OBIEE Problem

dilek

Hello,

We have a big problem on obiee 11.1.1.7.140114 (Build 140126.2205.JANRECUT 64-bit) for three days. Suddenly, obiee analytics page does not respond only returning on browser. When I check opmn status, all are ALIVE status. Then, try to login enterprise manager, login page comes but when I click login button it does not respond again. This problem occured three times in three days. What can be the cause of this problem? Can you direct me in some way? Where can I look? Which log file?

Regards,

Dilek

Gianni Ceresa

Hi Dilek,

Isn't your browser the problem?

11.1.1.7.140114 is quite a old one and has issues with new browsers (just because the browser has been released 3+ years after OBIEE and changed the way it manage CSS / JS etc.).

So what browser are you using when having issues?

Do you allow auto-update of the browser? Did someone installed a windows update including something on the browser?

As the problem started 3 days ago and I doubt you were playing with your OBIEE server config (ask your sysadmin to find out if somebody had fun during the weekend) I would first investigate the browser side.

SaQ-Orcl

Hi,

If it was working till three days before then check with your admin, seems someone mess with config file. or trying to open in other Brower and check.

dilek

Hi,

There is no configuration change in any obiee conf files for many days. May be, the issue is browser problem. When I asked system management team, they say we did not do anything :S So, how I can find the real cause.

We use firefox browser and its version is: 52.0 (64-bit)

Sherry George

Was there any errors in the sawlogs or nqserver logs when this happened?

Gianni Ceresa

So you are using the latest possible version of Firefox, and as Chrome stopped working with OBIEE 11.1.1.7 until a bundle patch fixed the problem during an upgrade it can definitely be the case here as well.

Ideally find another browser and test with that one (IE11 also has issues with your version and I guess the fix was in a later bundle patch than yours) or maybe install a older version of Firefox to test.

dilek

Thanks a lot @Gianni Ceresa What do you suggest us to solve this problem in the best way? Should we upgrade obiee version? If so, which version do you prefer? One more question: how can I learn which browsers which version support / not support our obiee version? Where these info are stored?

Gianni Ceresa

dileraco wrote:What do you suggest us to solve this problem in the best way?

Not at all ...

Right now you don't know what the problem is and the suggest approach is a way to identify the problem so that you can look for the best solution. Also following the reply from Sherry George: do you see something in the logs?

More in general you definitely must consider an update at least, an upgrade ideally. your OBIEE hasn't been patched for more than 3 years now, that's just too much. There are known vulnerabilities not fixed in your current system.

If you can try to at least apply the latest available bundle patch for 11.1.1.7, must be 160719 if not wrong. There will be no more bundle patch I guess for 11.1.1.7 and if you want to continue to get new patches you must upgrade to 11.1.1.9 at least.

There isn't a perfect update/upgrade strategy, try to identify if there are things in 12c you need now or in the next 12 months, if not focus on the latest possible 11g release.

Browser support is covered by the certification matrix (Oracle Fusion Middleware Supported System Configurations ), the problem is that you don't have a certification matrix for each bundle patch, so the matrix gives you more the info on support for old browsers. For the current browsers it is reading the fixes included in the bundle patchs that you discover that at some point one wasn't compatible (or by observing the issue yourself). For example the issue with Google Chrome fixed many saw it "live" and had to wait the next bundle patch to be able to use Chrome again.

In companies there is in general a "slow updated" browser, something like Firefox ESR or just IE which isn't updated automatically, so you can always get back to that one as there more chances things works, but depends on your company strategy for updates etc.

dilek

Sorry for my late answer . When this error happens there is no error logs written in presentation and admin server log files.This morning, system manager checked automatic software updates and firefox is updated automatically a few days ago. So, we decided to upgrade our obiee version to 11.1.1.9 in order to eliminate all such compatibility issue in obiee. One more question, why firefox browser is the most favorite browser although the others support on windows? I just want to know the reason. Last, I really thank you so much @Gianni Ceresa, you always open my eyes and improve technical know-how on obiee

Gianni Ceresa

Just in case give a try to OBIEE 11.1.1.9 with your version of Firefox (you can just use  OBIEE Samples V506 for a quick test).

As OBIEE 11.1.1.9 is older than Firefox 52 you can't 100% exclude the issue will not happen again

But the decision to upgrade will definitely bring you the additional benefit of having a current and still developed version with bundle patch released.

For the why Firefox I guess it's a mix of reasons. Historical reasons mainly. In the past, back when it was IE6 it was working really badly with OBIEE because it was a really old browser and struggled to manage all the javascript added into modern web apps (ajax etc.). And historically the alternative to IE for a better standard behaviour was Firefox (IE always implemented it's own version of "standards" for javascript and CSS).

I also guess the fact the ESR (extended support release) exists make companies more comfortable using Firefox than Chrome. But probably the main point is that Firefox is older than Chrome and was for some time the n2 browser used (IE being n1 just because it was always there).