Unable to connect to SQL Server 2008 from OBIEE 11G(on 64 bit Linux box)

Question

We are unable to connect to connect to SQL Server 2008 from OBIEE 11G which is on 64 bit Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
Infrastructure: OBIEE 11.1.1.5 64bit, on 64 bit Red Hat Linux Enterprise Linux 5.6 , MS SQL Server 2008 on 64 bit Microsoft Windows Server
Issue Description: Unable to connect to SQL Server 2008 from OBIEE11G RPD
Details: We are unable to connect to SQL Server 2008 from OBIEE which is on a 64 bit Linux box. We created the ODBC connection on Linux box to the SQL server. Whenever we try to import metadata it throws an error that says ‘Connection Failed’.
Here are the steps we followed to setup the ODBC connection on Linux box.
1) We updated the user.sh file with the LD_LIBRARY_PATH and LD_LIBRARY_PATH_64 values that point to $ORACLE_HOME/bifoundation/odbc/lib
This is where we found the driver for SQL server SEmsss23.so.
2) We updated the odbc.ini file with the entry for SQL server with the connection details
SI_SQL_Server_DEV = SQL Server
[SI_SQL_Server_DEV]
Driver=/u001_OAS/Oracle/Middleware/Oracle_BI1/bifoundation/odbc/lib/SEmsss23.so
Description=DataDirect 5.1 SQL Server Wire Protocol
Address=10.230.216.52,54970
AlternateServers=
AnsiNPW=Yes
ConnectionRetryCount=0
ConnectionRetryDelay=3
Database=SVBDW_NEW
LoadBalancing=0
LogonID=SIDatavalidation
Password=~~~Password123
QuoteID=No
ReportCodePageConversionErrors=0
3) We updated the IDENTIFIER_QUOTE_CHAR with single quotes instead of double quotes in the DB features of the RPD
4) We updated the bash_profile file to point the ODBCINI variable to the path where the OBIEE odbc.ini file is present.
Export ODBCINI=/u001_OAS/Oracle/Middleware/instances/instance1/bifoundation/OracleBIApplication/coreapplication/setup/odbc.ini
The error in nqsserver.log file says “[nQSError: 16001] ODBC error state: IM002 code: 0 message: [DataDirect][ODBC lib] Data source name not found and no default driver specified.”

Answer 1

Hi,
Make sure SQL Configuration Manager make sure the TCP/IP enabled. please try below method
Method 1
Re Create a new ODBC & Oracle Bi Server DSN Configuration test it and use it in the connection pools.
define your ODBC data source in your server where the BI Server is installed. Check your DB connections in your physical layer and make they are defined on your BI Server as well.
Method 2:
try using the complete TNS in below format in the datasource name section:
(DESCRIPTION = (ADDRESS_LIST = (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP) (HOST =DB IP)(PORT = 1521)) ) (CONNECT_DATA = (SERVICE_NAME = ORCL) ) and provide the credentials.
Method 3:
To use the OCI call interface you need to have oracle client DB to be installed so that you can establish a connection using that DB credentials and connect to the remote dB and then import the tables.....this is the rule of thumb.
hope helps you.
Thanks
Deva