Installing the Oracle database client for Cognos® Transformer

Install the Oracle database client on the computer where you hosts IBM® Cognos® Business Intelligence.

Before you begin

Before you install the database client, the database server must be installed and running, and you must create the Metrics database and the Cognos® Content Store database.

For troubleshooting information on configuring the Oracle database client for use with Cognos®, see the IBM® technote, Resolving Oracle connection errors.

Procedure

Install the standard 32-bit database client on the server where you deploys Cognos® Business Intelligence. For more information, see Installing Oracle Database Client.

Important: Be sure to install the standard 32-bit client rather than the Instant Client, which is not supported by Cognos®. If you installed the 64-bit client, you must uninstall it before you install the 32-bit client.
Edit the Oracle_client_install_path/network/admin/tnsnames.ora file and add the following TNS settings into the file:
The TNS setting on the Oracle client must look like the example that follows:
```
LISTENER_Local_tns_name =  
   (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = Oracle_database_server_host_name)(PORT = Port))

Local_tns_name =
  (DESCRIPTION =
    (ADDRESS_LIST =
      (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = Oracle_database_server_host_name)(PORT = Port))
    )
    (CONNECT_DATA =
      (SERVICE_NAME = Database_service_name)
    )
  )
```
where:
- Local_tns_name is the user -defined TNS alias for the remote Oracle database instance. It needs to match the value of the metrics.db.local setting in the cognos-setup.properties file that is used during Cognos® Business Intelligence installation.
- Oracle_database_server_host_name is the host name of the server that hosts the Oracle database server; for example: oradb.example.com.
- Port is port on which the Oracle database server is listening; typically port 1521.
- Database_service_name is the database service name; for example, orcl.
Verify that the client can connect to the Metrics database.
1. AIX or Linux:
  In bin folder of oracle_home, run sqlplus [db_user]/[password]@[Local_tns_name]
2. Windows:
  Run sqlplus.exe [db_user]/[password]@[Local_tns_name] where:
  - db_user is the Metrics db user.
  - password is the password of the db_user.
  - Local_tns_name is the TNS alias you created.
  If the setting is correct, you connect the database successfully.