BusinessObjects Enterprise / Crystal Reports Server XI R1 and R2

Transcription

1 BusinessObjects Enterprise / Crystal Reports Server XI R1 and R2 Overview Contents BusinessObjects Enterprise and Crystal Reports Server XI R1 and R2 do not currently have the capability to send objects to secure FTP (File Transfer Protocol) destinations out of the box. This document outlines how to implement a solution. INTRODUCTION... 1 SENDING SCHEDULED OBJECTS TO A SECURE FTP LOCATION...1 Configuring the Job Servers...1 Creating a schedule-based event...1 Creating a program to perform a secure FTP...1 Sample Program.bat file contents... 2 Sample script.scr file contents... 2 Sample answerfile.txt contents... 3 Publishing the program object...3 Scheduling the report...4 Scheduling the program object...4 The scheduling workflow...4 FINDING MORE INFORMATION...5 8/29/ :47 AM Copyright 2007 Business Objects. All rights reserved.

2 Introduction This document outlines how to implement a solution to send objects to secure FTP destinations. The final solution involves a two-step process: scheduling the object with events to an unmanaged disk location, then scheduling a program object with events to perform the secure FTP. Sending scheduled objects to a secure FTP location The major steps to accomplish are to configure the Crystal Reports Job Server, Desktop Intelligence Job Server and Web Intelligence Job Server. Configure them to send to an unmanaged disk location, create a schedule-based event, create a program and script/answer file to run the secure FTP, publish the program object, and scheduling the report and program object with events to successfully execute the FTP. Configuring the Job Servers The three Job Servers must be configured to enable sending documents to an unmanaged disk location. To accomplish this, do the following: 1. Logon to the Central Management Console (CMC). 2. Click Servers, then the desired Job Server, and click the Destinations tab 3. Select the Unmanaged Disk check box and click the Enable button. 4. Select the Unmanaged Disk link to display the properties. 5. Enter a Destination directory. 6. Enter the credentials of a user that has the permission to read, write and modify files at the location specified. 7. Click Update. Creating a schedule-based event To create a schedule-based event, do the following: 1. Logon to the CMC. 2. Click Events. In the Events panel, click the New Event button. 3. Select Schedule for Type, enter an Event Name, select Success under the Event based on section, and click OK to save. Creating a program to perform a secure FTP You will need a program, a script file, and possibly an answer file. The program object will execute the FTP, calling a script file that contains the username, password, transfer method, and put command. Secure FTP will also have to accept a key from the destination server; if the account 8/29/ :47 AM Copyright 2007 Business Objects. All rights reserved. Page 1

3 running the program has not accepted this previously, the question on whether or not to accept the key will have to be acknowledged by piping in an answer file to the program. If the key has already been accepted by the account, having the answer file in place will not affect the transfer. Examples of the program, script file and answer file are in the next sections. Sample Program.bat file contents In this example, the secure FTP is being sent to a UNIX server. cd <unmanaged disk location directory> psftp s:script.scr <unix_machinename> Here is a breakdown of the commands in the file: <unmanaged disk location directory> - the location of the unmanaged disk location that the report was sent to PSFTP - used to demonstrate using PUTTY secure s switch references the script filename <unixmachine> - the name of the destination Unix server Variations to this would be to specify l ftpuser p ftppass in the command line instead of in the script file, or using an IP address instead of the unix_machinename. Sample script.scr file contents Ftpuser Ftppass Ascii Put <filename_to_send>.rtf quit The put location on the destination server will be the home directory of the Ftpuser or you can specify a directory if desired (\\<directory>\<subdirectory>\filetosend.rtf). Here is a breakdown of the commands in the file: Ftpuser - your ftp user name Ftppass - your ftp user password Ascii - to change the default ftp transfer method from binary to ascii to remove unwanted control characters <Filename_to_send>.rtf is the name of the resulting output file from the report schedule. 8/29/ :47 AM Copyright 2007 Business Objects. All rights reserved. Page 2

4 The FTP may have a limit per user as to the number of records they are able to transfer that may need to be increased for larger reports. Sample answerfile.txt contents Y If you need an answer file, you will have to pipe it into your program PSFTP command, so that it reads as follows: Psftp s:script.scr <unix_machinename> < answerfile.txt Publishing the program object Upload the program object by doing the following: The program should be run manually in a cmd window before uploading to ensure it can complete successfully. Program Job Server logs on the server will not have any information on a program failure, just that it failed. 1. Logon to the CMC. 2. Click Objects > New Object > Program. 3. Browse to the program location, select Executable for the Program Type, select a folder to save to under Destination, and click Submit. You will also need to either set the program object settings to run as an account that has the proper permissions on the operating system, or set the system settings to enter these credentials. For the specific program object do the following: 1. Select the object in the CMC. 2. Click the Process tab and click the Logon tab. 3. Enter a User Name and Password. 4. Click Update. To set this for all program objects do the following: 1. In the CMC, click Objects> Object Settings button > Program Objects tab 2. Select the Run scripts/binaries option under the Allow users to section 3. Select the Schedule with the following operating system credentials option under the If credentials are not specified at schedule time then section 4. Enter a User Name and Password. 5. Click Update. 8/29/ :47 AM Copyright 2007 Business Objects. All rights reserved. Page 3

5 Scheduling the report Schedule the report to an unmanaged disk location by doing the following: 1. In CMC, click Home, click the object/report, and click the Schedule tab. 2. Select the desired recurrence pattern (Once, Daily, etc) and in the Run drop-down make sure with events is specified in your selection. 3. In the Available Schedule Events list, select the schedule event you created. 4. Click the Add > button to add it to the Events to trigger upon completion list. 5. Click the Schedule button. Remember the time (hour) you select, as this comes into play later. In the example 0200hrs is used. Scheduling the program object Schedule the program object by doing the following: 1. In CMC, click Home, click the program object and click the Schedule tab. 2. Select the desired recurrence pattern (Once, Daily, etc) and in the Run drop-down make sure with events is specified in your selection. This is where the schedule time of the report job is important. If the report job is scheduled at 0200hrs, schedule this program object to run at 0159hrs, so that the event schedule poll is running before the report schedule kicks off. The event schedule must be polling before the report job runs in order to note the success. 3. In the Available Events list, select the schedule event you created. 4. Click the Add > button to add it to the Events to wait for list. 5. Click the Schedule button. The scheduling workflow Here is the scheduling workflow based on our examples: 1. At 0159hrs the program object begins polling for a successful event. 2. At 0200hrs, the job schedule executes, scheduling the report to an unmanaged disk location on the local server. 3. When the job completes successfully, it sets the schedule event to success. 8/29/ :47 AM Copyright 2007 Business Objects. All rights reserved. Page 4

6 Finding more information 4. The program job schedule notes the success, and runs the FTP program. 5. The FTP program calls the script file to put the file to the destination server. 6. If necessary, the program also pipes in an answer file to answer the "Do you want to accept this key?" question posed by the destination server. For more information and resources, refer to the product documentation and visit the support area of the web site at For more information about scheduling and publishing objects read the BusinessObjects Enterprise Admin guide: XI Release 1 - Chapters 15 and 18 XI Release 2 - Chapters 13 and 16 8/29/ :47 AM Copyright 2007 Business Objects. All rights reserved. Page 5