Frequently asked questions

This section answers some frequently asked questions about BMC ProactiveNet Performance Management Reporting.

How to configure Report Engine if I have BMC ProactiveNet Central Server and Child Servers?

Install separate Report Engines for each BMC ProactiveNet Child server. You need not install Report Engine on BMC ProactiveNet Central Server.

Can I install BMC ProactiveNet Server and Report Engine in different time zones?

Yes, you can install BMC ProactiveNet Server and Report Engine in different time zones. If you have installed multiple Report Engines, ensure that server hosts for all Report Engines are in same time zone.

Does Report Engine display real-time data? If no, what is the expected delay in transferring data from BMC ProactiveNet Server and Report Engine?

No, Report Engine does not display real-time data. There may be delay of few minutes for Event and Impact data, and delay of approximately two hours for performance data.

Can I feed the Report Engine data for different Reporting system other than SAP BusinessObjects?

Yes, you can feed the Report Engine data for different Reporting system other than SAP BusinessObjects. BMC can provide Reporting schema details on request. However, BMC does not support any changes in Reporting schema.

Can I use my own SAP BusinessObjects server? If yes, which version is supported?

Yes, Reporting 9.5.02 supports SAP BusinessObjects 4.0 SP4 Patch 1.

Do my custom reports created on Reporting 8.6 or 9.0, work with Reporting 9.5?

Reporting 9.5 uses UNX type universe and Reporting 9.0 and prior versions use UNV type universe. Therefore, you must migrate your custom reports created with Reporting 9.0 or prior versions to work with Reporting 9.5.

How do I measure size of the data in my reporting system?

Reporting collects three types of data: Event, Impact and Performance.

• Event data - measured in number of Events per day.
• Impact data - measured in number of CI configured.
• Performance data - measured in number of attributes transferred from BMC ProactiveNet to Report Engine.

Can I change my database from Standard edition to Enterprise edition or vice versa?

No, Reporting uses table partitioning on enterprise edition database to store fact data. As tables cannot be converted from partitioned to non-partitioned or vice versa, you cannot change database edition.

How do I choose which Oracle database type to be used as Reporting Database?

Report Engine supports three types of Oracle database:  Oracle Enterprise Edition with partitioning, Oracle Enterprise Edition without partitioning, and Oracle Standard Edition.

For large environment, BMC recommends to use Oracle Enterprise Edition with partitioning. Report Engine installed with Oracle Enterprise Edition with partitioning utilizes partitioning feature for storing the fact data. The fact data tables are partitioned on the date column and separate partitions are created for each day’s data. This enhances the performance for purging and summarization of data. 

What is the difference between rate data and hourly data? Can I turn off rate data collection?

It is recommended to turn off rate data collection if you do not have custom report for rate data. In Reporting 9.5, rate data is disabled by default.  

Does Reporting 9.5.02 compatible with BMC Analytics for Business Service Management 8.1.00?

No. Reporting 9.5.02 is not compatible with BMC Analytics for Business Service Management 8.1.00. Reporting 9.5.02 uses BusinessObjects 4.0 SP4, however BMC Analytics for Business Service Management version 8.1.0.0 uses BusinessObjects 4.0 SP6.

Reporting 9.5.02 is compatible with BMC Analytics for Business Service Management 7.6.06 patch 3 as both these products use same version of BusinessObjects, that is, 4.0 SP4.