DO NOT Install BusinessObjects BI 4.3 SP04 or 4.3 SP04 Patch 1

[nscheaffer]

We upgraded from BusinessObjects environment from 4.3 SP02 Patch 8 to 4.3 SP03 Patch 8 one month ago. It went relatively smoothly with no major issues discovered yet. We had begun targeting 4.3 SP03 Patch 5 about 6 months ago, but one week before we were set to install we came across this bug...

3381739 - Free Hand SQL (FHSQL) with prompt returns no data in Web Intelligence Document on first re...

That set us back about 6 weeks. I am so thankful we discovered that before upgrading.

I know that we need to do comprehensive testing before a production upgrade. And we do. I also have an expectation that SAP also does some level of testing. Given that bug and now this one related to scheduling in 4.3 SP04 and 4.3 SP04 Patch 1 it makes me wonder what level of testing is being done...

3418696 - Webi Report Schedule failed with error "Object failed to run due to an error while process...

As of now, it does not look to me like there is a fix for this serious issue. This not some edge case functionality. Scheduling and distributing reports is a core feature of our usage of BusinessObjects.

I found out about this in a response to a SAP Business Objects Upgrade to 4.3 post in a different forum. We should not be left to find out about significant issues like this by trolling the depths of various forums.

Is there a way to search for all KBA/Notes that would affect a particular version, support package, and patch?

How about referencing notes affecting each support package and patch in the "Related Info" sections (last column) of the downloads?

Or perhaps these SPs and Patches should just be pulled? Who wants an installation where scheduling does not work?

With each new SPXX release there is a blog post like this one...

SAP BI 4.3 SP4: What’s New In Web Intelligence and Semantic Layer

It seems to me that blog post should be updated to say, "Hold off for now."

I would truly like to engage is some real dialogue from SAP on this. We get a lot of exposure to the BI roadmap and new features (blog posts, webinar, etc.) of what is coming...

SAP Analytics Business Intelligence Statement of Direction – October 2023 update

The Road Ahead for SAP BusinessObjects

At some point we need assurance that serious attention is being given what we have here and now. Not everyone can jump to latest release nor does it seem we should.

If I have in any way mischaracterized or overstated this issue, I will gladly update this.

Thanks

[nscheaffer]

A fix for this issue has been made in 4.3 SP04 Patch 2 (released today). I have not tested it.

[andreas_huehn]

Hello, I have now tried everything to install SAP BI 4.3 SP04 Patch 2 with a mysql rds repository.
An update of SP03 Patch 9 fails because the CMS does not start, because some license files are missing in the repository. A new installation on an empty repository does not work either, because no SIA node is created.
is it now the SP04 itself no matter which patch or does it work with the mysql rds database as cms repository?
I have not found anything in the PAM notes that excludes mysql.

[binjohnny_jiang]

Hello, Thanks @nscheaffer!

I did upgrade to BI 4.3 SP4 Patch 2 on March 21 and found that the issue remains till SP5.

So if you have any publication reports with mhtml (I do) format, then DO NOT go to SP4.

3422441 - "%SI_DOCUMENT_HTML_CONTENT%" in the email body can not be shown when schedule a publication for web Intelligence reports with mhtml format

[binjohnny_jiang]

Updates: "DO NOT Install BusinessObjects BI 4.3 SP04 or 4.3 SP04 Patch 1 and Patch 2"

SAP has updated KBA 3422441 and released "SBOP BI Platform Servers 4.3 SP04 Patch 300", which did fix this mhtml issue. And I did verify this fixing by upgrading BI to 4.3 SP4 patch 3 on April 2, 2024.

Finally, we can install or upgrade BI 4.3 to SP4 with the patch 3 release

[Niki_Alexiev]

Hello,
I completely agree with what was said by
nscheaffer. The latest version of SAP BI 4.3 SP04 Patch 300 is a total disappointment. I did a clean install according to all SAP recommendations, with all necessary MSVC++ packages, but the result is bad.
When trying to create a user or user group, an error appears: "Failed to commit objects to server:Undefined Inf Store Error". I tested it with all patches: 100,200,300 - the result is the same. The strange thing is that it only happens with User, Users Group and their import. When creating folders, no problem!
There seems to be a problem with the BOE.war file or some DLL is missing.

Any help would be appreciated!!!

[Joel_B]

We ran a pretty comprehensive regression on 4.3 SP4 PL200.  Granted, we only use BW Bex connections and no FHSQL.  After a lot of regression testing, we thought everything we use was working.  However, after go-live, we discovered that Export from WEBi is completely broken unless the user is a member of the Administrators group.    If you are testing SP4, be sure to test WEBi exports.  I have not tested PL300 yet.

[googaroots]

Hi all,

we did an upgrade to the 4.3 SP4 PL400 and we had several issues. Most of them are solved now but one important issue is still open: The Trigger of BI Events from SAP BW process chains do not work anymore. We have a lot of them integrated in different process chains and SAP does a ping pong game with us between SAP BW support und SAP BO support.

[haochen2020]

I totally agree with nscheaffer and googaroots. SAP should do their basic testing well. Instead of relying on users to report problems and then constantly releasing new patches.

Every new version says that some features have been added, but it always unexpectedly causes problems that were not problems before (works well in previous versions).

This makes users very frustrated and it is difficult to test the new version.

Moreover, SAP's new patches are all fully installed, not just a hotfix or a install a small patch package. This also results in a 2-hour installation process. Waste too much time.

[Niki_Alexiev]

Hello everyone,

in fact, the problem described in my previous post with the SP04 Patch 300 turned out to be: NLS Language on Oracle's database, where it is also the repository of CMC. When not UTF8 gets this error!

[adende]

Hello guys. I recently upgraded to SAP BO BI Platform 4.3 SP04 Patch 2 and running Data Services 4.3 SPO on WINDOWS SERVER 2016. I am facing the following challenges:

1. Data Services client tools not connecting to the server

2. Platform client tools not connecting to the server

3. Data Services job schedules can be created and activated but are not kicking in at the scheduled times.

May somenone please help.

[binjohnny_jiang]

@adende  Have you upgraded Data Services along with compatible version with BI 4.3 SP04 Patch 2.

The SAP KBA 3197694 is for this kind compatibility issue. Please make sure to upgrade Data Services to 4.3 SP03 Patch 0.

"client tools not connecting to the server" it's usually been caused by different versions between client tools and server - make sure they are on the same version.

[adende]

@binjohnny_jiang Thanks for the response. However, I have the compatible versions i.e:

SAP BO BI Platform 4.3 SP04 Patch 2
DataServices 4.3 SP03 Patch 0

Same with the client tools on the client machine but still facing the challenges.

[binjohnny_jiang]

@adende Please check firewall settings about the BODS server's CMS (CentralManagementServer) "Request Port".

You can  use (on client) telnet host port (or telnet host:port on Unix systems) to see if the connection is refused, accepted, or timeouts.

[SandeepMurari]

Hello guys,

We are in 4.3 SP3 P9 and facing navigtaions slowness only on clustered environment.

Can any one have faced same issue and which is stable service pack patch line good to go for upgrade