Load Balancing HTTP requests to ABAP App Servers options?

[Former Member]

Looking at SAP Documentations, SAP recommends to use the Web Dispatcher to load balance HTTP requests to multiply ABAP App servers.

My question is that the only solution? or can we use hardware such as the F5 BigIP to perform the same job?

Any thoughts?

[Former Member]

In collaboration with SAP and SAP customers, F5 Networks has created a solution that delivers security, high availability, and improved performance for SAP web and portal technologies.

By deploying F5 Networks solutions with SAP NetWeaver, enterprises extend their control over their Network and Application traffic, and ensure the fast and secure delivery of their applications.

Benefits of F5 for SAP NetWeaver and Enterprise SOA

u2022 Cuts SAP Enterprise Portal login time by more than half for WAN users

u2022 Speeds document downloads

u2022 Reduces SAP server CPU utilization by 44%

u2022 Provides a 20x reduction in the number of SAP server-side connections

Further details, case studies and deployment guides on;

http://www.f5.com/solutions/applications/sap/netweaver/

F5 certification information on SAP Website

http://www.sap.com/partners/directories/SoftwareISVSolutions.epx?context=21B87D61C0F646A22B2A6DB254A...

Hope this helps. Thanks

[former_member66264]

Read here:

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw04/helpdata/en/94/384b8e308b934f8b51cf2b5fb762b5/frameset.htm

including the sub help...

All info is there, but ::

"Note that certain aspects of the complex SAP request routing logic such as the between URLs and SAP Logon Groups cannot be simply mapped onto a standard web switch configuration.'

We have a HW cisco router for our portal, It took a while before all issues where solved, but now its stable...

[Former Member]

We also have a HW router to access our Portal. Though do you also run a HW router or do you use the web dispatcher to load balance from the Portal to ECC (ABAP), if you do at all.

The information you provided is very helpful, will award points after I review the links.

[former_member66264]

We don't use webdispatcher at all:: its an inteligent round robin principle with cookies for the stickyness..

This note also containse some links to usefull documentation:

Note 1162605 - Network performance for CRM (IC) Webclient

Forget the title, look at the content.

[Former Member]

Thanks for the replies,

Seems there is an otion to use HW for load balancing to ABAP app servers, however SAP recommends to use the Web Dispatcher to avoid possiable loss of statefull connections.

Anyone using a HW load balancer instead of the Web Dispatcher for this purpose?

Thanks!

[Former Member]

Hi,

Yes we have used CIsco Switch Modules which functions as a Proxy, SSL Offloader and Load Balancer.

Let me know if you are looking for specific information.

Regards,

Vijith

[Former Member]

Hi Vijith Kumar,

What was the reason your company decided to use a HW load balancer for HTTP requests to ABAP systems instead of the SAP recommended Web Dispatcher?

[Former Member]

Hi,

We chose HW for SSL offload because that was much quicker. Since the same hardware came with loadbalancing capability we used it rather than WebDispatcher.

Regards,

Vijith