The Central Configuration Manager (CCM) is a server-management tool that enables administrators of SAP BusinessObjects to maintain BusinessObjects enterprise server components. With this tool the user can control the operations and execution of the entire SAP BusinessObjects 4.0 platform, ensuring efficiency in the administrative aspects of BO implementation.

The CCM in 4.0 is very similar to the CCM in 3.1, but quite a bit different than the CCM in XI R2. In version XI R2 of the CCM, BusinessObjects servers were all included in the CCM tool and could be started and stopped from the CCM. Starting in version 3.1, however, starting or stopping of individual BusinessObjects servers was organized under the Central Management Console (CMC) tool. A Server Intelligence Agent (SIA) service was included in the CCM that can start or stop all the BusinessObjects servers as a group.

Functions that are available to administrators of BusinessObjects using the CCM are:

• Configure Properties of Services
• Start, Stop, and Restart Services
• Create/Configure BusinessObjects Nodes
• Configure Clusters

The Windows version of the CCM is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1

The Windows Version of the CCM

CCM Operating System Services

The BusinessObjects 4.0 version of the CCM lists and controls all the major operating system services of the BusinessObjects installation. Each of the following services controls an entire application rather than a component of the application:

• Apache Tomcat Web server service
• SIA service
• BW Publisher service
• World Wide Web Publishing service

Apache Tomcat is the default Web server that comes bundled with BusinessObjects and can be installed on the same host server as the rest of the BusinessObjects installation. A Web server is a specialized type of file server that retrieves files from the server’s hard drive, formats the files for a Web browser, and sends them out via a network to a browser. The Apache Tomcat Web server that comes with BusinessObjects BI 4.0 is designed to render Web pages to BusinessObjects users. The format and content of these Web pages come from the various BusinessObjects services listed in this section.

BusinessObjects allows you to use other commonly available Web servers, including JBOSS, SAP NetWeaver, Oracle Weblogic, and IBM WebSphere. However, these products are not shipped with BusinessObjects 4.0, require separate installations and licenses, and have separate services outside of the CCM.

The SIA service contains one operating system service that controls all the dependent BusinessObjects servers contained within it. The SIA simplifies many procedures that need to be performed manually in earlier versions of BusinessObjects. For example, when an SIA with the CCM is started, stopped, paused, and restarted, all the BusinessObjects servers contained within the SIA are also respectively started, stopped, paused, and restarted. Prior to the CCM containing the SIA, every BusinessObjects server was included in the CCM, and the BusinessObjects servers were not bundled and grouped in any way.

The BW Publisher service enables administrators to publish Crystal Reports (.rpt files) individually or in batches from an SAP NetWeaver Business Warehouse (SAP NetWeaver BW)  environment to the BusinessObjects platform. Additionally, BW Publisher service provides a broadcasting feature of the SAP NetWeaver BW platform that allows Crystal Reports to be run from the SAP NetWeaver BW Workbench user interface and have the results copied to the BusinessObjects platform.

The World Wide Web Publishing service is a component of Internet Information Services (IIS) that is installed on all hosts containing a Windows Server operating system (e.g., Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, or Windows Server 2012). It provides support for communication using the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

In addition, the World Wide Web Publishing service manages the HTTP and HTTP performance counters. This service is only installed if the host server also has IIS installed within the operating system.

The World Wide Web Publishing service provides support for communication with the Web server using HTTP. This protocol allows users to publish Web content on IIS for use on the Internet or on corporate intranets. Published Web content can then be accessed and displayed on client computers by using a standard Web browser such as Microsoft Internet Explorer.

The World Wide Web Publishing service is also central to third-party applications that facilitate remote administration of computers running using Web browsers as their standard administrative interface. In addition, the World Wide Web Publishing service manages is most commonly used outside of BusinessObjects, but the CCM does provide the ability to start and stop this service.

CCM Command Bar

The command bar of the Windows version of the CCM has a number of options and commands. The command bar of the Windows version of the CCM is shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2

The command bar of the Windows version of the CCM

The following icons are available on the command bar:

 Print: Print a hard copy of the properties and settings of the selected Windows service.

 Copy: Duplicate the selected Windows service.

 Properties: View and modify the properties and settings of the selected Windows service.

 Refresh: Refresh the CCM display panel that lists the Windows services.

 Start: Change the status of a stopped Windows service from Stopped to Started.

 Stop: Change the status of a running Windows service from Running to Stopped.

 Pause Service: Temporarily stop a running Windows service, but changes the status of the service. This function is always disabled.

 Restart Service: Change the status of a running Windows service from Running to Stopped back to Running with one click.

 Manage Servers: Open the Manage Servers window that allows for limited administration of the BusinessObjects servers included on the host server. Figure 3 shows an example of the Manage Servers window. Actions that can be taken in the Manage Servers window include start server, stop server, restart server, terminate server (immediate stop), enable server, and disable server.

Figure 3

The Manage Servers window of the CCM

 Add node: A node is a group of BusinessObjects servers that run on the same host server and are managed by the same SIA. Add Node allows for a new node to be created with the following options:

• Add node with no BusinessObjects servers. BusinessObjects servers can then be manually added to the node within the CMC.
• Add node with CMS. CMS is the central management server, and it is a database of metadata or information about the entire BI 4.0 system called the CMS database. The metadata stored by the CMS database includes information about users and groups, security levels, locations of documents, content, servers, and services.
• Add node with default BusinessObjects servers. Default BusinessObjects servers in version 4.0 include Adaptive Job Server, Adaptive Processing Server, Central Management Server, Connection Server, Connection Server32, Crystal Reports2013 Processing Server, Crystal Reports2013 Report Application Server, Crystal Reports Processing Server, Crystal Reports Processing Server, Dashboards Cache Server, Dashboards Processing Server, Event Server, Input File Repository, Output File Repository, Web Application Container Service, and Web Intelligence Processing Server.
• Recreate node

 Delete Node: Remove an existing BusinessObjects node on the host server.

 Backup Server Configuration: SAP recommends that you back up server settings whenever changes are made to system deployment. Then in the event of a system failure, the server configuration can be brought back to the point before the failure. Back up BusinessObjects server settings to a BusinessObjects Business Intelligence Archive Resource (BIAR) file, an archive file that contains selected components of the BusinessObjects platform that can be used to restore components of the system. Then store the file on a separate machine or storage media. This measure should be taken when creating, renaming, moving, and deleting nodes, as well as creating or deleting servers.

 Restore Server Configuration: Restore BusinessObjects server settings from a BusinessObjects BIAR file.

 Specify Central Management Server (CMS) Data Source: Change configuration options for the CMS database of the SIA. The CMS database includes all the metadata about the BusinessObjects system and includes information about users and groups, security levels, locations of documents, content, servers, and services.

The SIA service has to be stopped for this option to be enabled. CMS database options include:

• Update CMS Data Source Settings: Choose this option to change the CMS database used by the SIA. This option simply changes the CMS data source and does not copy any existing data within the CMS database.
• Copy Data From Another Data Source: Choose this option to overwrite the existing data within the current CMS database with data from another CMS database. This option destroys any data in the existing CMS database.
• Recreate the Current Data Source: Choose this option to re-initialize the current CMS database to a default setting. This option destroys any data in the existing CMS database.

 Browse for Computer: Select another BusinessObjects host server on the same network to administer within the Central Configuration Manager.

 Help: Open and search with the online CCM help manual.

The Properties Page of CCM Services

Each service located within the CCM has distinctive attributes that describe the service and control the way that the service operates. To view or edit the properties of CCM services, click the service and then select properties from the CCM command bar. (If the service has the status of started, then the properties of the service are read only. If the service has the status of stopped, then the properties of the service can be viewed and edited.)

Figure 4 shows the properties page of the SIA in editable format (i.e., the SIA service has the status of stopped).

Figure 4

The Properties page of the SIA service in editable format

Each service located within the CCM has distinctive attributes that describe the service and control the way that the service operates. Common properties to all CCM services include:

• Server Type: The category of the service. This property cannot be modified as it is descriptive property of the service.
• Display Name: A brief description of the service. This property cannot be modified as it is descriptive property of the service.
• Server Name: This property is included on Apache Tomcat and World Wide Publishing services, but not on SIA or BW Publisher server
• Command: A call to the executable that runs the service (i.e., \directoryfile.exe). Location is the name of the executable that runs the service (i.e., \directoryfile.exe) as well as command line options that are part of the command call to the executable file. This field is populated upon installation of BusinessObjects and should rarely be modified. 
• Startup Type (Automatic, Manual, or Disabled): Automatic means that the service starts as the host computer or operating system starts. Manual means the service does not start as the host computer or operating system starts, but an administrator of the host can later start the service. Disabled means the service does not start as the host computer or operating system starts, and the service is locked from being started manually by an administrator of the host.
• Log On As: By default, the system account (aka LocalSystem) is the account associated with the service to provide authentication for the service. The LocalSystem account is a predefined local account used by the service control manager and has extensive privileges on the local computer, but not on the network. It is a best practice to change the account used for the logon to a dedicated domain account that has more security associated with it. (The actual name of the local system account is NT AUTHORITYSYSTEM, and it is a best practice to use an account in the format of DOMAINUSER.)
  
  • Log On As – System Account. If the check box is selected, then the user becomes LocalSystem, and the password is populated with the password of the LocalSystem account. Many organizations have policies against using the LocalSystem account for services because the LocalSystem account has complete unrestricted access to local resources on the server. If an organization has this policy, then the Log On As must be changed to a domain account that has permissions to start services.
  • Log On As – User
  • Log On As – Password
  • Log On As – Confirm Password

 Dependency Page of CCM Services

The Dependency page of a CCM service shows related Windows services that the specific CCM service requires to be started before the CCM service can be started. (Every CCM service has a Dependency page, but does not necessarily have a related Windows service.)

Dependencies can be added or removed to a CCM service only when the CCM service is stopped. Otherwise, the Dependency page is read only. Dependencies can be added if the administrator of BusinessObjects believes that another Windows service needs to be started before the CCM service can be started. Figure 5 shows the Dependency page of the SIA service in editable format (i.e., the SIA service has the status of stopped).

Figure 5

The Dependency page of the SIA service in editable format

The Startup Page of Server Intelligence Agent Service

The Startup page is only included on the SIA service. (None of the other CCM services have this page included.) The Startup page allows for the editing of properties of any local CMS associated with the installation of BusinessObjects. It also allows for viewing the properties of all remote CMS servers.

Local CMS servers are located on the same host server as the SIA, and remote CMS servers are located on other host servers than the SIA.

Properties of the local CMS server that can be edited include:

• Name of CMS server
• Port
• Auto-Start
• Command Line

Figure 6 shows the Startup page of the SIA service in editable format (i.e., the SIA service has the status of stopped). The user clicks the Properties button in the middle of the page to edit.

Figure 6

The Startup page of the SIA service in editable format

The Configuration Page of SIA Service

The Configuration page is unique on the SIA service. (The Apache Tomcat and World Wide Web Publishing services do not have a Configuration page. The BW Publisher service has a Configuration page, but it serves a different role—see “Configuration Page of BW Publisher Service”). The Configuration page lets the administrator update the port associated with the service and specify the CMS database associated with the service.

The following fields are included on the Configuration page of BW Publisher service:

• Port Number is an identifier of a specific process to which a network message is to be forwarded when it arrives at the host server.
• CMS System Database Configuration contains all the properties for the SIA to connect to the CMS database, including database name, password, type, and location.

The user can also update the cluster associated with this service. A cluster is an environment in which BusinessObjects is installed on multiple hosts that use the same central CMS database. Because multiple BusinessObjects environments can contain the same base information, clusters are used for high availability, load balancing, and fault tolerance. High availability refers to a system or application that is continuously operational for a desirably long length of time (close to 100 percent uptime). Load balancing is a method of distributing workloads across multiple computing resources to optimize resource use, maximize throughput, minimize response time, and avoid overload of any one of the resources. Fault tolerance is a property that enables a system to continue operating properly in the event of the failure of one or more of its components.

• Change Cluster Name is the identifier of the cluster (group of BusinessObjects servers) to which the SIA belongs.
• CMS Cluster Key Configuration utilizes symmetric key-wrapping techniques to protect the numerous cryptographic keys stored in the CMS database. Using symmetric key algorithms, cluster keys maintain a level of access control to the CMS database. Additionally each node with a BusinessObjects platform is assigned a cluster key during installation.

Figure 7 shows the Configuration page of the SIA service in editable format (i.e., the SIA service has the status of stopped).

Figure 7

The Configuration page of the SIA service in editable format

The Configuration Page of the BW Publisher Service

The Configuration page is also unique on the BW Publisher service and serves a different purpose than the Configuration page of the SIA service. (The services Apache Tomcat and World Wide Web Publishing services do not have a configuration page.) The Configuration page lets the administrator update parameters related to publishing Crystal Reports individually or in batches from an SAP NetWeaver BW environment to the BusinessObjects platform.

The following fields are included on the Configuration page of BW Publisher service (the BW Publisher Service contains only three tabs within its properties pages collection — properties, dependencies, and configuration. The BW Publisher Service does not contain pages for startup or protocol):

• Program ID is used to identify the BW Publisher service within the CCM and is the name that the BW Publisher service uses to register itself on the SAP BW system.
• Gateway Host is the name of the SAP system. SAP is the application that sources data for SAP NetWeaver BW.
• Gateway Service is defined during the installation of an instance in the services file on the SAP server.
• Extra is an optional field and does not need to be populated.

Figure 8 shows the Configuration page of the BW Publisher service in editable format (i.e., the BW Publisher service has the status of stopped).

Figure 8

The Configuration page of the BW Publisher service in editable format

The Protocol Page of the Server Intelligence Agent Service

The Protocol page is unique on the SIA service. (The services Apache Tomcat, World Wide Web Publishing, and BW Publishing do not have a Protocol page.) The Protocol page lets the administrator update parameters related to configuring Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) with the SIA. SSL is the industry-standard security technology for establishing an encrypted link between a Web server and a browser. This link ensures that all data passed between the Web server and browsers remains private and integral.

The following fields are included on the Protocol page of SIA service:

• SSL Certificates Folder is the folder that stores all the require SSL certificates.
• Server SSL Certificate File is the name of the file used to store the server SSL certificate.
• SSL Trusted Certificates File is the name of the file with the trusted SSL certificate.
• SSL Private Key File is name of the SSL private key file used to access the certificate.
• SSL Private Key Passphrase File is the name of the text file containing the passphrase used to access the private key.

Figure 9 shows the Protocol page of the SIA service in editable format (i.e., the SIA service has the status of stopped).

Figure 9

The Protocol page of the SIA service in editable format