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Chapter 2: Business Analytics Installation and Setup

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CHAPTER 2: BUSINESS ANALYTICS INSTALLATION AND SETUP Objectives

The objectives are:

• Define requirements and preconditions for the installation of Business Analytics for Microsoft Dynamics® NAV 2009.

• Install and set up the Business Analytics Basic for Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 Classic with Microsoft® SQL Server®.

• Define the requirements for the installation of the Business Analytics Basic for Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 Classic with Database Server.

• Install and set up the Business Analytics Advanced version. • Describe known issues and provide solutions for them.

Introduction This chapter describes how to install and set up Business Analytics (hereafter referred to as BA), both Basic and Advanced versions. The chapter covers the differences between the installations of the Basic version for Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 Classic with Database Server and with Microsoft SQL Server. The installation is performed on the default BA database available in the Cronus demonstration database. Finally, the Troubleshooting section provides a list of problems IT professionals can encounter while installing and setting up BA and gives solutions for them.

Microsoft Official Training Materials for Microsoft Dynamics ® Your use of this content is subject to your current services agreement

Business Intelligence for IT Professionals in Microsoft Dynamics® NAV 2009

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General Requirements and Preconditions This section outlines general requirements and preconditions for the installation of BA.

NOTE: If a version of BA has any requirements in addition to the ones specified, they are described within this chapter.

Before installing BA, the following requirements must be met:

• Microsoft® SQL Server® 2005 or Microsoft® SQL Server® 2008, Standard edition or later must be installed, with the latest service pack available at the time of installation. The following options must be installed:

o Analysis Services o Integration Services o Reporting Services

NOTE: To work with BA, a Microsoft SQL Server must be installed regardless of what Microsoft Dynamic NAV database is being used.

• Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 Classic with Database Server or with Microsoft SQL Server.

NOTE: The RoleTailored client is not involved in the BA configuration. The integrated user interface used to set up BA on the Microsoft Dynamics NAV side is available only in the Classic client.

Before installing BA, the following preconditions must be met:

• The Microsoft Dynamics NAV Classic client must be installed on the same computer where Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services is installed.

• The user performing the installation must have the SUPER or other role in Microsoft Dynamics NAV that provides permissions to work with BA objects.



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Installing Business Analytics Basic for Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 Classic with Microsoft SQL Server

The Basic version is a starting point and must always be installed to run Business Analytics. Any new company in Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 already has predefined cubes, dimensions, and measures that can be used to work with BA. The user can also modify these cubes or create new ones in Microsoft Dynamics NAV. The Basic version of BA is a Configurator tool that helps to design cubes on the Microsoft Dynamics NAV side and then on the basis of this design transform the data into cubes in Microsoft SQL Analysis Services. The following section gives a detailed overview of the tool.

Configurator Overview

Microsoft Dynamics NAV Business Analytics Configurator is a setup tool that allows users to define and modify the data elements involved in the creation of the cubes. The users define the attributes of OLAP cubes by selecting the data elements using the integrated Microsoft Dynamics NAV capabilities.

The Configurator is specific to the version of Microsoft SQL Server. There are two versions available:

• Configurator for SQL 2005 • Configurator for SQL 2008

NOTE: The Configurator for SQL 2005 is used in all demonstrations in this manual, but the latest supported version is Configurator for SQL 2008.

The Configurator can be divided into two parts:

• Business Analytics Setup – a configuration interface (a set of forms and functions) integrated into Microsoft Dynamics NAV. This interface allows the user to define and modify the data elements to be converted into cubes for further analysis. The user defines the attributes of online analytical processing (OLAP) cubes by selecting the data elements in Microsoft Dynamics NAV. The setup allows the user to create, delete, edit, and save configurations. The configurations are stored in the XML format.

• Configurator for SQL 2005 (or Configurator for 2008) – a setup component that sets up the necessary data structure in the Microsoft SQL Server and in the Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services, based on the design made in Microsoft Dynamics NAV. The Configurator for SQL 2005 (or 2008) uses Microsoft SQL Server Integration Services for this.



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After the user configures the structure of the cubes (dimensions and measures) using the Business Analytics Setup in Microsoft Dynamics NAV and runs the Configurator for SQL 2005 (or Configurator for SQL 2008), the latter parses the configuration file and performs the following actions:

• Generates schema for data warehouse – a set of tables in the data warehouse that is used as a source data for cubes.

• Creates cubes. • Creates necessary data import scripts used by Microsoft Data

Transformation Services (DTS) to integrate the data from the Microsoft Dynamics NAV database into the data warehouse in Microsoft SQL Analysis Services.

• Sets up a default schedule for the Microsoft SQL Server (SQL Agent) to retrieve the data from the Microsoft Dynamics NAV server and sends it to Microsoft SQL Analysis Services. The schedule can be changed to suit a specific installation (for example, this process can be set to run outside normal operating hours).

You have to rerun the Configurator each time the layout of cubes and their components are modified in Microsoft Dynamics NAV or the data the cubes work with (represented by cube measures) is changed. This is necessary to update the configuration of the BA database in Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services. You can set up a schedule to run the Configurator at a specified time every day.

Practically, the Configurator does not need to be installed, but the Configurator files must be located on the computer where the Business Analytics is installed and this location must not be changed.

NOTE: The Configurator, relevant for the Microsoft SQL Server version, can be downloaded from Partnersource.

Demonstration: Installing Business Analytics Basic for Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 Classic with Microsoft SQL Server

The Basic version of Business Analytics does not need to be installed in Microsoft Windows as typical applications do. Instead, the installation procedure comprises a set of configuration steps described in this demonstration.

The procedure of installing the Basic version for Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 Classic with Microsoft SQL Server is as follows:

1. In the directory containing the files for the Basic version of Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 Business Analytics, select the Configurator folder that aligns with the version of the SQL server you are using, and copy it to the computer Business Analytics is being installed on.



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NOTE: This is a final, not a temporary location. A good choice is to create a subfolder called BA in the folder where the Microsoft Dynamics NAV client is installed, and copy the folder with the files there.

2. In the \Microsoft Dynamics NAV\Microsoft Dynamics NAV\60\Classic\ folder, right-click fin.exe, select Run As > The following user and run Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 with Microsoft SQL Server as administrator.

3. Go to Administration > Application Setup > General > Business Analytics Setup to open the BA Db. Overview window:

FIGURE 2.1 THE BA DB. OVERVIEW WINDOW

NOTE: For a detailed description on how to define cubes and their components, refer to Chapter 3, “Configuring a BA Database in Microsoft Dynamics NAV.”



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4. Click the AssistButton next to the Name field to open the BA Databases window.

FIGURE 2.2 THE BA DATABASES WINDOW

5. In the Path to Configurator field for the BA database, enter the path to the Configurator.exe file located in the Configurator folder that is copied to the local file system.

NOTE: If there are several databases, create several lines in the BA Databases window, if necessary, but when the Configurator runs, the tool will process the latest active database in the list.

6. Click BA Database > Schedules to open the BA Db. Schedules window.

FIGURE 2.3 THE BA DB. SCHEDULES WINDOW

In this window, you can set up a job to run the Configurator automatically. If the job needs to be run several times a day, you can add more lines.



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7. In the BA Databases window, click Functions > Update XML to update the structure of the cubes in the .xml file.

8. Click Functions > Start Configurator to start the Configurator. The Business Analytics Configurator runs and the following window is opened.

FIGURE 2.4 THE BA CONFIGURATOR VERIFYING THE REQUIREMENTS



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The Configurator does not require any user interaction: every time a set of actions has completed (that is, all check marks have turned green, shown in the preceding screenshot), you click Next.

FIGURE 2.5 BA CONFIGURATOR PARSING THE XML FILE AND BUILDING CUBES

NOTE: Some of the actions can be time consuming. You may want to run the Configurator outside normal operating hours, because some of the actions can impact the performance of the BA installation. If possible, run a trial on a test setup to see how long the job will take. The actual time depends on the complexity of the setup and the amount of data involved.

It is important to not interrupt the process, and to wait until the last set of actions is completed before closing the Configurator. If the BA Configurator window is closed before the configuration process is completed, the tool does not reverse the changes made, however, the Configurator can be run again to initiate a new configuration process and overwrite the changes.



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After the BA installation and configuration are completed, the BA Configurator window looks as shown in the following screenshot.

FIGURE 2.6 BA CONFIGURATION IS COMPLETED SUCCESSFULLY

Configuration Results

Once the Configurator has finished the BA installation and configuration, the following has happened:

• The data for the analysis is copied from Microsoft Dynamics NAV to Microsoft SQL Analysis Services.

• Microsoft SQL Analysis Services are configured with cubes, measures, and dimensions on the basis of the default setup in Microsoft Dynamics NAV.



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Check the configuration results by connecting to Analysis Services in the Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio.

FIGURE 2.7 CONFIGURED DATABASE IN MICROSOFT SQL ANALYSIS SERVICES

If, for some reason, you need to change the schedule, and this is the only setup change that needs to be made, to avoid running the Configurator again, use the following steps:

1. In SQL Server Management Studio, connect to the Database Engine (not Analysis Services).

2. Expand SQL Server Agent > Jobs. 3. Locate the job called “<Name_of_the_BA_database>.” Double-click

this job to view and change properties, including the schedule.

NOTE: The Configurator schedule specified this way will be overwritten next time you run the Configurator. Therefore, also enter this schedule in the BA Db. Schedules window in Microsoft Dynamics NAV so that it is picked up if and when the Configurator is run again. Alternatively, you can save the job in the SQL Agent under a different name.

This concludes the setup of Business Analytics Basic for Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 Classic with Microsoft SQL Server. Now you can connect to the Analysis Services from, for example, Microsoft® Office Excel®, or you can install the Advanced version of Business Analytics which provides its own OLAP client to work with cubes.



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Installing Business Analytics Basic for Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 Classic with Database Server

The procedure for installing Business Analytics for Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 Classic with Database Server is the same as the procedure for installing BA Basic for Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 Classic with Microsoft SQL Server described above, except the following extra requirements:

• The Database Server for Microsoft Dynamics NAV Classic must be started with the proper parameters.

NOTE: The parameters of running the Database Server for Microsoft Dynamics NAV Classic are described in a readme.txt file that comes with the installation of Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009. If you installed the Database Server, by default find the readme.txt in the following folder: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Dynamics NAV\60\Database Server\

• N/ODBC must be installed. • CFRONT.DLL must be located in the same folder the Configurator

files are copied to. The CFRONT.DLL is already in this folder, unless you removed it.

Installing Business Analytics Advanced Version This section outlines the additional requirements for the Advanced version of BA and describes how to install it.

The Advanced version consists of two installation files:

• BusinessAnalyticsSuite.msi – installs Business Analytics Suite (a Business Analytics Advanced client), the Business Analytics Enterprise Manager, and Business Analytics Excellerator (a Microsoft Office Excel plug-in that makes it possible to access the ANTServer from Microsoft Office Excel).

• BusinessAnalyticsNET.msi – installs the Business Analytics NET application (a Web client).

NOTE: For more information about Business Analytics Excellerator, refer to the online Help for the Business Analytics Advanced client.

Extra Prerequisites

In addition to the general requirements for installing BA, the Advanced version has the following additional prerequisites:

• Business Analytics Basic must be configured.



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• Microsoft Internet Information Services, version 5.1 or higher must be installed (required for Business Analytics NET).

• The Microsoft .NET Framework version 1.1 must be installed (required for Business Analytics NET).

Demonstration: Installing Business Analytics Suite

The procedure of installing the Business Analytics suite is as follows:

1. Double-click the BusinessAnalyticsSuite.msi, and on the Welcome page, click Next.

2. Select I accept the license agreement, and then click Next. 3. Select a Typical installation, and then click Next. The following

page is displayed:

FIGURE 2.8 THE BUSINESS ANALYTICS SETUP WINDOW

NOTE: The choices in the preceding screenshot are appropriate for installation on the computer the Microsoft SQL Analysis Services are running on. For other computers, you will only need to install the Business Analytics Windows option.

4. Select the Business Analytics Windows and Business Analytics Enterprise Server check boxes, and then click Next.

No further interaction is needed with the installer.



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As a part of the installation, the ANTServer is installed and started. After this, the Business Analytics Advanced client is started. The following screenshot shows the log on screen.

FIGURE 2.9 THE BUSINESS ANALYTICS LOGON WINDOW

5. Click the key icon to log on.

Demonstration: Linking a BA Database to Business Analytics for Microsoft Dynamics NAV

To be able to open cubes of a BA database in Business Analytics for Microsoft Dynamics NAV, the database must be linked to the client. The procedure of linking a BA database to the Business Analytics Advanced client is as follows:

1. Close the Business Analytics Advanced client.



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2. Navigate to Configurator.exe, right-click it, and on the shortcut menu, click Run as administrator. Make sure you run the file that corresponds with your version of SQL Server.

3. Click Next. The following screenshot shows the Configuration Options page:

FIGURE 2.10 BUSINESS ANALYTICS CONFIGURATION OPTIONS

4. Click the AssistButton next to the License Program Folder field

and browse to the folder where your Microsoft Dynamics NAV license file is located. Select that folder, and click OK.

NOTE: The license file should is usually in the following folder within the Microsoft Dynamics NAV installation folder: \Microsoft Dynamics NAV\60\Classic.

5. Click the AssistButton next to the Database field and select the database the Business Analytics client will use from a drop-down list.

6. Click Next.



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The installation progress is displayed in the BA Configurator window.

FIGURE 2.11 LINKING THE BA DATABASE TO THE BUSINESS ANALYTICS ADVANCED CLIENT

7. When all the steps are completed successfully, click Close.

The ANTServer is now using your Microsoft Dynamics NAV license instead of the demonstration license, and the Business Analytics Advanced client is connected to the correct database.

Installing Business Analytics NET

After the Business Analytics Suite is installed and configured, you can install Business Analytics NET. This is the second installer file you can download from Partnersource, called BusinessAnalyticsNET.msi. Double-click the file to install Business Analytics NET.

The installer requires no interaction, so let it run until it finishes.

The installation of Business Analytics NET does the following:

• It installs .NET application on Internet Information Services on the computer where the installer is run, and sets the relevant properties for this application.

• It creates a virtual directory, called /AnalysisNET to point to the application.

Once the Business Analytics NET application is installed successfully, it can be accessed at the following URL:

http://<name_of_your_server>/AnalysisNET



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Troubleshooting This section outlines the issues IT professionals can encounter while installing and setting up Business Analytics for Microsoft Dynamics NAV. All errors that occur when the Configurator is run are logged in the ba.log file. This file is located in the folder with the Configurator.exe file.

Error Message Cause Solution

[Simba][SimbaEngine ODBC Driver][DRM File Library]You cannot use the file X:\Navision Database Name because it is already in use. Error: 32.

The Microsoft Dynamics NAV database is opened locally.

Do one of the following: - Close Microsoft Dynamics NAV while the Configurator is processing the configuration file. -Start the Database Server for Microsoft Dynamics NAV Classic with correct parameters.

[Microsoft][ODBC Driver Manager] Data source name not found and no default driver specified.

The Configurator is run from Microsoft Dynamics NAV Classic 2009 with Database Server while the N/ODBC is not installed.

Install N/ODBC, and then run the Configurator again.

Windows cannot find 'C:\<your path>\Configurator.exe'. Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again.

You run the Configurator and specify an incorrect path to the Configurator.exe file in the Path to Configurator field in the BA Databases window.

Specify the correct path to the Configurator.exe



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Error Message Cause Solution

Error 2 in module 1. You run the Configurator as administrator to specify the path to the Microsoft Dynamics NAV license file for the BA Advanced version, but the path to the license file is incorrect.

Run the Configurator as administrator again and specify the correct path to the license file when you are prompted to do so. By default, the license file is located in the following folder: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Dynamics NAV\60\Database.

[Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver][SQL Server]Windows NT user or group '<Server Name>\BA Administrators' not found. Check the name again.

You try to install Business Analytics Advanced on a domain controller. Business Analytics Advanced cannot be installed on a domain controller. The installation program fails when it tries to locate the BA Administrators group.

Install Business Analytics Advanced on a computer which is not a domain controller.

[Simba][SimbaEngine ODBC Driver][DRM File Library] The TCP/IP connection's ‘host' is not answering (TCP/IP error ECONNREFUSED). You can view how to make changes to your 'hosts' and 'services' files in the documentation for the network. Contact your system manager if you need assistance. Error: 6.

All of the following conditions are true: • The name of the

database server is specified in the Navision Server Name field in the BA Databases window.

• You open the Microsoft Dynamics NAV database locally.

• You run the Configurator.

Do one of the following: • Clear the

Navision Server Name field in the BA Databases window.

• Start the Database Server for Microsoft Dynamics NAV Classic with the proper parameters.



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Summary This chapter outlines the requirements and preconditions for installing Business Analytics for Microsoft Dynamics NAV, both Basic and Advanced versions, and then described how to do it in various environments.

The installation of the Basic version consists of two major stages: configuring the cubes, dimensions, and measures on the Microsoft Dynamics NAV side, and then running the Configurator for SQL 2008 or Configurator for SQL 2005. The Configurator automatically finishes the setup procedure by processing the defined data and transforming it into cubes in Microsoft SQL Analysis Services. No installation of applications is involved with the Basic version. The data configured with the Configurator in Microsoft SQL Analysis Services allows the user to use numerous OLAP clients, such as Microsoft Office Excel, Microsoft SQL Server Business Intelligence Development Studio, Business Analytics Advanced client, and so forth, to generate reports, make analyses, and perform other business analysis tasks.

The installation of the Advanced version includes two phases: installing Business Analytics Suite (can include Business Analytics Enterprise Manager and Business Analytics Excellerator) and Business Analytics NET. The Advanced version can be installed only on the condition that the Basic version is configured. After the Business Analytics Suite is installed, a database the Advanced client works with must be specified.

Installation of the Advanced version gives the following advantages:

• The Advanced version allows the user to analyze business intelligence information without any external applications with the help of the two clients that come with the installation package: Business Analytics client and Web client.

• The Business Analytics Advanced client allows the user to generate reports, build dashboards, make analyses, perform datamining, and more, in an easy way using the user-friendly and intuitive interface.

• The Advanced version has a Microsoft Office Excel plug-in that makes it possible to access the ANTServer from Microsoft Office Excel.



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Test Your Knowledge 1. Which SQL Server services must be installed before Business Analytics for

Microsoft Dynamics NAV can be installed?

2. The Advanced version of Business Analytics for Microsoft Dynamics NAV needs to be installed. The computer where the BA Advanced is to be installed runs Analysis Services but there will be no need to access the ANTServer from Microsoft Office Excel. Which installation options must be selected to best meet the requirements?

( ) Business Analytics Windows and Business Analytics Excellerator ( ) Business Analytics Windows and Business Analytics Enterprise

Server ( ) Business Analytics Excellerator and Business Analytics Enterprise

Server ( ) Business Analytics Windows, Business Analytics Excellerator, and

Business Analytics Enterprise Server

3. Where is the Business Analytics client linked to the Microsoft Dynamics NAV license file?

( ) In the BA Configurator window after running Configurator.exe as administrator

( ) In the License Information window in the Classic client ( ) In the License Information window in the RoleTailored client ( ) In the Business Analytics client logon window



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4. What are the two additional preconditions for Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 Classic with Database Server? (Select all that apply)

( ) N/ODBC must be installed. ( ) A Microsoft Dynamics NAV client must be installed on the machine

where Analysis Services in installed. ( ) CFRONT.DLL must be located in the same folder as the

Configurator. ( ) The user performing the installation must be a member of the SUPER

role in Microsoft Dynamics NAV.



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Quick Interaction: Lessons Learned Take a moment and write down three Key Points you have learned from this chapter

1.

2.

3.



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Solutions Test Your Knowledge

1. Which SQL Server services must be installed before Business Analytics for Microsoft Dynamics NAV can be installed?

MODEL ANSWER:

Analysis, Integration, and Reporting

2. The Advanced version of Business Analytics for Microsoft Dynamics NAV needs to be installed. The computer where the BA Advanced is to be installed runs Analysis Services but there will be no need to access the ANTServer from Microsoft Office Excel. Which installation options must be selected to best meet the requirements?

( ) Business Analytics Windows and Business Analytics Excellerator (•) Business Analytics Windows and Business Analytics Enterprise

Server ( ) Business Analytics Excellerator and Business Analytics Enterprise

Server ( ) Business Analytics Windows, Business Analytics Excellerator, and

Business Analytics Enterprise Server

3. Where is the Business Analytics client linked to the Microsoft Dynamics NAV license file?

(•) In the BA Configurator window after running Configurator.exe as administrator

( ) In the License Information window in the Classic client ( ) In the License Information window in the RoleTailored client ( ) In the Business Analytics client logon window

4. What are the two additional preconditions for Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 Classic with Database Server? (Select all that apply)

(√) N/ODBC must be installed. ( ) A Microsoft Dynamics NAV client must be installed on the machine

where Analysis Services in installed. (√) CFRONT.DLL must be located in the same folder as the

Configurator. ( ) The user performing the installation must be a member of the SUPER

role in Microsoft Dynamics NAV.


na2009 enus biip_02

Technology

microsoft dynamicsnav

basic version of ba

business analytics setup

ba configuration

configurator tool

installationof ba

microsoftdynamics nav

microsoftsql server