Best Practices for IT - Integrating Tableau to OBIEE with BI Connector

Best Practices for Enterprise Deployment

 Introduction to BI Connector
 How BI Connector Works
 BI Connector Deployment Strategy
 Administrators Guide for BI Connector
 IT Developers/Super User Guide for BI Connector
 Best Practices for Scaling User Community
Key Concepts

Users Are Seeking Faster Time To Analysis
Custom
Visualizations
Combine with
own data
Intuitive &
Easy to Use
✓ ✓ ✓

IT’s Challenges
• How to reuse OBIEE metadata?
• How to avoid errors & inconsistencies?
• How to secure and govern data?
• How to enable Business users?

What are business users doing today?

On The Edge of Dark Side
Export
SQL
ETL
Mash-ups
Visualization
Sharing and
collaborationOBIEE
STAGING
DATABASE

Problems with this approach
Data Silos
No Single Version of Truth
Laborious and cumbersome
Security models are broken

Connect from
Tableau to
OBIEE.
Reuse OBIEE data
model, connect live to it
and build Tableau
visualizations on top of it.
Blend external
data with
OBIEE data.
Reuse
OBIEE
security
rules.
Repurpose huge
investment in
OBIEE + Benefits
of Tableau.
Enable a true
governed
self-service BI

BI Connector Enables Self-Service BI
Connect to
OBIEE
Subject Area
+ Reports in
minutes
Secured by OBIEE
security model
Reuse OBIEE
business logic, No
Changes to OBIEE
 Time savings
Easy Installation
Avoid Errors
Information Consistency
Best of Viz
Tools +
OBIEE
= Governed
Self-
Service BI
OBIEE Tableau

IT Benefits
Combine Modern Visualization
with OBIEE Using BI connector
Save Time and
Money
Data Governance
and Security
Reduce BI
Backlogs
Maximize Value
of BI Investment

Business Benefits
Combine Modern Visualization
with OBIEE Using BI connector
Intuitive, Easy
Visualization
Faster
Decisions
Time
Savings
Avoid
Errors

How BI Connector
Works –
The Concepts

A platform that helps users to save time and use Modern Analytics tools to
to easily access Enterprise BI data.
BI Connector Solution
Metadata
/Security
OBIEE &
MicroStrategy
Tableau /
Power BI BI Connector DW OLTP
US Patent 9639630 on System
for BI data Integration

BI Connector Solution
Desktop Edition
Subject Area +
Reports
Connector
Server Edition
Subject Area +
Reports
Connector
Desktop Edition connects
Tableau Desktop to OBIEE
Server/Gateway Edition connects
Tableau Server to OBIEE
Connect to OBIEE Subject
Area and Reports Catalog
for Ad-hoc analytics

How BI Connector Works
Live or schedule auto-
refresh of Data
Create visualizations
Share data sources/
workbooks
View Reports
1
2 3
4
Analyst with Tableau Desktop and BI
Connector Desktop
Report User with Browser
OBIEE
Tableau Server/Bridge
+ BI Connector Server

 Live Query Connection
 Extract Connection
Tableau- BI Connector Connectivity Options

Live Query connection
• Live connection to OBIEE data - Access the latest data from OBIEE
• Performance optimized and easy to use
• Useful for avoiding extracts
• Security/Authentication
• Connection from Desktop using OBIEE credentials
• Connection from Server using OBIEE credentials

Extract connection
• Extract OBIEE data to Tableau
• Schedule auto-refresh
• Security/Authentication
• Connection from Desktop using OBIEE credentials
• Connection from Server using cached credentials
• Manage reports security using Tableau

BI Connector
Deployment
Strategy

BI Connector User Organization
IT
Department
HR
Admin
IT
Developers
Super Users Power Users
Report Users
Finance
Report Users
Supply
Chain
Report Users

How IT uses BI Connector
Live or schedule auto-
refresh of Data
Share Data Sources/
workbooks
1
3
4
OBIEE
Tableau Server
with BI Connector Server Edition
Tableau Desktop
with BI Connector Desktop Edition
IT Developer
Tableau Admin
Installs and configures
BI Connector
2

How Department Users uses BI Connector
Live or schedule
auto-refresh of
Data
Share Data Sources/
workbooks
1
2
3
OBIEE
Tableau Server
with BI Connector Server Edition
Tableau Desktop
with BI Connector Desktop Edition
Super User
Power Users
Power Users
Use OBIEE Data
Source to create
visualizations
4
Create/View
Reports5

Summary - Roles and Software Requirements
User
Activities
Performed
• Installs and
Configures
BI Connector
• Create Data
Source
• Create Reports
• Create Reports • Consume
Reports
OBIEE
Connection Via
• BI Connector
Desktop Edition
• BI Connector
Server Edition
• Create using BI
Connector
Desktop Edition
• Publish to
Tableau Server
• Create using
Tableau Server
Data Source
• Publish to
Tableau Server
• Consume using
Tableau Server
Software
Requirements for
the User
• Tableau Desktop
• Tableau Server
• BI Connector
Desktop Edition
• BI Connector
Server Edition
• Tableau Desktop
• BI Connector
Desktop Edition
• Tableau Desktop
• Tableau Server
Connection
• Browser
IT Developer/
Super User
Power User Report UserAdministrator

Administrators
Guide for
BI Connector

 Desktop Edition available in
• https://www.biconnector.com/freetrial/
 Server Edition available in
• https://s3.amazonaws.com/biconnector/Downloads/BICon
nector-Server-Edition-x64.exe
 Documentation & Knowledge Base available in
• http://support.biconnector.com/support/home
 Desktop Edition Installation Guide
• Connect Tableau Desktop to OBIEE - BI connector
Installation Guide
 Server Edition Installation Guide
• Connect Tableau Server to OBIEE - BI connector Server
Edition - Step-by-Step Installation Guide
Software Download & Documentation

 Server Edition Installation Guide
• Connect Tableau Server to OBIEE - BI connector Server Edition - Step-by-Step Installation Guide
 Requirements: Windows Server, Admin access
• Preferred: Same Windows User as Tableau Server(Run as User)
 Hardware Requirements: Same as Tableau server / desktop
 Extract BIConnector-Server-Edition-x64.exe
 Open the BIConnector-setup-x64(x.x.x.xxxx).exe
Server Installation

 Launch BI Connector using ODBC Console.
• Search in Windows Search box for "ODBC" and select ODBC Data Sources
(64-bit) to launch this screen.
Configure OBIEE Connection as DSN

1. Name for DSN
2. Description
3. Your OBIEE URL domain e.g., obieedev.mycompany.com. Do not
add /analytics, delete extra space if any.
4. OBIEE Port in the URL e.g. 9704 or 9502 or 80 or 443
5. Optional
6. OBIEE username
7. OBIEE password
8. Test connection
9. Choose Subject Areas
10. Leave * as default
11. Preload metadata
12. Click Ok.
OBIEE Configuration
e.g., OBIEE URL: http://obieedev.mycompany.com:9704/analytics

 Pre-load is used to cache the OBIEE metadata in BI Connector
 Used for faster display of the Subject Area/Reports and columns in
Tableau
 Pre-load is mandatory. BI Connector will not work without Pre-load.
 Refresh Pre-load periodically to update the cache for new Subject
Areas/Tables/Reports.
More about Pre-load Metadata

OBIEE DSN
You are ready to connect

Best Practices and
Troubleshooting

 Installation & Configuration
• Recommended: Install and Activate BI Connector License with the same
Windows user as Tableau Server User (Run as User)
 DSN Naming Requirement
• Name of OBIEE DSN in Tableau Server MUST BE same as the name of
OBIEE DSN in Super User’s BI Connector Desktop configuration.
 E.g., OBIEE Connect
• First create the DSN name for OBIEE Production and OBIEE QA/Test
instances in Tableau Server
• Share this DSN name with IT and Department Super Users who use BI
Connector Desktop Edition
A Few Best Practices

 Unable to activate BI Connector License
• Possible Reasons and Solutions
 Proxy server blocking internet access for activation  Use offline activation. Refer to How do I
do an offline activation of BI Connector License
 Unable to publish OBIEE data source or workbook to Tableau Server. User sees a
spinning wheel.
• Possible Reasons
 Name of OBIEE DSN in Tableau Server is not the same as the name of OBIEE DSN in Super
User’s BI Connector Desktop configuration  Fix the DSN Names to be same
 License not activated for BI Connector Server Edition  Activate BI Connector License
 User privilege issue in the Tableau Server machine that is preventing BI Connector license to be
available for the Windows User running Tableau Server.  Reinstall and activate BI Connector
License with the same user as Tableau (Windows) User.
Reference : Tableau Server: Unable to publish and view the worksheet, I see a spinning wheel.
Troubleshooting Guide

 To Troubleshoot any issue, BI
Connector Support Team will
request you to send BI Connector
Log files (Desktop or Server)
 BI Connector log files found in
c:/Program Files/BI Connector/Log
Folder Shortcut
Refer to: How to generate a clean set
of BI Connector log files for
troubleshooting?
How to Generate Log Files

 Tableau Desktop/Server
• Will appear as a ODBC Data Source in log files
 OBIEE
• Monitor through Admin/Sessions
• BI Connector queries
 SOAP calls
 BI Connector application
 Queries similar to regular OBIEE web user queries
• Define limits for max number of records for queries
Tracking in Tableau and OBIEE

The Super User /
IT Developer
Guide for
BI Connector

How Users Connect to OBIEE Data
User
Activities Performed
• Create Data Source
• Create Reports
• Create Reports • Consume Reports
OBIEE Connection Via
• Create using BI
Connector Desktop
Edition
• Publish to Tableau
Server
• Create using Tableau
Server Data Source
• Publish to Tableau
Server
• Consume using
Tableau Server
Software
Requirements for the
User
• Tableau Desktop
• BI Connector Desktop
Edition
• Tableau Desktop
• Tableau Server
Connection
• Browser
Super User Power User Report User

Before You Connect
–
A Few Best
Practices

OBIEE as a Data Source – Unique Challenges
OBIEE TABLEAU
OBIEE is unlike other data
sources
• Data Volume
• Meta data
• Complex schema
• Joins in OBIEE
• Security model

The 7 Best Practices to Follow
Know your
OBIEE data
model
Keep It Simple
Connect Live
First,
Extract Later
Use
Filters
Don’t click
that Update
Now!
Uncheck the
Auto-Update
Worksheet
Stay within
Star Schema

1. Important to know the OBIEE
data model and OBIEE itself
2. Follow this failsafe approach
until you are comfortable
1. Keep Tableau and OBIEE side
by side
2. View the report in OBIEE
3. Identify Subject Area, Folders
and Columns in OBIEE
4. Connect to the same OBIEE
environment from Tableau
5. Create visualization in Tableau
6. Verify the results with OBIEE
Know Your OBIEE

 OBIEE data models are complex, so
start simple
 Connect to OBIEE Test/QA instance
 Connect to a familiar Subject Area
 Drag-n-drop the fact table first, then the
dimensions
 Don’t change the Join conditions. Keep
the GZID joins  This ensures proper
query to OBIEE.
 Start with a small model
• Fact + 2 Dimensions
 Gain experience with simple data
models, then experiment with complex
visualizations
Keep It Simple

 Connect live to data first
• Live connection fetches only the used columns
• Visualization verifies that the data is correct
 Verify in OBIEE if needed
 Extract later
• Extract is “select * from all-joined-tables”
• Error prone – OBIEE column errors
• Expensive – too much data
• Extract only required columns
 Use Hide Unused Column feature
 Eliminates OBIEE RPD errors in unused
columns
Connect Live First, Extract Later (If Needed)

 Millions of rows in OBIEE Fact
tables  Performance issue
 Use Data Source Filters and
Worksheet filters to query only
the required data
Faster queries
Shorter report creation time
No calls from OBIEE Admins 
Use Filters

 Update Now is expensive
• Select * from all tables
 Hide unused columns
 Use filters
 Unexpected Error ?
• Reasons:
 Underlying OBIEE RPD
column errors
• Missing physical mapping
 Join of Tables from different
Star Schemas
Don’t Click That Update Now!

 Each drag and drop into
worksheet could be a
separate OBIEE query 
Expensive
 In worksheet, disable Auto-
Update Worksheet
 Drag and drop dimensions
and measures
 Update worksheet to get data
 Faster time to report
Un-check the Auto-Update Worksheet

 Watch out for subject
areas with multiple star
schemas
 OBIEE doesn’t like join
across star schemas
 Select Tables only from a
single star schema
Stay within Star Schema
Subject Area
Fact 1 Fact 2
Dim 1
Dim 2
Dim 3 Dim 4 Dim 5 Dim 6
Dim 7
Dim 8

Use Other Databases to Connect
Choose configured OBIEE DSN

Subject Area & Tables
• One Connection – One Subject Area only
• Select fact table first, then dimension tables.
• Don’t create any new joins. Go with the automatic (GZID) join
created by BI Connector.

Visualize OBIEE data
• Ignore GZID columns
• Ignore OBIEE column separators e.g., -----------Column
Separator----------

 BI Connector deployed on Tableau Server
 Name of OBIEE DSN in your Desktop = Name of OBIEE DSN in your
Server
• E.g., OBIEE Connect
• Ask your Tableau Admin for the DSN name for OBIEE Production and OBIEE
QA/Test instances.
Pre-requisite

 Authentication
• Prompt User
 Prompts Tableau server users
to login with their own OBIEE
credentials
• Embed Password
 Connects Tableau server user
with your credentials to
OBIEE data
Publish to Server

 When OBIEE query performance is slow
 You need to join two data sources with disparate data types
 Publish reports to management periodically
Scenarios for Extract

 Add filters to
minimize data
• OBIEE will error out
if you extract very
large dataset
 Hide unused
columns to minimize
OBIEE errors
Extract – Things to Do

 Connect from Tableau Desktop
to your Tableau Server
 Connect to the curated list of
OBIEE data sources
 Will be prompted for OBIEE
credentials
 Start visualizing
 Best Practices apply for Power
Users also!
Connect to Tableau Server

Best Practices for
Scaling
User Community

 Train the Trainers
 Build a Community
 Phased Roll-out – Cross the Chasm
3 Keys for Success

 Identify Trainers/Experts in
• IT
• Early Adopter Departments/Business Units
 Skills required
• Good knowledge of Tableau + OBIEE
• Folks who understand the complexity of OBIEE as a Complex Data Source
 Training
• Follow the BI Connector Best Practices
• Start with small visualizations, then expand.
Train the Trainers

 Internal Community/User Groups – Key for sharing best practices and
providing help
 Community of
• Admins
• Super Users
• Power Users
Build a User Community
Super Users
Power Users
Admins

 Successful training and roll-out to limited set of initial adopters is key
 Build expertise, initial user/trainer community, and knowledge base
 Build initial data sources and reports
 Phase roll-out to new users in departments with help/training from
Trainers.
Phased Roll-out – Cross the Chasm

Benefits
• Self-Service Analytics Capability
• Shorten time to analytics
• Avoid manual error-prone steps
• Extract more business value from enterprise data
• Create “Governed” OBIEE data source for
Tableau
• Reduce BI backlogs
Business Users IT

Download free trial at
www.biconnector.com
Happy Analysis!
Support: support@biconnector.com

Best Practices for IT - Integrating Tableau to OBIEE with BI Connector

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