other settings. Revert all discards every staged value.
- Click Apply all changes. The Apply changes drawer opens on the Review tab with every staged change.
- Enter a Change reason / ticket (required, for example a change ticket number).
- Enter your MetaMiner user and password under MetaMiner credentials.
- Click Confirm & apply N changes.
Result: the MMS checks your credentials and permission, writes the values to the CMS and records one audit row per setting. A message reports "Applied N of M changes - written to the CMS and audited"; failed cells stay marked so you can see which ones did not apply.
Image of the Apply changes drawer, Review tab: three staged changes, the restart warning, the Change reason / ticket field filled and the MetaMiner credentials fields
../../images/web-console/bo/config-apply-review.png
Changes are forward-only
There is no automatic undo. To roll back, apply the old value again (the audit trail and snapshots show it). Some settings take effect only after the BO server restarts; until then Requested vs running lists them.
Audit trail¶
Every change written through MetaMiner is recorded with who, when, which server, old and new value, the result and the reason.
- Servers > Change Audit lists the latest 1,000 changes, newest first, with the columns When, User, Environment, Server, Setting, Old, New, Restart, Result, Reason. Filter by user, server, setting or reason.
- The Audit log tab of the Apply changes drawer shows the same log next to your pending changes.
Image of Servers > Change Audit with several rows, one with Result OK and one with a failure result, and the filter box in use
../../images/web-console/bo/change-audit.png
To be told by e-mail when anyone changes server settings, in the CMC or here, turn on the Server settings changed notification: see Notifications and Jobs.
Export and import snapshots¶
Click Export to save the current settings as JSONL (one self-describing line per setting):
| Export option | Result |
|---|---|
| Save snapshot on the MetaMiner Server (shown types / all types) | Files written on the MMS machine, one folder per environment and server |
| Download JSONL (shown types / all types) | A file downloaded to your computer |
| Download differences as CSV | The differing rows of the current grid |
Export diff at the bottom of the grid downloads the differences as CSV directly.
Click Import to stage values from a snapshot, either Saved on server (pick one or more snapshots) or From a file (a JSONL file exported from this console). Under Apply to, choose The same servers, matched by CUID or Every shown server of the same type (command line skipped). Import only stages values in the grid; nothing is written until you review and apply.
Snapshot folder
Server-side snapshots are stored under server\store\bo\config\ by default (property web.apps.bo.store.dir). Include this folder in your backups if you rely on snapshots for rollback.
Troubleshooting¶
Could not read live configuration
The MMS has no working session to that environment. Check the environment connection in the MMA and the Environments facet tooltip.
Apply refused
The message names the reason. Common causes: wrong password, or no Change Server Configuration permission on one of the environments in the change set.
A value differs between requested and running after Apply
The setting needs a BO server restart. Restart the server in the CMC at a suitable time.