FTS is the BMC recommended method for doing case-insensitive searches on a field within a single form.  However, with the introduction of RKM and Global Search with ITSM, BMC has found that the multi-form search and broad adoption of FTS across the character fields within ITSM led to performance issues with the FTS engine.  Thus, if you're implementing ITSM 7.6.0x / RKM 7.6.0x and require case-insensitive searches across the entire solution, there are knowledge articles that describe how to compensate for the performance issues encountered by utilizing the recent advances (and defect fixes) that Oracle has introduced around case-insensitivity in the DB itself.

Note that using the Oracle indexes rather than the BMC indexes will require some manual steps and overhead.  For example, replacing the indexes will mandate additional work during an upgrade since BMC applications will expect the BMC provided indexes.  BMC is investigating ways to make this more convenient in future releases.

So the bottom line is that it depends on what you are using it for.  If searching within a single form on a limited number of fields, FTS is the way to go.  If you're using the global search function within ITSM or RKM, then you can consider the built-in case-insensitivity capabilities of Oracle - but with the knowledge that it's a bit more work and you'll have to remember that you did it during your next upgrade.

Thanks,

--------------

David J. Easter

Product Line Manager
Remedy Platform
BMC Software, Inc.

We have a customer in 7.6.04 right now (no Sp) and indeed we ran into some performance issues:

ERROR 875 (Problem searching the index: IO Exception) and some problem finding / opening the index as well (load testing).

The support just provided us the FTS plugin (.jar) from 7.6.04 Sp2 that solves quite some issues and, as David said, some performances one. We'll test it and let you know if you're interested

May be out of topic, but if you are only intersested in case insensitive, may be this can help: http://theremedyforit.com/2011/12/case-insensitive-in-remedy/

Regards,

Jose Huerta

http://theremedyforit.com/

So far it seems the plugin is working better

It'll go to production next week hopefully.

Though as ARS 7.6.04 sp3 is out, perhaps we'll test its plugin if something goes wrong.

Sam Morris a écrit:

 

Hi Laurent,

 

Thank you for your input. Yes, we'd be very interested in any additional

comments or thoughts you may have after your testing.

 

Thanks,

Sam

 

 

-- Sam Morris

Systems Engineer

Union Pacific Railroad, Omaha NE

402-544-2443 (Office)

402-490-8775 (Cellular)

email: sam@up.com

-=>> Office hours are 6:00am - 3:00pm CDT Mon-Fri <<=-

Just to let you know, the plugin worked much better, still an error on some occasions (plugin dies), but it seems it's due to a special thing customer side, but it's already much better (stability side).

Hi David,

Could you help me fined the Knowledge articles you mention?

Also, are the "Oracle builtin" features the same ones that Jose refers to at "

http://theremedyforit.com/2011/12/case-insensitive-in-remedy/"?

Thanks.

There are several knowledge articles if you search for "case insensitive oracle" - but yes, they basically describe the same resolution that Jose's blog refers to.

Thanks,

---------------

David J. Easter

Product Line Manager, AR System

BSM & Atrium Solutions Mgmt
BMC Software, Inc.

I would add that my contribution at that post is to provide a SQL script to do it easy and without a high performance impact.

Regards,

Jose Huerta

http://theremedyforit.com/

David J. Easter wrote:

 

FTS is the BMC recommended method for doing case-insensitive searches on a field within a single form.  However, with the introduction of RKM and Global Search with ITSM, BMC has found that the multi-form search and broad adoption of FTS across the character fields within ITSM led to performance issues with the FTS engine.  Thus, if you're implementing ITSM 7.6.0x / RKM 7.6.0x and require case-insensitive searches across the entire solution, there are knowledge articles that describe how to compensate for the performance issues encountered by utilizing the recent advances (and defect fixes) that Oracle has introduced around case-insensitivity in the DB itself.

 

Note that using the Oracle indexes rather than the BMC indexes will require some manual steps and overhead.  For example, replacing the indexes will mandate additional work during an upgrade since BMC applications will expect the BMC provided indexes.  BMC is investigating ways to make this more convenient in future releases.

 

So the bottom line is that it depends on what you are using it for.  If searching within a single form on a limited number of fields, FTS is the way to go.  If you're using the global search function within ITSM or RKM, then you can consider the built-in case-insensitivity capabilities of Oracle - but with the knowledge that it's a bit more work and you'll have to remember that you did it during your next upgrade.

 

Thanks,

--------------

David J. Easter

Product Line Manager
Remedy Platform
BMC Software, Inc.

Hi,

Is FTS and global search within ITSM or RKM still not a recomended combination on v7.6.04?

And how about v8?