EBS Maintenance Best Practices

1 Copyright © 2011, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Confidential – Oracle Internal


Presenting with

Best Practices for Maintaining Oracle E-Business Suite 12 Ron Brown, Yuko Saito and Dr. Patricia Dues October 5, 2011


Program Agenda

•  Patching • Upgrading • Monitoring • Diagnosing •  Searching •  Participating • Q&A

Patching

Upgrading

Monitoring

Diagnosing Searching

Participating

Q&A


Patching and Maintenance Advisor Overview

• Part of the Lifecycle Advisors (Note 250.1), Oracle’s recommended approach and best practices to completing a specific task end-to-end

• Designed to guide you through patching and maintenance activities and assist you in developing a patching and maintenance strategy

• Updated regularly and consolidates relevant information from various sources (knowledge base, documentation, training, etc)

•  Introduces tools and concepts to build an efficient and robust patching plan • Each phase has a consistent layout with goals, expected outcomes or

deliverables, focus areas, and target audiences

Evaluate Plan Test Implement

Note 313.1 (launched May 2011)


EBS Patching - Evaluate

© 2009 Oracle Corporation – Proprietary and Confidential


Evaluate


EBS Patching - Evaluate Best Practices for EBS patching priority


Evaluate

1.  Apply the latest EBS Release Update Pack (e.g. 12.1.3)

2.  Apply the latest EBS family packs and all patches on the Recommended Patch List (RPL), including ATG Release Update Packs, AutoConfig updates, etc.

3.  Upgrade all Technology Stack components to the latest certified levels (e.g. Database 11.2.0.2, Forms 10.1.2.3, OC4J 10.1.3.5, Oracle Internet Directory 11.1.1.3)

4.  Apply the latest Critical Patch Updates (CPUs)

5.  <Optional> Apply the latest Database Patchset Updates (PSUs) and any related EBS Interoperability patches

6.  Apply any specific one-off and interim patches only if they are absolutely required. This rule of thumb applies to both EBS and Technology Stack component patches. Rather than applying one-offs in non-critical situations, it is a better practice to wait for patches to be rolled into the patch types (RUPs, CPUS, etc.) listed above


EBS Patching - Plan



Plan


EBS Patching - Test



Test


EBS Patching - Implement



Implement

10 Copyright © 2011, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Confidential – Oracle Internal © 2009 Oracle Corporation – Proprietary and Confidential

Patch Wizard

•  Part of Oracle Applications Manager (OAM) Ø Navigation: Oracle Applications Manager > Patching and Utilities > Patch Wizard

•  Identifies recommended EBS patches for your current code level

•  Determines the status of the patch

•  Conducts an automatic patch impact analysis

•  Analyze Specific Patch process

•  Provides an alert for changes on customized files (flagged files)

Proactive Patching and Impact Analysis


Patch Wizard – Identifying Recommended Patches


Patch Wizard – Impact Analysis Summary


Patch Wizard – Impact Analysis Details


Patch Wizard – Analyze Specific Patches


Patch Wizard Resources • Documentation: Ø R11i: Oracle Applications Maintenance Utilities Ø R12: Oracle E-Business Suite Patching Procedures

• Additional Information Ø Patch Wizard Utility (Note976188.1) Ø Patch Wizard FAQ (Note976688.1) Ø Patch Wizard Training Videos (Note1085668.1) Ø Patch Wizard Overview Videos (Note1210479.1) Ø New ARU Access Protocol Requires Patches for Patch Wizard in Oracle E-Business Suite... (Note 1267768.1)

• To log a Patch Wizard SR Ø Product: Oracle Application Manager Ø  Problem Category: Application Manager (OAM) Issues


Program Agenda


Patching

Upgrading

Monitoring


Participating

Q&A


Upgrade Lifecycle Advisor


•  Different Advisor for each product •  Consistent layout •  Consistent phases •  Content differs for each product •  Multimedia offerings •  No actual upgrade activities performed by advisor

•  Note 269.1 - Upgrade Advisor: E-Business Suite (EBS) Technology Stack Upgrade from 11.5.10.2 to 12.1.3

Evaluate Plan Configure Test Implement Accept


Tech Stack Upgrade - Evaluate

Evaluate Plan Configure Test Implement Accept

Evaluate


Plan and Practice for Success

Document and Validate your Plan Practice

•  Include practice in the plan •  Multiple test runs help to ensure

a smooth Production upgrade •  Sanity checkpoints and Backup

intervals •  Be aware of deviations

•  Use Advisors •  Address key concerns such as

customizations •  Leverage Oracle Resources & Tools •  Realistic plans, realistic expectations


EBS Data Model Comparison Report Note 1290886.1


EBS Seed Data Comparison Report Note 1327399.1


Maintenance Wizard

•  Tool to perform the upgrade

•  Step-by-step instructions

•  Dynamically filters tasks

•  Identifies critical patches

•  Automatically execute tasks

•  Audit reports for tasks performed

•  Release 12.1.3/11gR2

•  Complete information •  Note 434387.1 Maintenance Wizard


Maintenance Wizard


Additional Resources •  Upgrade Communities

–  For interaction with other customers as well as Support Experts on Upgrades

•  Upgrade Advisor Community: –  https://communities.oracle.com/portal/server.pt/

community/upgrade_advisor/441

•  General Upgrade Community: –  https://communities.oracle.com/portal/server.pt/

community/upgrade/258

•  Maintenance Wizard Overview –  (Doc ID 215527.1)

•  Blog Articles: –  http://blogs.oracle.com/stevenChan/entry/

ebs_121_upgrade_whitepaper –  http://blogs.oracle.com/stevenChan/entry/

field_advice_ebs_115102_upgrades –  http://blogs.oracle.com/stevenChan/entry/

testing_ebs_upgrades

•  Web Casts

–  "Making the EBS Upgrade from 11.5.10 Easier", 3 Parts

–  Recordings are in: https://support.us.oracle.com/oip/faces/secure/km/DocumentDisplay.jspx?id=740964.1


Program Agenda


Patching

Upgrading

Monitoring


Participating

Q&A


Configuration Manager

•  Automates configuration information exchange between Oracle and our customers enabling faster resolution and proactive detection of issues that our customers might encounter.

•  The ability to define configurations and organize projects •  A view of System details and changes •  Create, track, and status Service Requests •  Advanced Knowledge Management capabilities •  Proactive problem avoidance with HealthChecks •  Proactive Product and Security Alerts •  Service Request Priority Handling

What is it?



•  Captures information about: –  Host –  Oracle Software and Patches

•  E-Business Suite Patches •  Database and iAS Patches

–  Third party software inventory

•  Access to this data is limited by: –  Hardware –  System Software –  Oracle Product Information

What is collected Supp

ort

Customer Site

< Back Next > Cancel

Oracle Support Live Link™

Oracle Live Link helps Oracle provide you timely and focused Support.

A small amount of information about your environment is sent to Oracle support to better handle your requests.

To see an example of the information, select this link.

Oracle Live Link ™Oracle Live Link ™

Enable Oracle Live LinkDisable Oracle Live LinkSimple install/

command UI

Knowledge Management

HTTPS

Proxy Server

My Oracle Support

Interface

System View

Oracle CCR



• Customers see the same data as Oracle

•  Primary access is by Oracle Product Support

• Data is used by Product Support to improve the customer level of service

• Data collected is hardware, system software, and Oracle product information

• Data does not include business transactions, passwords, or control sensitive information

Configurations Data Security and Privacy


Main Dashboard


Health Recommendations

• Driven off of configuration data collected by the Oracle Configuration Manager

•  Point in time tests that identify critical risks to an IT environment that have caused or may cause a security breach or service outage

•  Provide advice on corrective actions • Health Check Catalog (Doc: 868955.1)

Proactive Advice

31 Copyright © 2011, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Confidential – Oracle Internal 31

Customer / Business Requirement Solution, Value & Benefit

Proactive E-Mail Notification •  Push Model proactively informs users of new Recommendations •  User ‘Opt-In’ Approach ; User needs to subscribe to Health Recommendation notifications •  Result in better awareness and adoption of Health Recommendations

Provide Direct Customer Collaboration & Feedback Channel

•  Introduce ‘Health Review’ capability like we have with ‘Patch Reviews’ •  Customers share their experiences and perceptions of Recommendations •  Oracle Support actively monitors customer review comments and acts on improvement opportunities

Improved Filtering & Searching of Content

•  Innovations in this area have previously been introduced in Patch Recommendations area •  Improved search-ability & find-ability of Health Recommendations

View & Suppress Health Recommendations by Target Lifecycle

•  Provide Customer easier means of setting Lifecycle (i.e. Production, Stage, Test, Development) attribute of Systems & Targets

•  Customers view, filter, sort, group & suppress Recommendations by Target Lifecycle

Health Recommendations - Feedback User Interface Improvements Note 1330680.1


Program Agenda


Patching

Upgrading

Monitoring


Participating

Q&A


Oracle Diagnostics

•  Part of your EBS application Ø Navigation: Application Diagnostics Responsibility > Diagnose

•  Set of predefined diagnostics “tests” designed to help you pro-actively and re-actively resolve problems

•  Tests contain data collectors (setup, transactional, environment) and validations along with warning or error messages with suggested actions to resolve failures

•  No backend SQL access required. Easy to follow by end users. •  Tests are securely executed by end users and are safe for your

applications

Note 342459.1 : E-Business Suite Diagnostics Overview


Oracle Diagnostics How to run & view output


Oracle Diagnostics Catalog and Host Notes What’s Available? R12 Diagnostic Catalogs Note 421245.1 (R11i 179661.1)


Remote Diagnostic Agent (RDA) Note 314422.1 Remote Diagnostic Agent (RDA) 4 - Getting Started


Diagnostics Tools Community


Oracle Payables GDF (Generic Data Fixes)

• A payables GDF is a Generic Data Fix Patch that is made available for download via My Oracle Support, written by Oracle Development [Note 874903.1].

• Fully approved for all customers. Customers can take advantage of known data fixes without raising an SR. Completely safe and well tested for various scenarios.

• Master Diagnostic (“Detect” script) Note 1360390.1: R12: Diagnostic Script to Validate Data Related to Invoice and Payment Transactions

• Additional information: Note 1361255.1: How to Register the AP Data Validation Script as a Concurrent Program

Note 874903.1


Program Agenda


Patching

Upgrading

Monitoring


Participating

Q&A


Lifecycle Advisors Access to the Lifecycle Advisors (250.1)


Lifecycle Advisors Lifecycle Advisors Current Structure

Note 250.1


Product Information Centers EBS Product Information Center Index (444.1)

•  Aggregates most critical information and highlights

•  Dynamic content updated with the latest available information

•  Expanding to wider product areas and features / cross product

•  Ability to find content based on intent-based searches


What is Period Close Advisor (PCA)

How does it work? • This E-Business Period Close Advisor

provides guidance on Period End procedures in Release 12.

• Easy to follow Step by Step To-Do list and Closing process workflow.

• The Sub Ledger Phases contain detailed help and best practices information.

• No extra cost (included in your Premier Support Contract)

The Advisor is still under construction


What is Period Close Advisor (PCA)

The Advisor is still under construction The E-Business Period Close Advisor :

•  Is intended to be Generic. •  Does not relate to a specific organization.

•  The Sub-ledger application Phases are listed in the recommended order of closing •  Based on the data flow dependency. For example, Order Management feeds data into Oracle Receivables so it needs to be closed prior to Oracle Receivables.

Every Sub Ledger Phase contains : •  A consistent Step by Step Guide. •  A Guide as a Todo or Task list •  Flagging off whenTasks Completed.

•  Detailed Instructions by Phase/Step •  Includes Multi Media Content


MOS Search Capabilities Intent-Based Search


MOS Search Capabilities Oracle Suggests / Type-Ahead


MOS Search Capabilities PowerView


Program Agenda


Patching

Upgrading

Monitoring


Participating

Q&A


My Oracle Support Community My Oracle Support > Community


Patch Reviews – EBS Community


Upgrade Community


Lifecycle Advisor Community


Advisor Webcasts

Note 740966.1: Advisor Webcast Schedule Note 740964.1 : Advisor Webcast Archive

Live presentations given by Subject Matter Experts to deliver knowledge and information about Oracle services, products, and technologies


EBS Blog http://blogs.oracle.com/ebs/


Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/Oracle_EBS


Feedback to Knowledge Documents


Oracle Support Newsletters


Oracle Proactive Customer Advisory Board •  Collaborate and share your ideas and issues with Oracle

representatives and other customers •  Help prioritize work around instrumentation •  See demonstrations of new features and tools •  Ensure the usefulness of new proactive tools by giving your input and

testing feedback before release •  Direct access to support and development product managers •  We value your input & would love to have you join us!

First Tuesday of every month @ 11am EST Go to the “Join Proactive CAB” link in Note 411327.1 (411 EBS)

Or email [email protected] to join


411 EBS Doc ID 411327.1


EBS 12.1 Lifetime Support


Extended Support Fees Waived •  1st year of Extended Support Fee Waived

–  Oracle will waive the first year of Extended Support fees for EBS Release 12.1.x the waiver will be valid from June 2014 – May 2015.

§  In collaboration with the OAUG customer support council §  Oracle’s continued commitment to provide the industry’s leading

support offering §  We have heard your upgrade concerns, and hope this

announcement helps you as you make your upgrade decision from EBS Release 11.5.10.x.

The industry’s best support policy just got even better


Oracle Advanced Customer Support Services Mission Critical Support Services Maximize availability, accelerate return on investment, and optimize performance •  Tailored mission critical support services for

customers with complex IT requirements •  Advanced Support Packs combine unique Oracle

Development and Advanced Support expertise with Oracle tools and best practices

•  Advanced Support Engineers provide highly proactive and preventive support with diagnostic and monitoring tools

•  Strategic support relationships focused on collaborative, long term partnerships

•  More information: oracle.com/acs

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94% of the Dow Jones STOXX 50*

78% of the global Fortune 100 companies

5 of the top 5 telecommunications companies

9 of the top 10 global banks

4 of the top 5 aerospace and defense companies

Companies that rely on ORACLE ADVANCED CUSTOMER

SUPPORT SERVICES:

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E-Business Suite Training Your Path to Success

ORACLE UNIVERSITY l Learn Oracle from Oracle l Expert-led, comprehensive training for implementers and business users l Backed by our 100% Student Satisfaction Program Learn More: oracle.com/education/ebs EXCLUSIVE PROMOTION

l Oracle Premier Support customers get a 20% discount on Training from Oracle University. Details: education.oracle.com/renewaloffer


Oracle Support Best Practices Sessions

Wednesday Thursday 10:15 - 11:15 Best Practices for Maintaining Oracle E-Business Suite 12 Session #14884

9:00 - 10:00 Best Practices for Maintaining and Upgrading JD Edwards Session #14902

11:45- 12:45 Make Upgrades Uneventful Using Oracle Enterprise Manager and My Oracle Support Session #13785

1:30 - 2:30 24x7 Help Is One Click Away Using Oracle Enterprise Manager and My Oracle Support Session #13790

11:45- 12:45 Best Practices for Maintaining and Troubleshooting Oracle Fusion Applications Session #15204

11:45 - 12:45 Best Practices for Maintaining Oracle Fusion Middleware and Oracle Exalogic Session # 14862


Stop by the Oracle Support Stars Bar Moscone West, Level 2

• Oracle Support experts on hand •  2-minute videos describing key Oracle proactive support

tools and mission-critical services •  Live demos •  Enter to win an iPad 2 (Mon-Weds) • Hours:

§  Monday & Tuesday: 10:00 – 6:00 §  Wednesday: 9:00 – 5:00 §  Thursday: 9:00 – 1:00


Program Agenda


Patching

Upgrading

Monitoring


Participating

Q&A


Q&A



Latin America 2011 December 6–8, 2011

Tokyo 2012 April 4–6, 2012


Oracle OpenWorld Bookstore

•  Visit the Oracle OpenWorld Bookstore for a fabulous selection of books on many of the conference topics and more!

•  Bookstore located at Moscone West, Level 2 •  All Books at 20% Discount


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