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Staged roll out of SAP GUI 7.2 using Installation Server

Former Member
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Hi all,

We are working on a staged rollout/upgrade of SAP GUI for Windows 7.2 from 7.1

We are attempting to utilize GP and logon scripts to push the new 7.2 package to one dept at a time, rather than just having the Installation Server push it to everyone in the site at once. So here is my issue and two questions.

1. Can a 7.2 Installation Server co-exist on the SAME Windows Server at the same time as a 7.1 server, as long as their installation location is different? Or can I just uninstall the old 7.1 server without interrupting my end users daily work (no more updates are being pushed to them) and then install the new 7.2 server where 7.1 resided? I have seen threads about upgrading an instance, but I'd prefer to just do a clean server installation from 7.2 Comp 2 if possible.

2. We want to stage the roll out of the 7.2 GUI over a week or so. I have read the manual and supplied notes but still see no answer for this. How can I make the 7.2 server NOT automatically push the new package to my end users? THey will have the AutoUpdate Client on their systems from 7.1

If I click "Disable Auto Updates" the manual language makes it sound like they will have to do a complete GUI re-install if I uncheck it later....which would be unacceptable.

Can I simply set the polling time for clients to "0" in auto update config on the server, then we push the clients via login script, and once our end user population are all on 7.2 I can set the polling time back to "12" or "24" hours and let them begin receiving updates from the server?

Any help would be greatly appreciated, because we want to get this rolled out, but unfortunately the documentation doesn't seem to cover these topics and I cannot have the new client just start rolling out to everyone since it's not in the scope of our distribution.

Thanks again!

Accepted Solutions (1)

Accepted Solutions (1)

Former Member
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hello Ben,

Can a 7.2 Installation Server co-exist on the SAME Windows Server at the same time as a 7.1 server, as long as their installation location is different?

I run today into an error doing excactly this. On your server is only one SAP Frontend Software Distribution Service which is pointing to a NwSapSetupDs.exe. Configuring LSH on an 720 breaks LSH from 710 and vice versa.

Or can I just uninstall the old 7.1 server without interrupting my end users daily work (no more updates are being pushed to them) and then install the new 7.2 server where 7.1 resided?

I tried this way:

It worked on my test client, although it is not an official way to replace 710 trough 720

kind regards

Alexander

Former Member
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Hi Alex,

Thanks for the link. I was able to get the two IS servers installed in my test environment using different home folder locations. I am now trying to see whether I can disable "automatic workstation updates", roll out the new GUI using logon scripts, and then re-enable the auto updates without it prompting all my users to install the GUI package again.

Thanks and I'll keep you updated.

Former Member
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Thanks in advance, Ben!

Former Member
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Ben,

Would you be interested in a group policy adm file that provides options to control all the auto update settings on Windows clients? I don't see any method of providing attachments here.

Also you have to turn auto update off on the Installation server too. Don't make the same mistake I did which was just turn it off at the client side (ouch!).

Doing it via the GPO settings and server will stop both the double click the saplogon icon action for updating and the automatic service method.

The last thing to be sure, I did was to via group policy disable the "SAPSetup Automatic Workstation Update Service" [computer configuration, windows settings, system services]

The documentation is misleading about the turn back on. I think that a full install is only required if you exclude the autoupdate service as a component during install.

All the above can be flipped back on when needed down the road.

I was not successful in trying to put two install environments (7.10 and 7.20) on the same server. Word back from SAP Support was it's not possible.

Bob H

Former Member
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Hi Bob,

We actually have developed our own GPO / Logon script for our environment, but thanks for the offer!

I have been testing in my SNDBOX environment and yes, I am absolutely turning off auto-updates server side. I also found out that you are correct the documentation is misleading. I was able to simply re-enable them after pushing the new 7.20 software and they started working again without re-install.

I actually tried the "two instances" and submitted an OSS Message to SAP about it. You are correct, having two instances on one box is unsupported. So I tried two different upgrade paths.

1. I uninstalled the 7.10 server and it did not disrupt my "clients" in my test environment. I was able to cleanly install the 7.20 server and then push the new package to them via GPO/Script.

2. Above, Alex has linked to his own steps for "upgrading" a 7.10 instance to 7.20. I also tried this and it worked.

So these both seem to be valid. I was able to have a fully functioning 7.20 IS and neither method blew up my test server.

Thanks for the detailed reply BTW.

Former Member
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UPDATE = The SAP Front End documentation warning about if you turn auto updating OFF on the admin console .... is correct! You cannot just click it back on and expect auto update to work.

You will need to re-install the component for auto updates on all your front end clients.

Not hard to do ... but the command DOES have to be run on the front end client.

Example: ..\Setup\NwSapSetup.exe /Product="SAPWUS" /nodlg

Once it's back on and if you have updated your installation server with patches, they will flow down to the client.

Bob

Answers (1)

Answers (1)

Former Member
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We were able to upgrade to 7.20 using the supported SAP best practices for installing the new 7.20 server after uninstalling the old 7.10 instance.