Data Analytics Blog: Auto Start OBIEE 11g using Windows Services

After installing OBIEE 11g in a windows environment, the server is stopped and started by using command windows. This works fine in a Development or Testing environment, but in Production, this can cause serious issues. If server maintenance is preformed or the server is restarted, OBIEE will not automatically come back up. The only way to start a windows program on start, without logging in, is by using windows services. The following guide is set of steps we used to create and install OBIEE 11g using windows services. After the services are installed, they must be configured to start automatically after each other with delayed startup to ensure that when one service completes, the next will start after it. Please feel free to leave any questions or comments.

Set the following environment variables

System variable JAVA_HOME = D:\OBI11g\Oracle_BI1\jdk

System variable BI_ORACLE_HOME = D:\OBI11g\Oracle_BI1

installSvc.cmd

Take a backup of ‘installSvc.cmd’ located at ‘D:\OBI11g\wlserver_10.3\server\bin’

Add the following to ‘installSvc.cmd’:

set JAVA_VM=-server

set MEM_ARGS=-Xms512m -Xmx512m -XX:MaxPermSize=512m -XX:+UseSpinning

Administration Server

Create a command script called installAdmServer_Service.cmd.

Open a text file and input the following lines [edit for your install]:

SETLOCAL

set DOMAIN_NAME=bifoundation_domain

set USERDOMAIN_HOME=D:\OBI11g\user_projects\domains\bifoundation_domain

set SERVER_NAME=AdminServer

set PRODUCTION_MODE=true

set OPMN_PORT=9500

cd %USERDOMAIN_HOME%

call "D:\OBI11g\user_projects\domains\bifoundation_domain\bin\setDomainEnv.cmd"

call "D:\OBI11g\wlserver_10.3\server\bin\installSvc.cmd"

ENDLOCAL

2. Add -delay:120000 in the installSvc.cmd file to the line at the bottom.

For Example:

rem *** Install the service

"%WL_HOME%\server\bin\beasvc" -install -svcname:"beasvc %DOMAIN_NAME%_%SERVER_NAME%" -delay:120000 -javahome:"%JAVA_HOME%" -execdir:"%USERDOMAIN_HOME%" -maxconnectretries:"%MAX_CONNECT_RETRIES%" -host:"%HOST%" -port:"%PORT%" -extrapath:"%EXTRAPATH%" -password:"%WLS_PW%" -cmdline:%CMDLINE% -log:"D:\OBI11g\user_projects\domains\bifoundation_domain\servers\AdminServer\AdminServer-stdout.txt"

For troubleshooting / debugging purposes it is helpful to redirect standard out and error to a text file. Although most information is captured in the AdminServer server log files, you will not see all standard out and error when the server is started via a MS Windows Service (unlike when you start an AdminServer in console mode from the command prompt using startWebLogic.cmd). To redirect standard out to a text file, backup and edit installSvc.cmd file and change the line at the bottom of the file so it includes the -log parameter. For example:

Next, run "installAdmServer_Service.cmd" and the service should be installed, it will have a name like "beasvc %DOMAIN_NAME%_%SERVER_NAME%" (e.g. beasvc bifoundation_domain_AdminServer)

The Service "Startup Type" will be 'Automatic'. Just like any other MS Windows Service you can change the 'Startup Type' to 'Manual'.

For Managed Server bi_server1

Create a command script called installBIServer_Service.cmd which has lines like:

SETLOCAL

set DOMAIN_NAME=bifoundation_domain

set USERDOMAIN_HOME=D:\OBI11g\user_projects\domains\bifoundation_domain

set SERVER_NAME=bi_server1

set JAVA_HOME=D:\OBI11g\Oracle_BI1\jdk

set PRODUCTION_MODE=true

set ADMIN_URL=http://localhost:7001

set OPMN_PORT=9500

set BI_ORACLE_HOME=D:\OBI11g\Oracle_BI1

cd %USERDOMAIN_HOME%

call "D:\OBI11g\user_projects\domains\bifoundation_domain\bin\setDomainEnv.cmd"

call "D:\OBI11g\wlserver_10.3\server\bin\installSvc.cmd"

ENDLOCAL

Notes:

Before running, add

-depend:"beasvc bifoundation_domain_AdminServer" -delay:180000

To the last line at the bottom of the installSvc.cmd. For Example:

rem *** Install the service

"%WL_HOME%\server\bin\beasvc" -install -svcname:"beasvc %DOMAIN_NAME%_%SERVER_NAME%" -depend:"beasvc bifoundation_domain_AdminServer" -delay:180000 -javahome:"%JAVA_HOME%" -execdir:"%USERDOMAIN_HOME%" -maxconnectretries:"%MAX_CONNECT_RETRIES%" -host:"%HOST%" -port:"%PORT%" -extrapath:"%EXTRAPATH%" -password:"%WLS_PW%" -cmdline:%CMDLINE% -log:"D:\OBI11g\user_projects\domains\bifoundation_domain\servers\AdminServer\bi_Server1-stdout.txt"

Before running, change the -log parameter in the installSvc.cmd file to the new location. For example:

"%WL_HOME%\server\bin\beasvc" -install -svcname:"beasvc %DOMAIN_NAME%_%SERVER_NAME%" -depend:"beasvc bifoundation_domain_AdminServer" -delay:180000 -javahome:"%JAVA_HOME%" -execdir:"%USERDOMAIN_HOME%" -maxconnectretries:"%MAX_CONNECT_RETRIES%" -host:"%HOST%" -port:"%PORT%" -extrapath:"%EXTRAPATH%" -password:"%WLS_PW%" -cmdline:%CMDLINE% -log:"D:\OBI11g\user_projects\domains\bifoundation_domain\servers\AdminServer\bi_Server1-stdout.txt"
The ADMIN_URL value should reference the AdminServer hostname and listen port
The SERVER_NAME value is case sensitive. For example, if you are creating a MS Windows service for a different managed server such as 'wls_ods1' then the value needs to match the case of the server name otherwise the startup of the server via the MS Windows service will fail.
Be careful that there are no trailing spaces after each line in the command file - trailing spaces will cause the managed server to fail at startup. For example a trailing space in the ADMIN_URL value will result in the error

<19-Jan-2010 11:37:58 o'clock GMT> <Error> <EmbeddedLDAP> <BEA-171524> <Cannot determine the Listen address for the Admin server

Now run "installBIServer_Service.cmd". The Service should be installed, it will have a name like "beasvc %DOMAIN_NAME%_%SERVER_NAME%" (e.g. - beasvc bifoundation_domain_bi_server1)

The Service "Startup Type" will be 'Automatic'. Just like any other MS Windows Service you can change the 'Startup Type' to 'Manual'.

OBIEE Services Dependencies

The services should be started in the order below:
1)      Oracle WebLogic NodeManager (D_OBI11g_wlserver_10.3)
2)      beasvc bifoundation_domain_AdminServer
3)   beasvc bifoundation_domain_bi_server1
4) OracleProcessManager_instance1

Setting Dependencies:

In Registry Editor navigate to HKEY_LOCALMACHINE->SYSTEM->CurrentControlSet->service

For OracleProcessManager_instance1 Service set

‘DependOnService’ = beasvc bifoundation_domain_bi_server1

For beasvc bifoundation_domain_bi_server1 Service set

‘DependOnService’ = beasvc bifoundation_domain_AdminServer

Note: This should already be set as we created the dependency while creating the service

For beasvc bifoundation_domain_AdminServer Service set

‘DependOnService’ = Oracle WebLogic NodeManager (D_OBI11g_wlserver_10.3)

Note: The startup type for all the above services should be ‘Manual’

Starting OBIEE Services after the Database is Up and Running

The Admin Server Service(beasvc bifoundation_domain_AdminServer) and Managed Server Service(beasvc bifoundation_domain_bi_server1) requires the database to be up and running for them to start properly.

In order for OBIEE services to start after the database is up and running, we create a batch file and set this as Startup Scripts to delay start OBIEE services after system startup.

Batch File:

NET STOP "OracleProcessManager_instance1"

TIMEOUT /T 300 /NOBREAK

NET START "OracleProcessManager_instance1"

Setting batch file as Startup Script:

Run-> gpedit.msc