Re-importing a SPAM/SAINT Support Package

Due to errors, because you want to roll-back to any SPAM version, or just because SAP Support has requested you to do so; you can implement the following workaround to re-import a current (or older!) SPAM/SAINT update to your system.


Procedure:

1- Call transaction SEPS --> Goto --> Inbox, and order by column Subject. Search for all the SAPKD* packages (for example SAPKD70026).

2- Take note of all the .PAT files associated to the SPAM packages and make a backup copy of these files.

3- Go back to SEPS --> Goto --> Inbox, and order by colum Subject. Select all entries with status C or N, and delete them (this will also delete the .PAT files in the EPS/in directory).

4- After that you can upload the desired SPAM package you want to import to the EPS/in directory, either through front-end (tx SPAM), or through backend (SAPCAR).

5- Import the SPAM update: tx SPAM --> Import SPAM/SAINT Update


This procedure might be useful to other components (though i never tried it), but please keep in mind that is very dangerous!!! To re-import other component Support Packages, you should ask SAP Support.

Hardware Handling for SAP/SQL Server 2008

Here is an updated document of the Best Practices (including hardware design) of SQL Server 2008 implementation for SAP.

Most of the design foundations are applicable by logic to any other Database platform, excluding of course, specific SQLServer configuration.

I highly recommend its reading:

http://download.microsoft.com/download/d/9/4/d948f981-926e-40fa-a026-5bfcf076d9b9/SAP_SQL2008_Best%20Practices_Part_I.docx

For us, IT guys (and girls), I suggest you pay big attention to:

- Hardware selection (page 27)
- Installation and configuration (page 32)
- SQL Server on NUMA (page 56)
- Transparent Database Encryption (page 75)
- Windows Server specific configurations (page 95)

If you are new to SAP, or are just a DBA in your organization, I also suggest reading the introductory part of the document (What is SAP / How does SAP interact with SQL Server)

Limited SAP ORACLE support for VMWare

A few months ago, SAP did not support ORACLE under a VMWare enviroment.
Now the support has increased a bit, but still with the following limitations:

- Only version 10.2.0.4 or higher (no 9.x, no 10.2.0.2)
- Only single instance (no RAC support)
- If you plan to virtualize your SAP/Oracle system under Microsoft platform, the minimun version supported is Windows Server 2008.
- When opening an OSS message, you have clearly state that this system runs under VMWare.


Note the following:

"If the problem is determined not to be a known Oracle issue, the problem will be forwarded to VMware for support. When the customer can demonstrate that the issue occurs when running on the native OS, Oracle will resume support."

Check OSS Note 1173954 for more information

Hyper-V virtualization for systems running on Windows / SQL Server

Hyper-V technology from Microsoft is now officially supported by SAP even for production usage.

The following combinations of OS/DB are supported for SAP under Hyper-V:

- Windows / DB2 for LUW
- Windows / SQL Server

Regarding Oracle virtualization usage for production, at the moment is not supported -- not even under VMWare or XEN (see note 1173954).

One of the big goals of correctly designing a virtualization solution, is to correctly set-up I/O access throuhput, access to memory and CPU. For production, memory and CPU assigment should be left at least the minimum requeriments fixed.

For I/O performance, it is strongly recommended that you set-up direct raw access for Database files over SAN disks. It is also recommened that you check with you SAN hardware vendor the certified configuration and distribution of Disks for your SAP system.

Remotely manage JSPM

If your SAP system runs on a UNIX host, and you are not granted remote X access, there is a workaround to run JSPM Server on the UNIX host and JSPM GUI on your Windows.

For NetWeaver 7.10 and up:

1. Open a shell on the server with adm, go to JSPM directory and run:

go -remotegui

2. Open a web browser on client host with JRE installed. Browse to this address: http://:519 - host is the server´s host and xx is the instance number.

On the web page choose the link Start JSPM Frontend (SDTGui). JSPM GUI will be downloaded and started locally by Java Web Start technology. Then you can proceed as usually. Just keep in mind that JSPM actually runs on the remote host.

For NetWeaver 7.00 and below:

You have to adjust the following parameters.
The necessary steps are:

1. In JSPM/param/jspm_config.txt change the entry

/dialog/SDTServerConnection/SDTGui/launch = true
to
/dialog/SDTServerConnection/SDTGui/launch = false

2. Copy StartGui.bat and the content of the lib sub-directory of the JSPM directory on the UNIX server to some directory on the Windows PC, thereby creating a directory structure StartGui.bat lib\

-- or just mount JSPM file system on the Windows PC.

3. Start JSPM on the UNIX host as usual with the go script. You will see a message like this
Waiting for SDTServer to connect on hostname / socket 6240 ...

4. Start StartGui.bat on Windows host The GUI appears with a logon screen. Specify the host and port from the message above. The connection to the JSPM will be established.

PI 7.0 Performance: Monitoring the Persistance Layer Fill Level

I came across different situations on where I had to analyze some specific PI performance issues.

Besides all the technical aspects you have to consider when implementing a PI solution (correct hardware sizing, network traffic design, and so on), you have to carefully plan a Data Archiving solution so your Database does not grow up quickly and PI tables become unmanageable.

First thing to watch is your current Persistance Layer Fill Level (where all XML messages are stored).

Call transaction SXMB_ADMIN --> Monitoring --> Persistance Layer Analysis.

The number you get in the results should be steady even decrease over time, as new data gets in, old data is being archived to filesystem and deleted from DB through the Archiving & Deletion policy.

You configure Archiving & Deletion thresholds and jobs from within SXMB_ADMIN.

• You first go to Configuration --> Define Interfaces for Archiving and Retetion Periods. That is, the interfaces you want to Archive and their retetion period.

You input data for Async XML messages, and Sync XML messages. Also you set a retention period for all the already Archived & (flagged as) Deleted from Database.

• You set the Archiving and Delete Jobs from the Administration menu in SXMB_ADMIN.

Some pre-requisites might be needed to correctly configure Archiving objects in transaction SARA, but this is common archiving configuration for all Basis releases.

Additionally for PI, and depending on your functional implementation, there are additional objects you might have to consider for Archiving, please check OSS note 872388.

Duet 1.5 technical implementation overview

I will try not to enter into every detailed aspect of a Duet 1.5 technical implementation. However, if you are new to a Duet 1.5 landscape, you must always prepare very carefully all the pre-requisites outlined in the SAP Duet Guides (Admin and Master). The following components enter in action on a Duet 1.5 system:

• SAP Duet 1.5 Server (based on Netweaver 7.0 Java - SP18 or higher).
• SAP Duet 1.5 Business Applications (on top of Duet 1.5 Server).
• SAP ECC 6.0, Portal 7.0, CRM 2007... on your SAP landscape depending of the Business Application you are going to deploy.
• Microsoft Duet 1.5 Metadata Service - on Win2003 SP2.
  
• Microsoft Duet 1.5 Request Handler Service - on Win2003 SP2.
• Microsoft SQL Server 2005 SP3.
  
• Microsoft Exchange 2003 or higher.
• Microsoft Active Directory Service (ADS).
• Microsoft Internet Information Services.
  
• Client computers running on WinXP SP3 or higher, with Office 2003 Professional or higher.
• Microsoft Duet 1.5 client running on top of client computers.

You can run the Microsoft Duet 1.5 Metadata Service and Request Handler on the same host. -- You can also run on this host the SAP Duet 1.5 services, however this can be isolated if your platform of choice for SAP is not Microsoft. For example: * SAP Duet 1.5 BA (based on Netweaver 7.0), runs on Solaris_SPARC / Oracle. * Microsoft Duet 1.5 MDS and RHS, runs on Windows 2003 / MSSQL. Roadmap for a successfull implementation:

1. Read very carefully the SAP Duet 1.5 Master Guide, and Installation Guides.
2. Decide if you are going to run SAP Duet and Microsoft Duet on differents hosts.
3. Prepare the pre-requisites regarding the set-up of Exchange Server for Duet 1.5.
4. Create an ADS user for Duet Request Handler communication, and follow up the activities outlined in the guide to configure the correct properties of this user.
5. Create another ADS user for SAP Netweaver, (ex. j2ee-SID), and follow up the activities outlines in the guide to configure the correct properties of this user.
   
6. Install the Microsoft Duet 1.5 Metadata Service and the Request Handler service. You will be asked to enter a MSSQL Server instance for the Metadata Service DB. This SQL Server instance can be remote or local. Also, you will be asked for the credentials of user created in step 4, during the Request Handler installation.
7. Configure IIS websites accordingly as described on the installation guide.
   
8. Install SAP Netweaver 7.0 SP18 (or higher).
9. Install Duet 1.5 Core Server, Core Apps, Common, etc.. on top of Netweaver installation, using JSPM.
10. Follow the configuration steps through your URL http://sapduethost:5nn00/duet/config. Here you indicate where is the location of your Metadata Service and Request Handler Service. You are also being asked here again for the credentials of the RH Service.
11. Install Duet 1.5 Business Aplicattions through JSPM.
12. Configure UME LDAP connection through the offline configtool, providing user/pass created in step 5. Before entering any data, you must upload a Kerberos 5 ADS readonly template compatible with your OS. This template can be downloaded from OSS note 994791.
    
13. Check on Netweaver useradmin that you are able to search both UME database objects and LDAP users and groups.
14. Run SPNego as described on the installation guide to enable SSO between the client user and SAP. http://sapduethost:5nn00/spnego. Check that you are able to resolve all SAMACCOUNTNAMES.
15. Go to Visual Administrator and assign the spnego template created on previous step, to the OSP*TicketIssuer application.
16. Logon on a client computer using an LDAP user/pass and enter the following URL: http://sapduethost:5nn00/osp/TicketIssuer. If you get in response a XML file, the SSO mechanism has been activated succesfully. However, you are prompted for user/pass when entering the URL, it might be due to diverse problems (communication with SAP <-> ADS, wrong configuration of SPNego...etc.). When you have no clue of what is causing the problem, you can use the DIAGTOOL to trace network and kerberos issues.
17. Logon on the duet administration panel http://sapduethost:5nn00/duet, and set-up the systems connection related to the installed BAs. Test the connections and assign them your BAs.
18. Go to your backend systems (ERP, CRM, etc..), and create the ABAP Duet technical roles through PFCG as described on the install guide.
19. Go back to duet admin panel and follow up the activities outlined on the install guide to syncronize the ABAP Roles, with the Duet Java Roles.
20. Prepare the technical pre-requisites of the backend systems (requiered SP level, RFCs, SSO2, certificates on both ABAP and Java systems, etc..).
    
21. Once all the configuration is done on the SAP side we must now replicate all this information to the Metadata Service, Request Handler Service, and AzMan. Go to duet admin panel, and click on "Publish application metadata". It will take a while. Go to scheduled tasks tab, and check that all jobs are running correctly without warnings. Correct the errors if necessesary.
22. Please note that the LDAP user ID must be the same as the SAP ABAP Backend user ID. If this is not the case, replication of roles to AzMan will not work correctly.
23. Kindly ask your functional team to perform the Duet customizing on the backend systems, and on the duet applications. Once finished...
24. Implement the Duet 1.5 client on the client computers. During installation you will be asked for the Microsoft Request Handler Server. Enter the information as the input from step 6.
25. Set-up client Diagnostics on the SAP Duet 1.5 system.
26. Open Outlook and check that the Duet 1.5 pane is showing correctly and the results are what expected from the functional side.
    
27. ... and finally: Install Duet 1.5 client support tools on the client computers to troubleshoot any additional technical issue.

Please let me know if you encounter additional problems during this complex implementation process. I will be more that glad in assist you!