This chapter will cover the steps to install the software needed before we can install the Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition (OBIEE) software. OBIEE can be installed on a variety of operating systems, either directly or on a virtual machine (VM) (see the Oracle site for details on all supported operating systems).

We will install a Java Development Kit (JDK), which underpins the server software and is actually used to install the software. We will then install the Application Server - Oracle Fusion Middleware.

We have already installed a SQL Server database that will host the metadata tables. We used a trial version of SQL Server 2016, but you can use MySQL if you prefer (MySQL is free to use). Oracle XE is not supported for the metadata.

The final task is to install some schemas in the SQL Server database that will be used by the OBIEE system.

Before we begin, though, make sure you have suitable tools on your machine to undertake the tasks. The downloaded media will be in ZIP format, so you will need an unzip tool. My favorite is 7-Zip, and this is often the tool recommended by Oracle. You will also need a text editor, which could be the built-in Notepad (or vi on Linux). We normally install TextPad or Notepad++. Finally, you will need a browser that is compatible with the OBIEE answers and dashboards tool. This will probably be Internet Explorer (IE) 11+, Chrome 45+ or Firefox 31+. See the certification matrix for details.

Be sure to check the licensing costs when installing on a virtual machine versus installing directly on a physical server.