Directory folder structure

As you get started with installing, configuring, and deploying Oracle BI 12c in the subsequent chapters, you will see several references to files inside of the Oracle Home (for those familiar with Oracle BI 12c, this is the same concept as the Fusion Middleware home location, which is now redefined as Oracle Home) folder structure. It is recommended that, as you progress in your learning of Oracle BI 12c, you take note of which folders contain files pertinent to modifying the environment or assisting with troubleshooting efforts. The following figure illustrates the standard logical deployment structure for Oracle BI 12c:

Here are a few key directories that are worth remembering as, during an Oracle BI 12c implementation, you will reference them frequently:

• ORACLE_BASE: This is the directory where you have chosen to install Oracle BI on the server as the base directory from which you have access. Typically, you will install into the main folder off one of the drive letters in Windows, or a sub-folder of a mounted directory in Linux, following some standard or best practice, for example: C:oracle or /mount01/apps/oracle/. Obviously, for maintenance purposes, create a base directory folder that is not too far from the main mount or drive letter.
• ORACLE_HOME: This is the location where Oracle BI 12c is installed from the installation process. There should only be one ORACLE_HOME for Oracle BI 12c on each physical server installation. For example: C:/oracle/obiee12c/, where child folders under this are user_projects, wlserver, oracle_common, and so on.
• DOMAIN_HOME (BI_DOMAIN): This is the location of the established Oracle BI 12c WebLogic Server domain created to house the managed server information and BI System Components.

  Singleton Data Directory (SDD) is the location of the metadata for the Oracle BI 12c domain. It also holds information regarding clustering across multiple host servers.

• BI_CONFIG_HOME: This is the location for all central configuration files related to the Oracle BI 12c. Such files found in all legacy versions of Oracle BI such as instanceconfig.xml, NQSConfig.INI and so on are located within sub-directories of this folder DOMAIN_HOME/config/fmwconfig/biconfig/.

  BI Tools is the directory location which has the main lifecycle-management tools and options for deploying, migrating, starting, and stopping the Oracle BI 12c system. The lifecycle-management-tool executables are located in the folder DOMAIN_HOME/bitools/bin/.

Log files / diagnostics

As you begin developing and deploying your Oracle BI 12c solutions, you will eventually run into some issues down the road. Face it: you are implementing technology! Issues, no matter how minor, are bound to arise. No one plans for them. But here is a list of log file locations where best to begin troubleshooting in Oracle BI 12c. If you have experience with a previous version of Oracle BI, you'll notice how some of the file names have changed to better reflect the new approach to functionality in Oracle BI 12c, although the general content of the log files is similar:

<OBI_LOGS> = DOMAIN_HOME/servers/

Log name (.log)	Location
NQQuery (query.log)	<OBI_LOGS>/obis1/logs
NQServer (obis1.out)	<OBI_LOGS>/obis1/logs
NQSUDMLGen	<OBI_LOGS>/obis1/logs
RPD Migration Utility	<OBI_LOGS>/obis1/logs
SAW Log	<OBI_LOGS>/obips1/logs
Java Host (jh.log)	<OBI_LOGS>/obijh1/logs
NQScheduler	<OBI_LOGS>/obisch1/logs
NQCluster	<OBI_LOGS>/obiccs1/logs

Configuration files

Those who are familiar with previous versions of Oracle BI might be surprised that several legacy-named physical-configuration files still reside in the Oracle BI 12c architecture. These files can still be manually manipulated to configure the Oracle BI environment; however, much of the basic configuration is handled via the Oracle BI Enterprise Manager, which will be discussed in more detail in Chapter 5, Installing and Configuring Client Tools. If there is a need to locate these configuration files, they can be found at DOMAIN_HOME/config/fmwconfig/biconfig/bi_component_name, where the bi_component_name could be OBIS, OBIPS, and so on.

Here is a list of the main Oracle BI configuration files based on the central Oracle BI 12c instance path of the BI_CONFIG_HOME path:

• OBICCSccslogconfig.xml
• OBIJHlogging_config.xml
• OBIPSinstanceconfig.xml
• OBISCHschedulerconfig.xml
• OBISNQSConfig.xml
• OBISlogconfig.xml
• essbasecluster.properties