Category Archives: MFGP - Page 5

Backup Strategy Notes

Posted by on August 14, 2006 No comments

This documentation covers a general backup strategy for the client.

Since a lot of work is being done on the Test instance, it is important that the server housing this instance be backed up on a regular basis.

Backup Media

There are several types of backup media available. For example, CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, secondary hard drives etc. CD-ROMs and DVD-ROMs do not possess the required capacity. Secondary hard drives are likely to fail. For example, if a power spike caused the server hard drives to fail, it may also cause the secondary hard drives to fail.

The best medium for backing up servers is tape media. The tape must be capable of backing up the database and related Oracle Application files, as well as the public folder. Storage requirements for these will grow as the project progresses, and this must be taken into consideration. A rough estimate of the tape capacity is about 200GB. This will easily back up the entire server.

Dell sells LTO tape drives (PowerVault 110T LTO Tape Drive) with some of their servers; perhaps this can be used as a starting point for research on tape drives.

Backup Software

There are several commercial backup and recovery solutions available, such as BrightStor ARCserve. ARCserve handles all aspects of job creation, scheduling and recovery from an intuitive GUI. In addition, ARCserve is certified by Microsoft on all of its server platforms.

Windows also comes with it’s own backup software, NT Backup. NT Backup provides much of the basic functionality as ARCserve. However, NT Backup is designed to be a more interactive solution, that is, an operator has to manually choose the files and directories to back up, and then start the backup.

Ideally, the backup should be automated so that an operator does not have to manually start the backup, and the backup can be scheduled in the middle of the night (say 10 o’clock).

NT Backup can be called from the command line with parameters, so the NT Backup command can be placed into a Windows Command Script (with a .cmd extension), which can then be scheduled. However, this method must be diligently tested to ensure that the scheduled backups are going through.

To view the syntax for NTBackup command line parameters, type ‘ntbackup /?’ at the command prompt:

C:> ntbackup /?

NT Backup loads, then the help file appears with the command-line reference.

To use NT Backup, a ‘selection’ of directories to back up has to be created and saved so that it can be referenced on the command line.

Directories to Backup

At the very least, the directories that should be backed up on oracleserver are

  • D:PROD
  • D:PROJECT FOLDER

However, if all directories on all of the drives can be backed up, it would be even better.

Regardless of the backup software used, the backup made should be tested on a regular basis. There should be a separate machine, which can be used to test different disaster recovery scenarios.

Removing Banner Page from Reports

Posted by on August 10, 2006 No comments

Problem: The Customer Statements report prints a banner page.

Solution: On Vision, log on as user operations and access the Receivables, Vision responsibility. From the menu, access Print Documents > Statements.

Refer to Doc ID:  Note:99687.1 (Subject:  Printing Character Reports with Oracle Applications Release 11)

For the Printer Style MFGL_LANDSCAPE, enable the Suppress Header checkbox for the \oracleserverHPLaser printer.

From Concurrent Programs from the System Administrator responsibility, change the Print Statement program. Change Style to Landscape_mfgl and Printer to \oracleserverHPLaser.

Subject:  FAQ (Application Reports)

Doc ID:  Note:105105.1

Subject:  Printing Character Reports with Oracle Applications Release 11

Doc ID:  Note:99687.1

Subject:  How to Remove The Banner Page From Printing On Reports

Doc ID:  Note:163973.1

Subject:  How to Suppress Banner Page when Printing Reports

Doc ID:  Note:1038798.6 (No help)

Subject:  How to Suppress the Header/Banner Page When Printing Report on AIX?

Doc ID:  Note:302847.1 (No help)

Loading Data Into GL Interface

Posted by on August 10, 2006 No comments

This documentation shows the user how to load data for GL Interface.

Step 1:        The data file provided by the analyst can either be a .CSV file or a .DAT file.

Step 2:        Rename the data file to a name without spaces e.g. datafilename.dat.

Step 3:        Copy the data file to the project folder, into folder GLDataLoadElvis.

Step 4:        Load on to oracleserver (128.1.2.213) via VNC.

Step 5:        Load Command Prompt.

Step 6:        Change to D:PRODprodappl. Run APPSORA.cmd.

Step 7:        Change to folder D:PROJECT FOLDERGLDataLoadElvis

Step 8:        At the Command Prompt, run SQL Loader:

sqlldr80 apps/apps control=elvis.ctl data=datafilename.dat

Step 9:        If only about 50-60 lines load, the data was incorrect (the load process fails after 50 lines have failed). Check the log file elvis.log for more information.

Setting up TNSNAMES.ORA for ADI

Posted by on July 12, 2006 No comments

In Oracle Applications 11.5.10, there is a security feature which prevents users from logging on to the database using SQL tools such as SQL*Plus or TOAD. Refer to Note: 291897.1 (11.5.10 New Features: Managed SQL*Net Access from Hosts) for information on resolving this problem.

To get information pertaining to the host, log on to Oracle Applications Manager, click on Site Map, Administration, and then Hosts. Click the Show link to see the host name, domain and IP address. To determine the port numbers associated with the instance, click View Configuration.

All information is available to place entries into the TNSNAMES.ORA.

NEWTEST = (DESCRIPTION=
                (ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=tcp)(HOST=ORACLESERVER.company.local)(PORT=1521))
                (CONNECT_DATA=(SID=PROD))
            )
FNDFS_ORACLESERVER=
        (DESCRIPTION=
                (ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=tcp)(HOST=ORACLESERVER.company.local)(PORT=1626))
            (CONNECT_DATA=
                (SID=FNDFS)
            )
        )

Configuring NetMeeting

Posted by on June 8, 2006 No comments

Step 1:        From the Command Prompt or the Run dialog box, enter conf.

Step 2:        The Windows NetMeeting loads.

Step 3:        Enter the user’s first name, last name and email address. Under the Security tab, check both checkboxes to encrypt incoming and outgoing calls.

Step 4:        To dial in, click the Place Call button. In the Place a Call dialog box, enter the server to call in the To field. This is either oracleserver or oraclesrv.

Step 5:        Enter the following information:

Username: applmgr
Password: applmgr
Domain: domainname