Cross platform Migration of SAS BI Environment: Tips and Tricks

ABSTRACT Cross platform Migration of SAS BI Environment: Tips and Tricks Amol Deshmukh, California ISO Corporation, Folsom, CA As a part of organization wide initiative to replace Solaris based UNIX servers with Linux based Servers, California ISO migrated SAS BI environment to Linux based Server. Migration of existing SAS BI Environment to a new architecture and upgrade it to latest maintenance release could be overwhelming due to various factor like - New Operating System - Operating System Preparedness - Third party Software needs - Enhancement to existing SAS BI Architecture by utilizing features from latest release. - Installation Nuances - SAS Hot fixes - Metadata Migration - User Data Migration - Portal Data Migration This paper provides details about the approach we have taken to successfully complete this migration and lessons learnt during this migration process. It also provides a step by step migration guide and includes high level details of various SAS tools used such as 1. SAS Auto call Macros 2. Various tools and scripts used for installation and customization 3. Details about the configuration files and troubleshooting tips. 4. Validation tools and techniques. 5. Best practices for logging and configuring various SAS BI components. INTRODUCTION A cross platform migration is required when any organization moves an existing application system to another technology and platform. Migration includes moving Metadata objects, sas data and application programs from one device to another preferably without disrupting or disabling the active sas processes and redirecting them to new SAS server. There are a variety of circumstances that might cause an organization to undertake a cross platform migration for SAS BI Server, including: 1. Server or storage technology replacement or upgrade 2. Server or storage consolidation 3. Relocation of the data center 4. Workload balancing or other performance-related maintenance. As a part of organization wide initiative to upgrade Solaris based Server to Linux based HP, we have migrated our SAS BI applications to new server. Challenges to consider when migrating SAS BI Server: 1. Performance 2. Primary volume/source data protection 3. Different storage medium 4. Different hardware platforms 5. Application downtime 6. Data corruption, missing data or data loss 7. Technical compatibility issues A Server Migration project can end as a disaster for any organization if it s not planned considering above given challenges as well as opinions of different stakeholders. We ve used a collaborative Migration strategy which involved 1

not only Technical Experts but also Business users and Tech Support. This paper discusses the strategy we have adapted in detail along with various technical tools used during each step. Below given diagram gives the details about complete lifecycle of given project. ASSES BI Assesment Existing Deployment Assesment PLAN Roles and responsibilities Obtain SID files, Deployment Plan, Checklists and Software Depot Hardware requirement :Storage, RAM, CPU, IO considerations Create all user IDs and groups Ports 3 rd party software : JDK, JBOSS, Database Clients INSTALLATION & CONFIGURATION Installation Post installation configuration Hot Fix Installation Validation MIGRATION User Metadata Migration Metadata Objects Migration Web Content Server Migration SAS Datasets & code Migration VALIDATION Validation Training Cutover Figure 1 : SAS BI Migration Lifecycle 2

1. ASSESS The world of business analytics is evolving rapidly and coming up with various advanced technologies and features. While performing the server upgrade we should consider all these evolutions and decide if we just want to move the SAS BI Application Server from one platform to another or utilize new features by upgrading the environment. A thorough assessment of organizations business needs as well as existing deployment and new functionalities available will help us to make a decision. 1.1 BI Assessment In order to maximize the business benefits derived from a Server Migration and to realize fast ROI, We need to do initial BI assessment which will refine organizational needs from SAS Migration. With the help from business users and executives feedback, we can determine future needs of business users and problems they are facing with current deployment. 1.2 Existing deployment Assessment Technology world is highly dynamic and evolving day by day. As we ll be having results of BI assessment done earlier, we can perform assessment of existing deployment and figure out the root causes for the problems users complained about.we can compile list of all Applications components available in existing deployment which can be used during validation step. These root causes should be eliminated during planning and installation phase. During BI assessment, users also give hints about the future use of analytics platform. Considering these future requirements and new features available thru latest release, we can make a decision of version upgrade/adding new component or decommissioning existing component which is no longer required. Below given program will give you details of different metadata objects stored in existing deployment. This report will be helpful in deciding the strategy for Metadata migration. options metaserver='your.hostname.com' metaport=8561 metaprotocol='bridge' metauser='sasadm@saspw' metapass='encrypted(or not)-pw-here' metarepository='foundation' ; %mdsecgo (folder="/", includesubfolders=yes, membertypes="storedprocess,report,informationmap,informationmap.rela TIONAL,INFORMATIONMAP.OLAP,DASHBOARD,CUBE,ACT", memberfilter="", objdata=m2_objects); PROC FREQ DATA=m2_objects ORDER=INTERNAL; TABLES PublicType / SCORES=TABLE; where publictype not in ("RootFolder", "Folder"); RUN; 3

2. PLAN: 2.1 Decide Roles and Responsibilities With completion of initial assessment, we will have list of goals to be achieved thru this migration which will eliminate issues associated with existing deployment. Work with Tech Support guys as well as internal experts to figure out possible solutions for existing problems. In order to come up with a collaborative schedule plan, identify different departments and their roles in given initiative. 2.2 Acquire Licenses and Software Cross platform server migration always involves change in hardware, operating system etc. Based on initial assessment you have done, work with SAS Tech Support / customer account executive to obtain required license (SAS Installation Data SID Files) and determine the time frame during which you can run both systems parallel to each other so that you can schedule your implementation plan accordingly. Using SAS order details, download the correct SAS Software depot using SAS download Manager. A deployment plan file is a Role wise/machine wise selection of the software which will be installed and configured by the SAS installation wizard. SAS has standard deployment plans which cover most of organizational requirements about the deployments. However if you need customized deployment plan, work with SAS Tech Support to develop a SAS plan file. 2.3 Fulfill Hardware requirement During first phase of assessment, we have identified the problems users are facing and root causes for given problem. As most of the problems are associated with resources (such as Storage, CPU, Network IO) utilization, perform configuration changes Based on findings from BI assessment and existing deployment assessment steps, we can review existing Security Model and modify it to address needs of additional security requirements and new roles. 2.4 Third party Software installation Install all required third party software such as Java Development Kit, JBOSS Server, Database related client on target system. 3. INSTALLATION & CONFIGURATION 3.1 Installation Once we have completed the planning and acquired all the resources, co-ordinate with the different teams to perform SAS installation. With the help of SAS Deployment wizard, installation would be pretty straight forward process. SAS Tech Support also thoroughly documented installation process which will help us to complete the installation without any hiccup. In addition to documentation available on install center, we found a white paper "So You Want to Install SAS?" by Rafi Sheikh to perform installation and configuration. 4

3.2 Post installation configuration When we will finish with installation tasks, secure the SAS configuration on each server machine. Establish a formal, regularly scheduled backup process. Establish connectivity to your data sources. 3.3 Hot Fix Installation SAS Tech Support periodically releases hot fixes to address technical issues associated with different components. The SAS Hot Fix Analysis, Download and Deployment Tool (SASHFADD) can be used to analyze the SAS Deployment registry and install required hot fixes on SAS deployment. This tool can be downloaded from below given location : 3.4 Validation http://ftp.sas.com/techsup/download/hotfix/hf2/sashfadd.html When all installations and configurations steps are completed, review the deployment summary to make sure that all the SAS BI Server components have been installed successfully. File Instructions.html contains a list of SAS manual steps that must be performed to complete your deployment. This will validate the operations of all applications servers installed. Deployment Summary and instructions file resides under Levn/Documents subdirectory. 4. MIGRATION In order to determine the metadata objects to be migrated to new server, we generated 4.1 user and group identity Metadata Migration The user and group identity metadata can t be migrated using import and export utilities of SAS Management console. In order to copy user and group identity metadata we have to use special program which performs below given steps: 4.1.1 Extracting User Metadata from Metadata Repository of Old Server In order to extract User and group identity metadata from source (old) metadata repository, we have executed SAS autocall macro MDUEXTR. This macro stores extracted user and group metadata into a modified form of canonical tables of the library user specify. 4.1.2 Extracting User Metadata from Metadata Repository of new Server using macro MDUEXTR As we have completed the installation of SAS BI server on new server, It will have default user IDs and groups been created during installation process. Extract these metadata objects in the form of canonical tables on target server. 4.1.3 Copy the library and all the canonical tables created in step 4.1.1 to Target Server. Compare identity data from the source repository with the target repository, and create a set of changes/updates to be made to the target repository using the comparison macro MDUCMP. If you want to keep default metadata identities as is, you can use exceptions table in given macro. 4.1.4 Validate the changes for integrity constraint violations and correct any validation errors using macro MDUCHGV 4.1.5 Update the metadata identities using macro MDUCHG1 4.2 Metadata Objects Migration using Metadata promotion method. 5

Promotion is the process of copying selected metadata and associated content within or between planned deployments of SAS software. There are 2 ways of performing this metadata promotion as given below: 4.2.1 Export/Import SAS Package Wizard in SAS Management console This process includes Export SAS Package and Import SAS package wizard available in Folders tab of SAS Management Console. It also allows partial promotions using the filters which allows you to promote metadata objects based on name, metadata object type and change timestamps. 4.2.2 Batch Export/Import processes: Batch export and import tools allows you to promote a collection of metadata objects specified in below given table from one metadata to another without any user interaction. Actions Documents Prompts Applications Event subscribers Prompt groups Burst definitions Event subscriber groups Queue managers Channels External files Reports Conditions Folders Report components Condition action sets Generated transformations Report images Content subscribers Information maps SAS Add-In for Microsoft Office Content subscriber groups Jobs documents Cubes Libraries SAS Enterprise Guide projects Dashboard objects* Message queues Stored processes Data explorations Mining results Tables Deployed flows Notes Web services Deployed jobs OLAP schemas These batch tools ExportPackage.exe and ImportPackage.exe can be found within the commands directory of your SAS Management Console install. 4.3 Portal content promotion: Based on recommendation from assessment we have performed during step 1, we might have decided to convert n-tire deployment to 1 tier or keep it as is. Accordingly SAS BI server should be installed on target machine. In order to address performance and maintenance issues associated with n-tire deployment, we have installed one tier deployment. 4.3.1 Promote the Entire Portal Application Tree : If we promote the PortalApplicationTree, It moves all user and groups permission trees, and all portal content objects. We do NOT need to promote user or group Permission trees individually, or Portal content. 6

Promote the Entire Portal Application Tree Migration Prepare Source System Backup Source system Edit the source copy of the PortalPromotion\ PortalApplicationTree.xml file so that it points to the source metadata repository by changing ReposId parameter to metadata repository's ID Extract Portal Application Tree Set environment variables for SAS_HOME and JAVA_HOME Extract Portal Application Tree using script extractportalversion.sh PortalApplicationTree_deployFile.xml PortalApplicationTree_expand.xml PortalApplicationTree_extract.xml extract.log Copy output Files to target System Prepare Target System Backup Target system Edit the source copy of the PortalPromotion\ PortalApplicationTree.xml file so that it points to the Target metadata repository by changing ReposId parameter to metadata repository's ID Edit the source of the PortalApplicationTree_deployFile.xm l file so that it points to the Target metadata repository by changing RepositoryBase Deploy_Id parameter to metadata repository's Idand target system s Metadata name as Deploy_Name parameter Remove any existing Portal Application Tree using script removeportal92.sh Import Portal Application Tree Set environment variables for SAS_HOME and JAVA_HOME import Portal Application Tree using script importportal92.sh Import.log Validation Apply the Portal ACT to the Portal Application Tree Validate portal contents Figure 3: Promotion process for entire Portal Application Tree 4.3.2 Migrate WebDAV Server contents : In order to move WebDAV Server contents such as directories, contents and properties, we need to use WebDAVDump and WebDAVRestore utilities. These utilities are stored in <SAS_CONFIG>\Lev1\Web\Utilities directory. If you are migrating any custom contents, you have to rebuild the web applications and then redeploy them. Below given script would be used to rebuild SAS Web Application : SAS-installation-directory/SASDeploymentManager/9.2/config.sh 7

WebDAVDump.sh WebDAVRestore.sh Zip file containing all the contents and WFSDump.xml Zip file containing all the contents and WFSDump.xml coped from source system Source System Target System Figure 4: Migration process for WebDAV Server contents 5. VALIDATION & CUTOVER 5.1 Validation Once all the contents are migrated from source system to Target System, validate the changes we ve made to existing deployment in terms of security model, configuration changes and new features. During assessment of existing deployment, we have compiled list of applications deployed in existing system. Make sure that all these applications have been migrated to new server and working properly. 5.2 Training Educate the users about changes being implemented thru this initiative such as Server configuration changes they need to make in their client applications, security model and Group/permissions related changes. Each user should be provided with documents comprising all these details. 5.3 Cutover This is the step where end users move their code, any relevant historic data and any identified item that they would like to move to their new environment. Make sure that a dedicated support would be provided during this transition period with navigating in the new environment, moving objects, and any technical issue(s). CONTACT INFORMATION Your comments and questions are valued and encouraged. Contact the author at: Name: Amol V Deshmukh Enterprise: California ISO Corporation Address: 250, Outcropping Way City, State ZIP: Folsom, CA 95630 E-mail: dav.amol@gmail.com SAS and all other SAS Institute Inc. product or service names are registered trademarks or trademarks of SAS Institute Inc. in the USA and other countries. indicates USA registration. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective companies. 8