October 2, 2008

Customer Reporting Strategy at OpenWorld

Last week Kari Branjord at University of Colorado presented a session at OpenWorld that outlined CU's direction and thinking regarding defining a strategy for selecting reporting tools within PeopleSoft. I've received may requests for the presentation, a testament I think to how appropriate this topic is for our customers. If you're interested, please review the presentation we used during the session. I'd also be interested to hear your thoughts about how your own strategy may be similar or different than what Kari outlines.

Download file

September 25, 2008

Using STAX with PeopleCode

At Oracle Openworld 2008 the Integration Broker deep dive session went through an example of how to segment a large document file using the STAX api.

A brief description of the problem and solution is here:

Download file

The sample code can be found here:

Download file

September 24, 2008

PeopleTools Roadmap Presentation at OpenWorld on Tuesday, Sep 23

During Part 2 of the PeopleTools Roadmap presentation at OpenWorld, I promised to post the presentations and demo viewlets we used. The presentations are in PDF file and I'll upload the viewlets later today.

Here is Part 1: Download file

Here is Part 2: Download file

Enjoy!

July 9, 2008

Web 2.0 at Oracle Open World

We have some interesting sessions planned for Open World in the area of Web 2.0. If you are interested in collaboration in the Enterprise, come see what PeopleSoft is doing in this area. There are two sessions scheduled for this topic. Here they are with abstracts:

- Web 2.0 in Your Enterprise : Collaboration Technology for Improved...
Web 2.0 has introduced many opportunities to improve efficiency and effectiveness. This session describes the collaborative features available in Enterprise Portal today, what's coming soon, and will help you learn how to adopt and apply those features. We'll describe clear examples of Enterprise Portal in action applied to familiar, important processes, and show how Web 2.0 can improve those processes in your enterprise.

- Enterprise 2.0 Live!
Would you like to take advantage of the Web 2.0 features available in PeopleSoft portal technologies but just don’t know how? Not sure how they could benefit your business? Think they might be hard to deploy? We’ll put those concerns to rest by demonstrating how to employ these features using familiar transactions and business processes. This session will be more than a demonstration: it will be interactive. You can ask about your specific business processes, and our panel will brainstorm Web 2.0 solutions and design ideas with you.

We'll also be announcing some new projects in this area that will make it much easier for customers to adopt this technology.

Visit us in the PeopleTools demo pods as well.

June 4, 2008

Setup Integration Broker for Web Services

If you venture to the PeopleSoft/Fusion Middleware best practice site, you'llo see that several of the Oracle-By Example or viewlets showcasing PeopleSoft interoperability with Fusion Middleware use web services provided by a PeopleSoft system through Integration Broker.  Some of the examples go through some minor integration setup but don't explain what is going on and don't go through the entire setup.  Many of you have taken the 8.48 integration broker class or have implemented web services in your production system so finding or setting up a test PSFT environment is not an issue.  But not all of you . . .


 


More than once I've heard "I tried setting up integration broker but I couldn't get it to work so I gave up".  Usually the problem is something simple like typing the wrong tools release when configuring the gateway connector for a target node (<ctl> j from a pia page gives you that info!).  Making it through all the steps can be difficult, even for someone that is familiar with integration broker. 


 


To help you out, we�ve created a viewlet that identifies all the steps you need to go through to set up a PeopleSoft environment that provides web services.  There�s no sound, so you don�t have to worry about bothering your neighbor, and it�s interactive, so you can select only the steps you need more information on.


 


Here's a link to the viewlet: IBSetup


 


What are the steps it goes through?  Here they are:


 


1) Enable the pub/sub processes in the app server so there is support for asynchronous services. 


 


The web services used by examples on the best practice site are all synchronous so this is not mandatory.  But I�m sure some of you will take what you see to the next level and before long start trying out asynchronous service requests.  As soon as you try that, you�ll need these services enabled to provide queues for the gateway to store the service request.


 


2) Change the Default Local Node


 


Again, this is not required to run the samples provided.  You�ll only have to do this when you want to start testing more complex integration scenarios.  But it is easy to do and a good idea.  You�re much safer using a creative name for your PSFT system than sticking with the generic PSFT_HR that�s delivered.


 


It is easy but there�s a catch.  You have to run a data mover script (appmsgpurgeall.dms) to clear out the message queue (the data�s in database tables).  If you don�t do that, you�ll get a cryptic error message


 


3) Configure the PeopleSoft Listening Connector


 


Our first required step.  This is necessary for a PSFT AppServer to communicate with an Integration Gateway.  You get to test it right from the page you enter the URL so it�s pretty foolproof.  Don�t forget to load the rest of the connectors as part of this step.


 


4) Configure the PeopleSoft Target Connector


 


Step 3 told the AppServer where the Integration Gateway was located.  This tells the Integration Gateway where the AppServer is located.  You�ll set up a default location and add a node specific for the default local node you changed (or left unchanged) in step 2.


 


5) Service Configuration


 


The final and very important step is to complete the service configuration.  This is required for running web services.  You�ll enter some default naming information for services and schemas.  You�ll also identify where the PeopleSoft Service Listening Connector is.  It�s not required but a very good idea to change your Service System to Development.  That way you won�t have to worry about service versions each time you make a change.


 


You�re all set to go now.  Try the examples provided on the best practice site and experiment with some of your own.

May 15, 2008

PeopleSoft and Fusion Middleware best practice site is live

If you're interested in learning more about the ways to extend PeopleSoft applications using Fusion Middleware, you're in luck.  A new site that is devoted to the Middleware Developer working with PeopleSoft applications is up and live.  Here's the link:


http://www.oracle.com/technology/tech/fmw4apps/peoplesoft/index.html


Start with the 'Getting Started' section to learn how PeopleSoft applications and Fusion Middleware work together.  Then take the 'crash course' to become more familiar with the middleware and what it can do for you.


When you're ready, do some OBEs (Oracle By Example) that walk you through, step by step, integrating middleware components such as BPEL, ESB and Web Center.  They are great for learning the simple how-tos.


Also, keep an eye out for webcasts.  You can watch these live or view the recording later.  The first one is March 21st at 9:00am PDT.  It's called 'Leveraging BPEL to extend PeopleSoft business processes'.  Should be very interesting.


Content on that site will be updated regularly, so make it a regular stop.

April 29, 2008

Maintenance Pack for Enterprise Portal

PeopleSoft Portal Solutions Maintenance Pack 1 CDs are now available for the following platforms:


  • Oracle

  • DB2 z/OS

  • DB2 unix

  • Microsoft SQL Server
You can download the maintenance pack here.

This Maintenance Pack 1 enables customers to apply all fixes released since
the GA'ed version of Enterprise Portal 9.0.

April 22, 2008

PeopleTools support for PeopleSoft Applications versions

This linked document shows the general support of PeopleTools versions for PeopleSoft applications. Green indicates support. Hashed red shows planned support of PeopleTools 8.50 for the current PeopleSoft application versions. The base PeopleTools release for any PeopleSoft application can be found in the Release Definition on Customer Connection (login required).

While support for the applications is published as part of Applications Unlimited (page 4), PeopleTools support is primarily limited to the current General Availability (GA) release, with the previous release supported in terms of bug fixes, security patches and legal and regulatory updates for approximately 12 months after the GA release date of the current version. PeopleTools release versions provide many benefits including:
- patch consolidation
- new platform and technology adoption
- new PeopleTools features

For our partners:
We strongly suggest for the continued well being of our mutual customers that our partners maintain alignment between the integrated products, which they provide to our mutual customers, and the GA release of PeopleTools.

We also encourage our partners to make themselves aware of the changes in customers' environments which are consequent with the upgraded PeopleTools features. For instance, PeopleTools 8.48 introduced 64-bit only for UNIX OS platforms and upgraded the Web Service functionality significantly; PeopleTools 8.49 changed Java platform from 1.4 to 1.5. These changes have significantly impacted some customer environments and some partners' integration products.

For our customers:
We also strongly encourage our customers to upgrade to the GA release of PeopleTools as soon as possible. While we will always strive to remediate any issues in the delivered code, attempting to do so on older versions will become increasingly difficult and time consuming. Applying one-off patches or POC's cannot be considered as anything other than a short term expedient.

Please NOTE: The Lifetime Support Policy document link referenced in the "ToolsSupport4Apps2.pdf" document link above has changed. It can now be found HERE.

April 10, 2008

PeopleSoft Database Plans

Recently there have been several questions I�ve received about PeopleSoft�s plans for future platform support.  While I can�t comment on Fusion platform plans (don�t read anything in here, I just don�t know), I can tell you that PeopleSoft WILL continue to support a variety of database platforms.


 


We�ve just certified Oracle 11g, DB2 LUW v9.1, and DB2 zOS v9.1 in our first annual Off Cycle Certification program in late 2007.  For our next certifications, we plan to tackle DB2 LUW v9.5 as well as SQL Server 2008 and Informix 11.  Oh ya, there may also be a new Oracle release for use to think about sometime, too.  


 


Watch the Platforms Database on Customer Connection for more details.

April 2, 2008

Building the Enterprise Portal Community

There is a new networking opportunity for anyone interested in the PeopleSoft Enterprise Portal.  It's in Oracle's Mix networking facility.  This particular space is dedicated to Enterprise Portal, and has members from the portal development team, strategy, consulting partners, and others.  Join up, and let's turn this into a vibrant and useful resource for sharing info, questions, and answers about EP.

About

This blog is largely a method for the Oracle PeopleSoft PeopleTools strategy team to publish information for the PeopleSoft customer community, which will include discussions on emerging technology, better use of existing, delivered technology, and dispelling some myths.
Some of this with the mantra that you have to aggregate to communicate!

To contact PeopleTools Strategy
Email us HERE or use the form



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