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Semantic Modeler and RPD coexistence in OAS

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Themis
Themis Rank 3 - Community Apprentice
in Oracle Analytics Cloud and Server

Hello everyone,

I would like to ask a few questions about the use of Semantic Modeler in Oracle Analytics Server (OAS):

  1. When working in the Semantic Modeler, does the data model use the same file extension (.rpd) as the data model created in the BI (Model) Administration Tool?
  2. We already have a data model created in the BI Administration Tool and published online. When we created another model using the Semantic Modeler and deployed it, it replaced the existing model. Is it not possible to have both models published online at the same time and choose which one to use for our reports?
  3. Since we recently migrated from OBIEE to OAS, we would like to explore how the Semantic Modeler works. However, if publishing a Semantic Model replaces the existing online RPD, what is the recommended approach to test a Semantic Model without affecting the currently deployed data model?

Thank you

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  • Ram-Oracle
    Ram-Oracle Rank 6 - Analytics & AI Lead
    edited Oct 6, 2025 9:19AM

    Hi @Themis Welcome to Oracle Analytics Communicty and thank you for posting your query.

    1. When working in the Semantic Modeler, does the data model use the same file extension (.rpd) as the data model created in the BI (Model) Administration Tool?

    >while working with semantic modeler at UI ,Semantic Model Markup Language (SMML), a modeling language based on the popular JSON format . once the development of model is completed ,you will convert it to .rpd format using semanitc modeler and deploy it on to oas server and when user runs the analysis it will be querying deployed rpd .

    2.We already have a data model created in the BI Administration Tool and published online. When we created another model using the Semantic Modeler and deployed it, it replaced the existing model. Is it not possible to have both models published online at the same time and choose which one to use for our reports

    >No. At any point of time oas server consumes single .rpd file

    3.Since we recently migrated from OBIEE to OAS, we would like to explore how the Semantic Modeler works. However, if publishing a Semantic Model replaces the existing online RPD, what is the recommended approach to test a Semantic Model without affecting the currently deployed data model?

    >Please refer point (2) ,we can test the developed model after we deploy on to the server. Take a backup of existing rpd by first loading it semantic model and export it to rpd and save it as local copy and then develop new model and deploy it directly on to oas server . In case of any issues you can always deploy backup rpd from oas dv console ,snapshots ,repace data model.

    For more information ,kindly please refer the below material.

    https://blogs.oracle.com/analytics/post/the-semantic-modeler-in-oracle-analytics-cloud

    https://docs.oracle.com/en/cloud/paas/analytics-cloud/acmdg/migrate-model-administration-tool-semantic-modeler.html

    For multi user development ,please refer below documentation

    https://docs.oracle.com/en/cloud/paas/analytics-cloud/acmdg/develop-semantic-models-collaborative-environment.html

  • Themis
    Themis Rank 3 - Community Apprentice

    Hello @Ram-Oracle ,

    Thank you for your response — it was very helpful.

    One observation from our testing: if we create reports based on different data models (for example, one built using the BI Administration Tool and another built using the Semantic Modeler), it seems that we must switch back and forth between data models by redeploying the corresponding .rpd each time.

    This behavior feels somewhat limiting, as it prevents users from working with reports based on multiple data models simultaneously within the same OAS environment.

  • Ram-Oracle
    Ram-Oracle Rank 6 - Analytics & AI Lead

    Hi @Themis As per current architecture ,oas holds one rpd file to be deployed on to oas bi server for queries.Even with oas model admin desktop tool ,multiple developers working on their individual rpds and finally merge it to master reposistory using 3 way merge or via patching xml and final rpd will be deployed on to the oas server during cut-over or migrations to prod.

    If two or more developers are working on different subject areas ,each subject area represents one data model and probably you could try multi user development like integrating with git repository.

    Also previous thread on the same subject and see if it helps.

    https://forums.oracle.com/ords/apexds/post/can-i-have-multiple-data-model-active-at-a-time-in-oac-2486#comment_323523248055079081396907050484361749313

  • Gianni Ceresa
    Gianni Ceresa Mod

    You come from OBIEE, nothing changed in OAS on how the RPD/Semantic Model is handled. In OBIEE you had a single RPD at any point in time, it's the same with OAS.

    You can create multiple semantic models with the web-based Semantic Modeler in your single OAS, that's not an issue, but you should not deploy any of them if you have a RPD that was migrated and deployed and that most of your content is based on that model.

    How where you developing on your OBIEE? I hope you weren't all working directly online and change the production RPD in real time on the server. Excluding this approach, anything else you were doing can be used with OAS as well.

    From a more generic point of view, an option to make your life easier, could be to import your migrated RPD in the Semantic Modeler. That will now be your base model, and on top of it your developers can start working and pushing changed to a git repository and use merges there to "deploy" features into a reference semantic model.

    Each developer will need their own OAS environment if they want to test their models and build analyses or workbooks.

    All in all, just do what you were doing with OBIEE assuming your were not all working online on the deployed RPD. OAS didn't change anything on the process.