Importing a deployment archive

To import the entries, you create an import deployment specification.

When you import, you select from entries that were exported. You can either accept the default options set during the export, or change them. You can select options that were included in the deployment archive during the export.

If you do a partial deployment of specific public folders and directory content, the import wizard shows whether packages and folders exist in the target environment and the date and time that they were last modified. You can use this information to help you decide how to resolve conflicts. When you redeploy, the wizard also shows whether the packages and folders were in the original deployment.

Note: To deploy reports or dashboards that reference custom palettes, you must be a member of one of these Cognos roles: Report Administrators, Server Administrators, PowerPlay Administrators, or Directory Administrators.

Before you begin

Ensure that you have copied the deployment archive to the install_location/deployment directory for your new version of the product.

Important: If you try to import any reports or other objects with a description of more than 1024 characters, you will see an error message such as the following:

CM-REQ-4192 The property "description" (for an object of class "Report") is incorrect. CM-REQ-4217 The value length XXXX is longer than the maximum allowable length of 1024 for the property "description.

We recommend that you do not increase the description length to more than 1024 characters. Otherwise, the column size may be exceeded in some databases.

For more information, see defaultDescription.

Procedure

For your new version of the product, in IBM Cognos Administration, on the Configuration tab, click Content Administration.
On the toolbar, click the new import icon.
In the Deployment archive box, select the deployment archive that you want to import, and click Next.
If your deployment archive is of your entire content store, type the password entered during the export, and click OK.
Type a name for the import and select the folder where you want to save it, and then click Next.
Select the content that you want to include in the import, select the options, and click Next.

Tip: Click the edit icon next to the package if you want to change the target location for the imported content.
On the Specify the general options panel, select the options that you want, and click Next.
Review the summary information, and click Next.
Under Actions, select Save and run once, and click Finish.
On the Run with options panel, do the following:
1. Select Upgrade all report specifications to the latest version if you want to upgrade the report specifications during the import. You can also perform this task after you import the content.
2. Click Run.