September911,2013 Anaheim,California

UserInfluencebecomesSAPApplication:

SAPBI4.1(SystemConfigurationWizard)
MarkJ.Richardson SeniorB.I.Consultant RoseRichardsonEnterprises,Inc. Radim Bacinschi SeniorProductManager SAPCanada

Overview
TheSAPBI4.1platformnowincludesa"SystemConfigurationWizard"in theCMC.ThisenhancementisadirectresultofSAPProductManagers developingenhancedsolutionstohelpmanagecomplexAdministration workflowsbasedonuserfeedbackfromthe"ASUGSAPBIPlatform InfluenceCouncil". Thissessionwillcovertheinitial"ProductGap"feedbackin2011fromthe 35participantcompaniesintheASUGInfluenceCouncil,thecreationofa focusedSAP"CustomerEngagementInitiative"(CEI)group,andtheSAP processofiterativeproductdevelopmentwithregularfeedbackfromthe CEIgroup. Therewillalsobeashortdiscussionofthenew"SystemConfiguration Wizard"intheSAPBI4.1CentralManagementConsole(CMC)thathas resultedfromtheprocess
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LearningPoints
Howcomments/feedbackfromASUGInfluenceCouncil& ConferencesstartedtheSAPprocess. TheSAP"CustomerEngagementInitiative"(CEI)processof iterativedevelopmentandregularCEIgroupfeedback. OverviewoftheSAPBI4.1SystemConfigurationWizard solutionthatresultedfromtheCEIprocess. ReasonswhyyourcompanyshouldgetmoreinvolvedinASUG InfluenceCouncil andSAP"CustomerEngagementInitiative" (CEI)
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Whyshouldwelistentotheseguys?
MarkJ.Richardson (IndependentConsultant) 16+yearsofCrystalReportsandBusinessObjectsexperiencestartingfrom Crystal7.5andSeagateInfo. FocusonhighvolumeOperationalandTransactionalreportingdeployments. BETAtesterforBusinessObjectsBI4.0/RampUpFP3(SP04)&4.1 SelectedmemberoftheASUGSAPBusinessObjectsEnterprisePlatform InfluenceCouncil DesignedandDeployedanumberofSAPBusinessObjectsEnterprise architecturesfordifferentRealWorldclientsinanumberofdifferentsectors

Whyshouldwelistentotheseguys?
RadimBacinschi(SeniorProductManager SAPCanada) 11+yearsofBusinessObjectsexperiencestartingfromCrystalEnterprise8. SeniorProductManagerresponsibleforSAPBusinessObjectsBIPlatform
ServerAdministration Deployment Backup Auditing Monitoring

Knowouraudience(Whoisattendingthissession..?)
ShowofHands
BusinessObjectsEndUsers? BusinessObjectsAdministrators? BusinessObjectsArchitects? BusinessObjectsEnterpriseXI(R2)?[*NotSupported] BusinessObjectsEnterprise3.0/3.1? SAPBusinessObjectsPlatform4.0/4.1? ASUGInfluenceCouncilparticipants? SAPCustomerEngagementInitiative(CEI)participants? OtherFeedbackmethods(eg.SAPIdeaPlace)?

ASUGInfluenceCouncils
ASUGMemberledtaskforcesmakethebusinesscaseforchange. Activitiesinclude:
SAPproductroadmapvalidation. Buildingusecasescenarios. Definingthenextroundofproductenhancements.

http://www.asug.com/influence#influencecouncils Contactinfluence@asug.com ifyouhaveanyquestions.

ASUGInfluenceatSBOUC2013Conference
Dashboarding ConvergenceInfluenceCouncil SAPCrystalReportsInfluenceCouncil SemanticLayerInfluenceCouncil InformationManagement(IM)InfluenceCouncil SAPBOBIPlatformInfluenceCouncil WebIntelligenceInfluenceCouncil SAPBOMobileBIInfluenceCouncil

EngaginginaCustomerEngagementInitiative(CEI) UsabilityTesting Contactinfluence@asug.com ifyouhaveanyquestions.

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ASUGBIPlatformInfluenceCouncil(2011)
ASUGMemberledtaskforcesmakethebusinesscaseforchange.

Thirty-Five (35) Members covering. Financial Services Medical Services Public Sector Telecom Retail Manufacturing Telecom Utilities Consulting & Services

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BI4.0ConfigurationIssuesRaised
DuringQ42011,SAPreceivedthefollowingrequestsfromASUG InfluenceCouncilmembersandothercustomers:
Decreasetimetovalueforinitialsystemsetup. Simplificationofsystemdeploymentcomplexity. Initialdeploymentfaster,simplerandlesserrorprone.

SpecificASUGInfluenceCouncilconcerns:

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Afterinstallationitwasnotclearwhattaskstoperformnext Administrationinterfacewasnot talkingadministratorlanguage UnclearpurposeofServers/Servicesandcomponents. Toomanycomponentsandpropertiestomanage. ManualAdaptiveProcessingServer(APS)splitwasalwaysrequired.

SAPCustomerEngagementInitiative(CEI)
CustomerEngagementInitiative(CEI)&ASUGInfluenceCouncil
CEI=SmallerSubGroupofSubjectMatterExperts(SME) Participants:5Customers+5Partners CEI=ImproveBIPlatformConfiguration

ParticipantsignedupthroughASUGpostingorindividually Weeklyandbiweekly1hourteleconferences(6Months) HandsOnUsabilityTestingatASUGConferencesinusability labs.

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Timeline:(CEI)ImproveBIPlatformConfiguration
Nov2011 Dec2011 Jan Mar2012 April2012 EarlyMay2012 LateMay2012 June Oct2012
ConcernsraisedbyASUGInfluenceCouncil Initialroundofproblemvalidationw/Council CEIApplicationandcustomerselection InitialCEIImproveBIPlatformConfigurationcall FirstCEIworkingcall FacetoFacemeetingattheASUGconference Solutionisbuilt&reviewed
Weeklyandbiweekly(1hourTeleconferences&Webshare)

Sept2012 Nov2012 2013

HandsOnUsertestingatASUGconference CEIprojectclosed Solutionscheduledtobeshippedin4.1 Platform

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SystemConfigurationWizardinCMC
(CEI) 4.0(CMC) 4.1(Final) [PROBLEMS]

PostinstallationWorkflows. CMCwasnot talkingadministrator language UnclearpurposeofServers/Servicesand components. Toomanycomponentsandproperties tomanage. ManualAdaptiveProcessingServer (APS)splitwasalwaysrequired.

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ISSUE#1 PostInstallConfiguration
[PROBLEM]AfterSAPBOBI4.0baselineinstallation,thegeneric Administratorneedstoknow:
Whattaskstodonext..? WhichServer/Servicecomponentstoreconfigure...? Wheretogotoperformthosetasks?

SAPBOBI4.1SystemConfigurationWizardSolution:
Wizardtowalkusersthroughessentialpostinstallation configurationprocess. Essentialtasksdoneinoneplace. Userswillnotforgettoperformessentialconfigurationtasks. Wizardconfiguresallappropriatecomponentsclusterwide.
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ISSUE#2 TalkingAdministratorLanguage
[PROBLEM]AfterSAPBOBI4.0baselineinstallation,theCMC administrationinterfacewasnot talkingadministratorlanguage. Instead,itexposesimplementationdetails(dll name,threadpool, etc). SAPBOBI4.1SystemConfigurationWizardSolution:
Hidecomplexity:systemsetupwizardwithgoalorientedinterface Systemtoaskquestions,soitcanconfigureitselftomeetthe configurationneeds Administratortospecifytheconfigurationgoalwhilethesystemto configurecomponents

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ISSUE#3 BetterResourceUtilization
[PROBLEMS] SAPBOBI4.0baselineServers/Servicesandcomponents purposeisunclear.
(example:DataRecoveryServiceisnot neededforbackup/recovery butisrequiredbyWebIntelligence processes.)

UnclearwhichServers/ServicesareneededforwhichTools& MethodsofDelivery. Usersstarteverything>rununnecessaryservices>performance impact. Tools/MethodofDeliveryandtheirServer/Servicesdependencies arenot clearlyknownbymostAdmins.

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ISSUE#3 BetterResourceUtilization
SAPBOBI4.1SystemConfigurationWizardSolution: Administator Userabletospecifythespecifictools/productsused intheirenvironment. Wizardperformsbehindthescenesworktostartorstop appropriateserversandtheirdependencies. Riskofaccidentalstoppingofrequiredserversdecreased. Performanceimproved,unnecessaryserversdonotconsume physical/virtualresources.

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(Improved)ProductSelectionWorkflow
(CEI) 4.0(CMC) 4.1(Final)

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AdministratorUserentersconfigurationgoal,products. Lowerchanceofmisconfigurationwillgivebetterperformance. Allservicesrequiredforproductstarted,otherservicesstopped. FewerCMCitemstomanage.Shorterandsimplerworkflow.

ISSUE#4 ConfigurationConsistency
[PROBLEM]SAPBOBI4.0CentralManagementConsole(CMC) interfaceexposestoomany Servers,Services,Componentsand Propertiestoeasilymanage. Hardtokeepmultiplecomponentsandplatformsinsynch. Needtorepeatthesameoperationonmultiplecomponentsover andoveragain. Hardtosupportandtroubleshootwhentherearesomany possibletouchpointsintheCMC.

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FolderConfigurationWorkflow
4.0(CMC) 4.1(Final) (CEI)
Current Proposed

Operationisrepeatedfor eachprocess:15x/machine. Repeat75timeson 5machinedeployment

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Enterconfiggoal:folderpath Feweritemstomanage. Muchsimplerworkflow Easiertomaintain

ISSUE#5 AdaptiveProcessingServer(APS)Split
AfterSAPBOBI4.0installasingle APSiscreated(approx.30 services). OKforasmalldemosystems,butnot goodforUAT&Production. ManualAPSsplitworkflowprocessisrequired:
Operationisrepeated7timespermachine/node. Needtoknowwhichservicestoselect. Processwouldneedtobedone35timesona5machine/node deployment. ManualprocessesareErrorproneandhardertosupport.

Differentprofilesnotacknowledged. Needtomanuallyoptimizesystemforresourcesutilizationvs. betterperformance.

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APSSplitWorkflow
4.0(CMC) 4.1(Final) (CEI)

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Adminentersgoals:resourceutilizationvs.performance. Feweritemstomanage.Muchshorterandsimplerworkflow. Lesserrorprone,easiertomaintainandsupport. Improvedperformanceandavailability(*ifresourcesavailable)

ProgramaticConfiguration
SCWcanbeinvokeinscriptmode:SCW.bat Responseandlogfilesareautogeneratedateveryrun EditresponseandrerunSCW.bat

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SAPCustomerEngagementInitiative(CEI)
Weeklyandbiweekly1hourteleconferences(6Months) HandsOnUsabilityTestingatASUGConferencesinusability labs.

MyexperiencewiththeCEIgroupwasmostrewarding. Ihadan opportunitytonotonlyinteractwithSAPcustomersandother consultants,butalsotoassistSAPinbringingabadlyneededtoolto thenextversionoftheBusinessIntelligenceproduct.

W.AndyRoche SeniorConsultant PeopleServicesCenter,Inc

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BI4.0ConfigurationWizard(*EarlyIterations)
Current

(CEI) EarlyDraft 4.1(Final)

Proposed

Regular,directFeedbackfromtheCEIgroupchangedmany aspects ofthenew4.1 UserInterface. Labeling,FunctionalityandWorkflows

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BI4.1SystemConfigurationWizard

DEMO

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ASUGInfluenceCouncil&SAPCEIFeedback
Ifounditusefultohaveourvoicesheardandinfluencethefuture SAPproductline.
ThomasChung CapitalMarkets&RiskInfrastructure(CMRI) BMOFinancialGroup

SAPwasveryresponsivetoourthoughtsandconcernsandshowed thattheyreallycaredaboutwhatthecustomerneedsandwantsin theproductstheyuseineverydayoperations.

W.AndyRoche SeniorConsultant PeopleServicesCenter,Inc

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KeyLearnings
Howcomments/feedbackfromASUGInfluenceCouncil& ConferencesstartedtheSAPprocess. TheSAP"CustomerEngagementInitiative"(CEI)processof iterativedevelopmentandregularCEIgroupfeedback. OverviewoftheSAPBI4.1SystemConfigurationWizard solutionthatresultedfromtheCEIprocess. ReasonswhyyourcompanyshouldgetmoreinvolvedinASUG InfluenceCouncil andSAP"CustomerEngagementInitiative" (CEI)
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Thank you for participating. Please provide feedback on this session by completing a short survey via the event mobile application. SESSION CODE: 0911 Learn more year-round at www.asug.com

ContactInformation

MarkJ.Richardson
(CommunicationChair ASUGOntarioChapter) SeniorBusinessIntelligenceConsultant RoseRichardsonEnterprises,Inc. mark@roserichardsonenterprises.com LinkedIn http://ca.linkedin.com/pub/markrichardson/20/a66/701/ Twitter @ASUG_ONTARIO
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Radim Bacinschi
SeniorProductManager SAPCanada radim.bacinschi@sap.com LinkedIn http://ca.linkedin.com/pub/radimbacinschi/1/953/849

QuestionsandAnswers
Whatmorewouldyouliketoknowabout.
ASUGInfluenceCouncil? SAP"CustomerEngagementInitiative"(CEI)process? TheSAPBI4.1SystemConfigurationWizardsolution?

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APPENDIX:StepbyStepScreenshots(1of9)

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APPENDIX:StepbyStepScreenshots(2of9)

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APPENDIX:StepbyStepScreenshots(3of9)

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APPENDIX:StepbyStepScreenshots(4of9)

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APPENDIX:StepbyStepScreenshots(5of9)

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APPENDIX:StepbyStepScreenshots(6of9)

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APPENDIX:StepbyStepScreenshots(7of9)

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APPENDIX:StepbyStepScreenshots(8of9)

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APPENDIX:StepbyStepScreenshots(9of9)

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