Upgrading Flexera Analytics from FlexNet Report Designer

This topic is for use when upgrading to Flexera Analytics from FlexNet Report Designer. If you are upgrading from FlexNet Manager Suite release 2017 R3 or later, with Flexera Analytics already installed, please refer to Upgrading Recent Flexera Analytics.

When performing this upgrade, you will be replacing your earlier implementation with Flexera Analytics using Cognos Analytics 11.2.4 FP3.

Once you have confirmed that all pre-requisites have been met, an upgrade from Report Designer to Flexera Analytics can be summarized as follows:

  1. Take a full backup of your existing Cognos Analytics content store database
  2. Remove FlexNet Report Designer
  3. Fix any inconsistencies in the Cognos Analytics Content Store database
  4. Remove Notice Cast (NC) tables from your Content Store database
  5. Backup and then restore your Content Store to a new database
  6. Remove your previous installation of FlexNet Report Designer
  7. Copy the Flexera Analytics Installation file
  8. Configure Flexera Analytics by populating an answer file with settings appropriate to your environment, and then install Flexera Analytics, using PowerShell
  9. Configure your web application server to connect with Flexera Analytics
  10. Update your Roles to enable access
  11. Ensure that your web browser(s) include your web server in the list of trusted web sites
  12. Run the package import tool by following the instructions in the section Update the Sample Reporting Package
  13. Optionally, you may need to configure your Security Assertion Markup Language settings.

You may require an updated license for FlexNet Manager Suite that includes new terms for Flexera Analytics. For details about applying your new license, see Importing an Updated Flexera License.

For supported platforms and database versions for each release, see FlexNet Manager Suite System Requirements and Compatibility, available as either PDF or HTML through docs.flexera.com.

Tip: It is not necessary to back up the configuration and data files on a Microsoft Windows operating system. These files are preserved during the uninstallation.

The IBM Cognos Analytics installer installs Flexera Analytics to the designated host as a service. Therefore, the account used to install this component must have administrator permissions.

Make sure of the following points:
  • The installing account must have administrative privileges on the Cognos Analytics server (the server hosting Flexera Analytics).
  • The Flexera Analytics server must be accessible by its host name, rather than just its IP address. Do not use IP addresses anywhere in the Flexera Analytics settings.
  • For performance reasons, Flexera Analytics is best installed on a separate server (it has high memory use requirements). (Refer back to Prerequisites and Preparations for server design details.) When Flexera Analytics is installed on a server other than the database server running the content store database, Microsoft SQL Server Native Client must be installed on the server hosting Flexera Analytics. To download and install the Microsoft SQL Server Native Client installer (subject to changes in the Microsoft website):
    1. In your web browser, navigate to https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=29065.
    2. Expand Install Instructions to display the available components of the Microsoft SQL Server® 2012 Connectivity Feature Pack.
    3. Scroll approximately half-way down the page to the heading Microsoft® SQL Server® 2012 Native Client and install the X64 (64-bit) version of the Native Client found there.
  • The Flexera Analytics server must be in the same time zone as your database server(s).
  • When you install Flexera Analytics, the required usernames and passwords can be encrypted, using a credential store. Refer to Prepare Encrypted Credentials for Upgrade for further information. Alternatively, you may choose to use clear text usernames and passwords in the answer file.
  • Flexera Analytics can be configured to use https, however you will need to use http for installation and configuration.
  • The password for the SQL Server login account used by Flexera Analytics must not contain any of the greater-than, less-than, or ampersand characters (< > &).
  • Do not attempt to use Flexera Analytics (nor any related reports saved in FlexNet Manager Suite) before importing the correct license file from Flexera (see Importing an Updated Flexera License).
Important: Do not allow consultants to use their 'normal' login when they develop reports on your behalf. A common user account should not be switched from one Flexera Analytics tenant to another. Otherwise, any reports saved under My Folders for that account are automatically removed by Flexera Analytics as the user account switches between tenants (or customers). For details, see http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21682369: "For safety, ensure that each consultant uses a login that is unique to your company (such as johnEnterprise); or as a workaround, save their developed reports under Public Folder".
Before you start, decide whether you want the benefit of content compression for your Flexera Analytics server. By default, the web.config file installed on this server turns on both static and dynamic content compression, with a setting of this form:
<urlCompression doStaticCompression="true" doDynamicCompression="true" />
Static compression is installed by default for IIS, but dynamic compression requires a standard Microsoft installation to enable it. (Without this setup, the dynamic compression setting in the web.config file remains latent.) You can check whether dynamic compression is available in the Server Manager, using the Add Roles and Features wizard. If it is not yet configured, see https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/iis/configuration/system.webServer/urlCompression#setup for installation details.

To upgrade FlexNet Report Designer to Flexera Analytics:

  1. Best practice is to take a full backup of your existing Flexera Analytics content store database, and save it securely. If there are any database problems in your upgrade, you can restore this protective copy to recover.
  2. Remove FlexNet Report Designer by removing the existing installation of IBM Cognos Analytics. Navigate to the Add or remove programs wizard and uninstall FlexNet Report Designer.
    The existing content store database is not affected by this process.
    Tip: Uninstallation of FlexNet Report Designer does not remove the IBM Cognos program group from the Start Menu (remaining shortcuts are not functional). It is safe to remove the entire program group. Furthermore, the uninstallation process also generates a log file in the Report Designer's installation directory (usually C:\Program Files\ReportDesigner), and this can be safely archived for removal of the entire directory.
  3. To fix any inconsistencies in the Cognos Content Store database, perform the following steps:
    1. Request your database administrator to take a full backup of the Content Store as these steps will alter your database.
      Tip: You can find the Content Store location by launching IBM Cognos Configuration on the server hosting your FlexNet Report Designer. On the left tree list, click on the "Data Access > Content Manager > Content Store" node.
    2. Launch SQL Server Management Studio and login to the database server with a user that owns the default schema on Content Store database (usually 'FlexNetReportDesigner').
    3. Log on to the server hosting the FlexNet Report Designer and then open Windows Explorer and navigate to 
      <drive>:\Program Files\ReportDesigner\c10_64\configuration\schemas\content\sqlserver.
      1. Run dbCheckConsistency_mssqlserver.sql on your Cognos Content Store database.
      2. If you receive the following errors, you can safely ignore them as these procedures may not exist at this stage of the upgrade:
        • Cannot drop the procedure 'getInconsistentCMIDs', because it does not exist or you do not have permission.
        • Cannot drop the procedure 'printInconsistentCMIDs', because it does not exist or you do not have permission.
      3. If you encounter any other errors, ensure that you have logged in with a user who has DDL permissions on the schema (dbo, etc.) that owns the Cognos Content Store database.
    4. Run dbMakeConsistent_mssqlserver.sql on your Cognos content store database.
  4. You will need to remove Notice Cast (NC) tables from your Content Store database. Notice Cast is used to manage the scheduling, delivery and notification of content.
    Note: The following instructions are based on IBM knowledge Center article: https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSEP7J_10.2.2/com.ibm.swg.ba.cognos.inst_cr_winux.10.2.2.doc/t_rundatabasecleanupscripts.html
    1. Stop the IBM Cognos service from Cognos Configuration
    2. Locate the file NC_DROP_MS.sql in the following directory:
      C:\Program Files\ReportDesigner\c10_64\configuration\schemas\delivery\sqlserver
    3. In SQL Server Management Studio, open the NC_DROP_MS.sql file
    4. Change database connection to the FlexNet Report Designer content store database and execute the script
    5. Check that there are no errors from the script execution
    6. Start the IBM Cognos service using Cognos Configuration to ensure that it starts successfully, with no critical errors.
  5. Backup and restore your Content Store to a new database
    1. Request your database administrator to take a full backup of your FlexNet Report Designer's Content Store database
    2. Restore the backup Content Store database to your destination server which has been set up to host the Content Store for Cognos 11.
      Note: This will be a new database with a different name from the original.
      1. If you are restoring the database on a different server, you will need to create a login that has the following permissions on the new database:
        • Create and Drop table privileges
        • Membership of the db_ddladmin, db_datareader, and db_datawriter roles
        • Must be the owner of the default schema on this database. This schema usually is FlexNetReportDesignerSchema.
  6. Copy the Flexera Analytics Installation file.
    1. If you are installing FlexNet Manager Suite and Flexera Analytics on separate servers, first copy the <FNMS Media>\FlexNet Manager Suite\Support directory from the application server to C:\FNMSCognosAnalytics on the Flexera Analytics server. If you are performing a single server installation, then the support folder should already be located on the application server.
    2. From the support folder, copy the following files (file names are updated for every release) to a working directory on your Flexera Analytics server, such as C:\FNMSCognosAnalytics\Support:
      • analytics-installer-[3.7.21]-win
      • ca_srv_11.2.4-[2401220500]-winx64h.zip.
      Tip: The executable from the archive automatically installs 32-bit software on 32-bit systems, and 64-bit software on 64-bit operating systems.
  7. Configure the installation of Flexera Analytics by editing the file C:\FNMSCognosAnalytics\Support\CognosConfigProperties.xml using Notepad (or an equivalent text editor). Fill out the values for the parameters listed in the following table, using the guidance from the description and examples provided.
    Property/Example Description

    CredentialStoreLocation

    C:\user\customstore.xml

    A custom credential store location.

    If this parameter is omitted, the value defaults to fnms.password.store.xml under the profile directory of the logged-in user.

    FNMSBatchServerLocation

    http://BatchServer1.company.com

    The URL of the FlexNet Manager Suite batch server (or, in smaller implementations, the server hosting that functionality).

    ContentStoreDatabaseLocation

    DBServer1\Instance1

    		 When using TCP, the format for this value is hostname:port. Alternatively, the hostname\instancename format (without a port) can be used. Flexera Analytics does not allow the instance name to be Default or MSSQLServer. If using the instance name format, the SQL Server Browser service needs to be started.

    ContentStoreDatabaseName

    ContentStore

    This is the name of your Cognos Analytics content store database.

    ContentStoreDatabaseUsername

    Typically empty
    Optional setting when providing credentials for SQL Server authentication. Leave this value blank to use Windows Authentication.
    Note: If you have restored a backup of your existing content store to use with a new version of Flexera Analytics, ensure that this user has the following permissions on the database:
    • Create and Drop table privileges.
    • Member of the db_ddladmin, db_datareader, and db_datawriter roles.
    • Must be the owner of the default schema on this database.
      Tip: This schema usually is named FlexNetReportDesignerSchema.

    ContentStoreDatabasePassword

    Typically empty

    Optional setting when providing credentials for SQL Server authentication. Leave this value blank to use Windows Authentication.

    ContentStoreDatabaseStoreReference

    flexera://storeUser

    The credential store reference for ContentStore database user identity.

    If the ContentStoreDatabaseStoreReference property is specified then the ContentStoreUserName and ContentStorePassword properties are not required in the answer file, as any value provided for these fields is overridden.

    CognosInstallationPath

    C:\Program Files\ibm\cognos\analytics

    Flexera Analytics installation directory. Update this path to change the default installation path.

    CognosServerURI

    http://$(ServerName):80
    Note: The $(ServerName) text should not be altered. It will be translated to the host name by the installation code.

    CognosServerDispatcherURI

    http://$(ServerName):9300
    Note: The $(ServerName) text should not be altered. It will be translated to the host name by the installation code.

    AppPoolUserName

    Company\svc-fnms

    The service user, used by IIS.

    AppPoolPassword

    (clear text)

    A clear text password.

    AppPoolStoreReference

    flexera://serviceUser

    The credential store reference for App Pool user identity.

    If AppPoolStoreReference property is specified then the AppPoolUserName and AppPoolPassword properties are not required in the answer file. Any value provided for these fields is overridden.

    CognosServiceUserName

    Company\svc-fnms

    The service user for the IBM Cognos Analytics service. This must have read access to the FNMPDatawarehouse database, as well as being a member of the local Administrators group. Ensure that the account you enter already has Logon as a service permission (see Authorize the Service Account).

    CognosServicePassword

    (clear text)

    A clear text password.

    CognosServiceStoreReference

    flexera://serviceUser

    The credential store reference for Cognos service user identity.

    If CognosServiceStoreReference property is specified then the CognosServiceUserName and CognosServicePassword properties are not required in the answer file. Any value provided for these fields is overridden.

    CognosServiceMaxMemory

    4096
    IBM recommends a minimum of 4GB (4096MB) for Cognos Analytics. This number is a starting point and should be adjusted upwards based on the memory usage of your system.
    Note: This value determines the amount of memory used by the Java Virtual Machine and depends on how much memory is available. If this value is too high, the process will fail to start and no log information will be generated.

    MachineKeyValidationKey

    ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0123456789

    This is taken from the web.config file on the FlexNet Manager Suite presentation server. For example: C:\Program Files (x86)\Flexera Software\FlexNet Manager Platform\WebUI\web.config.

    The required value is present in the <machineKey> element.

    MachineKeyDecryptionKey

    0123456789ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

    This is taken from the web.config file on the FlexNet Manager Suite presentation server. For example: C:\Program Files (x86)\Flexera Software\FlexNet Manager Platform\WebUI\web.config.

    The required value is present in the <machineKey> element.

    SmtpStoreReference

    flexera:\\smpt

    The credential store reference for SMTP user identity.

    If SmtpStoreReference property is specified then the SmtpUserName and SmtpPassword properties are not required in the answer file. Any value provided for these fields is overridden.
    FNMSConfiguration

    op

    This value defines the FlexNet Manager Suite environment configuration. This value is pre-populated based on the installation media and does not require the user to change it.

    Modifying this value will cause the Flexera Analytics installation to fail.
    Note: If the CognosConfigProperties.xml file contains passwords in clear text, after installation this file should be cleared of passwords; or kept in a file path that is only accessible to Administrators and copied to a secure location off the host server. The file should be preserved for use in future upgrades.
    1. Open a PowerShell command-line window with Administrator privileges.
    2. Navigate to the directory where you copied the support directory. For example C:\FNMSCognosAnalytics\Support
    3. If you have not done so already, set the PowerShell permissions with the following command: 
      set-ExecutionPolicy AllSigned -Force
      Respond to the warning text with the default Y.
    4. Run the following command: 
      .\InstallCognos.ps1
    5. A dialog box opens, prompting you to run the installer. Click Run to proceed with the installation.
      Tip: This may take some time to complete. After updating the configuration with the details you provided, the PowerShell script restarts the IBM Cognos service. If the script reports any difficulties restarting the service, it may be because of environmental issues, such as memory pressure. In this case, it is not necessary to run the PowerShell script again: you can try restarting the IBM Cognos service manually in Windows Service Manager.
  8. When upgrading from FlexNet Report Designer, your roles and operator accounts have been migrated to the new version of Flexera Analytics. However, when upgrading from FlexNet Report Designer, a new license is required from Flexera to authorize use of the Flexera Analytics version. See Importing an Updated Flexera License for details. This must be completed before any operator can access any part of Flexera Analytics (and, as follows, operators must also be assigned to the appropriate roles).
  9. Create a role to which you have assigned the Analytics User privilege, and a second role that has the Analytics Administrator privilege, and assign operators as required:
    1. In the web interface for FlexNet Manager Suite, navigate to the system menu ( in the top right corner), select Accounts, select the Roles tab, use the Business reporting portal section, and click the help button for further details).
    2. Assign the appropriate operator(s) to these roles.
    Important: By default, no more than 60 operators may be linked to the role that grants the Analytics User privilege (or to all roles that grant this privilege). If you assign more than 60 operators to these roles, all operators are locked out until you reduce the count of operators to the licensed limit. If you need more than 60 operators with this privilege, contact your Flexera Consultant with your request to increase the licensed count.
  10. For security reasons, a browser will not provide a user's credentials to the Flexera Analytics server unless the site (or subdomain) is on a list of trusted websites. Extra steps are required to enable silent Windows authentication.
    • Internet Explorer or Chrome on Windows
      1. The Flexera Analytics server must be added under Local Intranet Zone in Internet Options. If not, the credentials will not be passed to the site and the user will be prompted to enter their credentials every time they navigate to Flexera Analytics from within FlexNet Manager Suite. You can either add the Flexera Analytics URL to trusted websites locally on the workstation or through your corporate group policy.
    • Firefox on Windows
      1. Launch FireFox.
      2. In the address bar type about:config and click Enter.
      3. If prompted with the security warning choose "I'll be careful, I promise".
      4. After the configuration page loads, in the filter box, type: network.automatic.
      5. Modify network.automatic-ntlm-auth.trusted-uris by double-clicking the row and enter the fully qualified URL of the Flexera Analytics server. For example http://cognos11.domain.
  11. To complete the upgrade, you will need to perform the instructions in the section Update the Sample Reporting Package. This is required to apply any updated user permissions.
  12. If you wish to configure Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) authentication for Flexera Analytics, please refer to the Authentication chapter in the FlexNet Manager Suite Systems Reference guide. Here you will find the instructions to run the Flexera Report Designer Package Import Utility to update your SAML authentication configuration.