Introduction

MUD opens the door for developing application metadata in enterprise-scale deployments that manages the subset of data, in addition to multiple users. This topic illustrates setting up and using MUD environment in Oracle BI, including defining projects, and setting up MUD directory.

1. Challenge

• By default, the Oracle BI Repository development environment is set up for multiple users.

• Multiple developers working in online mode lock each other out as they check out objects.

• This causes inefficiency and potential conflicts while other developers wait for access to the repository.

2. Solution

The Oracle BI MUDE permits multiple users to work with the repository simultaneously by using the conditions below:

• Multiple users work in offline mode and edit local copies of the repository.

• Changes are saved locally and then merged to the master repository.

• The MUDE breaks the repository into manageable pieces known as projects.

• Multiple users can work on the same or different projects.

• Single users can improve efficiency by working on smaller subsets of the repository.

3. Oracle BI Dev Process

This process adheres to the classic Software Configuration Management (SCM) process:

• It is conceptually and functionally analogous to processes found in pure-play control systems.

• Developers can check out, work on, and merge from the master code repository.

• Oracle BI enables and manages checkout, merging, conflict resolution, logging, code comparison, version backup, and so on.

1. SCM Three-way merging process

• The three-way merging process manages concurrent development.

• It permits changes to the same file by multiple developers.

• It requires merging and reconciliation:

• Most merging is automatic; changes generally do not conflict that requires manual intervention.

• A fourth “merged” file is created based on two changed files, which are base-lined against a common parent file.

2. Oracle BI Three-Way Merging

• Oracle BI three-way merging process is conceptually similar to SCM three-way merging process.

• Oracle BI repository file is stored as a file (.rpd).

• Merge is managed by using the Administration tool.

Fig 1:

3. MUD Projects

The projects of manageable size are created based on individual logical star schemas in the business model.

The projects are subsets of repository metadata and consist of presentation layer subject areas and their associated logical facts, dimensions, application roles, users, variables, and initialization blocks.

It can overlap with other projects.

4. Oracle BI MUD

The Oracle BI multiuser development process follows three-way merging. The developer performs the following steps:

1. Check out projects from the master repository, which is stored in the shared multiuser directory. An unalterable copy of the checked out repository (original.rpd) is automatically retained by the system for use during the merge.

2. Make changes in the local (current) version of the repository. The modified repository contains changes by other developers between checkout and merge.

3. Merge the local changes. The original master repository may have changed through concurrent development since checkout. A copy of the latest master repository (modified) is automatically retrieved by the system and compared with the current and original repositories in a three-way merge.

4. The modified master repository is automatically locked by the system to prevent issues during merge. If there are any configuration conflicts during the merger, the developer resolves them manually.

5. Finally, the master repository is published to the network. The system automatically moves the merged repository to the shared multiuser directory and removes the locks. The merged repository is the new master repository.

Fig 2:

Example:

ABC wants multiple developers to be able to modify objects in the Supplier Sales subject area simultaneously.

1. Create and edit projects.

2. Set up a network shared directory.

3. Copy the master directory to the shared directory.

1. To Create Projects

To create projects in the Administrator tool, select Manage->Projects to open the Project Manager. The project manager window is opened as shown below:

Fig 3:

• Then select Action->New Project. The left pane contains the objects that are available to be placed in a project. The right pane contains the objects that you select to be part of the project.

• Enter a name for the project. Build the project by adding subject areas or logical fact tables to the project.

• You can group facts by subject area or by business model. You can select one or more logical fact tables in the business model that are related to the subject area and then click Add. Or you can select a subject area and then click Add. The Administration Tool adds all the logical fact tables automatically.

• Adding a subject area includes all fact tables and dependencies in the subject area. Adding a logical fact table includes the subject area containing the table. In both cases, logical dimension tables joined to the logical fact tables are implicitly included, even though they do not appear in the right pane.

• In the example above, a new project called SupplierSales Project is created. The SuplierSales subject area and the related fact table, Fact-Sales, are added to the project.

2. To Edit Projects

• After creating the project and adding the fact table to the project, the project can be edited.

• The unwanted objects are removed from the project.

• Other Metadata such as users, initialization blocks, or variables are added to the project.

3. To Set up Shared Network Drive

• The administrator must identify or share network directory that all developers can access and the copy the appropriate repository files to that location.

• The shared network directory is used only for MUD for the master repository. This directory typically contains copies of master repositories that multiple developers access during check in and check out.

• Developers create a pointer to this directory when they set up the Administration tool on their machines. This directory must be accessible to all developers and repository servers.

Fig 4:

Warning: The administrator must set up a separate, shared network directory that is dedicated to multiuser development. If it is not set up and used as specified, critical repository files can be unintentionally overwritten and repository data can be lost.

Selvi

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