Upgrade to NW7.3

[Former Member]

Hi people,

I need to upgrade my Netweaver BI system 7.01 to Netweaver BI system 7.3, but I´ve read the PAM and I could see that the prerequisites are SO (minimum Windows 2008 server) and D.B (mnimum MS SQL 2008) on my case.

Then I should to "export" the system to the new system and after that make the upgrade??

Are there on option to do the process at the same time?

More thanks.

[Former Member]

If I make the migration export cd for the system copy of the JAVA system, after I make the migration export, the source system continues avalaible?

If I have to systems A and B, for to make the system copy and upgrade in parallel without stop the productive server. If I make the system copy with database specific procedure from the server A to server B, now two systems are up in differentes network for to avoid the collision.

My doubt is that the rest of changes in the server A, how can I import this new changes in the new system maked with the system copy of the server A?

[Former Member]

Hi Sergio,

normally the migration procedure is:

- stop source

- export source system using SAP installation master

- transfer export directory to target server

- import data into target system using SAP installation master

- start target

If your system can be copied using database specific procedure, you just use a backup (including redologs) instead of the migration export. But the procedure will stay the same.

Not sure if it's possible to perform a "delayed" copy for a JEE based system, where source system is still running when target system is already built up using a backup. For ABAP there is such a procedure, as ABAP stores all relevant data in database, there is no risk of inconsistencies. In this case you would just stop source as soon as convenient, and then apply the remaining redologs which are still left.

I would not recommend to leave the source system running (or start it again) as soon as the target (with the same hostname and/or SID) has been started. This is only possible (and needed) in very special cases, and involves risks - and should never be used to reduce business downtime. As you considered correctly, you won't get the changes into target which were made after target startup.

So in your scenario, I would propose:

1. maintenance (weekend): copy system from souce to target using same SID and host

2. maintenance (weekend): perform upgrade and combined unicode conversion (CUUC)

Hope this helps, in case of doubts just ask (or test with a sandbox).

Regards, Peter

[Former Member]

Thanks Peter,

I´ve founded with the step of the note 1626284 that explains that Maintenance certificat will must installed in the system.

-----------------------< D053561 18/APR/12 >--------------------------
Roadmap step "Configuration": No valid Maintenance Certificate
If the system doesn't have a valid maintenance certificate at the beginning of the Configuration roadmap step, then errors can occur during this roadmap step. For example: It can happen that Add-ons can't be kept although this should be possible.

I´ve installed the new system in parallel, and both systems are up. The maintenance certificate wasn´t before maked the system copy. The system copy have the same SID but differente Hardware Key.

How can i generate the new license for the new system and the maintenance certificate for to do the upgrade to 7.3?

More thanks-

[Former Member]

Hi Sergio,

Maintenance certificates are issued by the Solution Manager, and implemented (manually) using SLICENSE. Actually most landscapes use automatic distribution, which can be set up using local SDCCN (or Solution Manager: SMSY -> Environment -> Solution Manager Operations -> Administration SDCCN).

More details can be found here:

http://help.sap.com/saphelp_smehp1/helpdata/en/89/a7c08d740c4cffb491f98801f17d30/frameset.htm

Does it mean, you already finished the planned system copy successfully? If SID and hostname are the same, I fear you may get problems when configuring both systems in SolMan. The SolMan may just be able to connect to source (in the old network segment). As mentioned earlier, it's not recommended to keep to production systems online with the same SID / hostname (and should be avoided wherever possible). You didn't give details on your needs in these regards.

If source system is not to be considered as productive anymore, you could remove the entry, put SolMan into the new network segment and create a new entry for the target system. Then you can implement maintenance certificate distribution as described above. Afterwards you can start your upgrade.

Regards,

Peter

[Former Member]

Hello,

I´m reading the upgrade guide to Netweaver 7.3 and in the first chapter 1.1 of the guide explains this:

This document guides you through the upgrade to SAP NetWeaver 7.3 from the following source

releases:

-SAP NetWeaver Process Integration 7.1 and 7.1 including enhancement package 1

-SAP NetWeaver Mobile 7.1 and 7.1 including enhancement package 1

-SAP NetWeaver Composition Environment 7.1, 7.1 including enhancement package 1, and 7.2

It contains all required steps with references to detailed documentation or SAP Notes, where necessary.To upgrade from these source releases, you use the Software Update Manager to which we refer to from this document.

Then my doubt is the next, It´s not possible to make the upgrade from netweaver 7.01 to 7.3?A bit rare?

[Former Member]

Hi Sergio,

I think this should be no problem:

Note 1528990 - SP Equivalence for update/upgrade to SAP NW 7.30

Please consider, that I just checked very fast what information could fit to your question.

You should check all existing documentation for BI 7.01 to 7.3. The upgrade PDF will contain a list of important notes at the beginning, and it's never wrong to do a manual search in Service Marketplace too, just to be sure.

Regards,

Peter

[Former Member]

Hello,

I´m reading the system copy again and I´m getting some doubts about the phase of export.

In the sapinst application there 3 options avalaible

• Export Preparation -->This is optional

-You want to build the target system up to the point where the database load starts, before the export of the source system has finished.

-Export and import processes should run in parallel during the system copy process.

This option is necessary if the target system will replace the source system?

• Table Splitting Preparation

-There are a list of typical large tables or you must to indicate the tables what you consider

• Database Instance Export

-This is the mandatory step to make the export of source system to target? It´s good to make other previous step? table splitting or Export Preparation.

thanks for your patience

[Former Member]

Hi Sergio,

for the scenario you described so far, Option 3 is fully sufficient (Database Instance Export).

The other two are just used to save time (1. for parallel export / import, 2. for speeding up export of large tables by exporting one table with several processes in parallel).

That means: no, you don't have to perform option 1 if target system replaces source system, option 3 is enough.

Regards, Peter

[Former Member]

Hi All,

I have one very quick question and need your help.

We have a Oracle DB of 750GB size and wanted to do a system copy using export and import.

How much time does system export takes for system of such DB size. We have 12 core P series processor and 45GB of RAM size and it is a production system and we will not be able to take downtime for more than 4 hours on weekend.

Thanks,

Rableen

[Former Member]

In the installation guide, says that for to know the time of downtime You must run a test copy. And the time of export+transport+import will be the total time

[Former Member]

Hi Rableen.

You only need to shut down your system for export time.

4 hours will be quite challenging without any export optimization.

With optimization, you could reach 4 hours.

Optimization methods:

- spread the unload process over multiple application servers with distribution monitor (note 855772)

- use package splitter to split the unload into many parallel streams

- use table splitter to split large tables into many parallel processes

- archive any useless data before the export

- delete contents of some temporary tables

- optimize database settings for better unload performance.

BR,

Samuli

[Former Member]

Hello,

I´ve some doubts about the systemcopy and after that make the upgrade. The hostname must to be the same? The url of portal (java stack) is composed from hostname.fqdn:5xx00 if the hostname change, I´ve to do postupgrade tasks for the url conversion?

If I make the systemCopy, Could I to change the SID of the system? Or must to be the same of the source system?

The steps for the system copy, the main steps:

1-.Make the export of the source system with the Installation Master DVD

2-.Copy the export file to the target server.

3-.Install the rdbms MSSQL 2008 in the target system

4-.Make the installation(or import) of the system with the Installation Master DVD, and using the export file of the source system, and the diferents DVD Material(Kernell....)

This is correct?

Other doubt is that in the systemcopy guide says that "Make sure that the versions of the SAP system and the installation tools are the same on the target

and source systems". Then If I´ve MSSQL 2005 in the source system and will have MSSQL 2008 in the target system, what is the process?

More thanks

[Former Member]

Hi,

if you deactivate the old host, then you may reuse the hostname (is a bit tricky during transition process, but possible).

If not, then you get a new hostname and copy tools will take care of hostname-transition. Frontends then will have to use the new URL (as well as all the other systems communicating with your Portal).

SID-change is not recommended as far as I know.

Your procedure is correct so far, kindly consider the documentation analysis before (check notes and copy guides).

Regards,

Peter

[Former Member]

Thanks Peter for your answer.

The change of the hostname will be easy,not? I make the export, copy the content to and HDD External, change the network or quit the Source system of the network, and then in the new server put this hosname.

The problem could be the system that are conected to source system, but the conections will failed since the modifications will make.

But I can export and db mssql 2003 and imported in the target system on MSSQL 2008?¿?

[Former Member]

Hello Sergio,

If you are replacing your source system with the target system then,

1) You should keep the SID same as source system otherwise end users will get confuse. If you are   Creating the test system then you can keep different SID.

2) Similarly Hostname should be kept same if you are replacing source with target.

3) When you are exporting DB with R3load /Jload, it creates OS and DB independent dump, if you are using this method, then any target combination should work.

I hope this might help you...

Cheers,
Vishal

[Former Member]

Hi,

change of hostname will be implicitly done by system copy tools.

In production environment of course it's recommended to test this first.

Regarding database conversion:

Yes, you should be able to export 2003 and import 2008. It's just the question, if you can perform a homogeneous system copy, or if you have to perform an heterogeneous one (migration).

I suppose it's homogeneous, but didn't find the respective SAP notes on short notice.

Maybe this blog will help you:

http://blogs.technet.com/b/lobapps/archive/2010/09/29/upgrading-your-sap-databases-to-sql-server-200...

Regards,

Peter

[Former Member]

I want to upgrade the NW 7.0 with ehp1 to NW 7.3. The MSSQL 2005 is not supported, then I´ve to upgrade to MSSQL 2008.

The copy is considered homogeneous,no? The OS and DB are the same, the unique diference is that the version of them (Windows 2003 server to Windows 2008 and MSSQL 2005 to MSSQL 2008)

[Former Member]

Yes it would be hogenious system copy..

Please check http://scn.sap.com/thread/1799888

Regards,

Vishal

[Former Member]

Hi Sergio,

The OS/DB upgrade must be performed before the SAp upgrade. If you plan to use a new HW then yes you should follow the approach. I guess NW 701 is supported by Windows 2008 and MS-SQL 2008. If so export to new hardware is an option indeed but ideally you do a testing for this HW migration (OS/DB upgrade) as well.

Regards.

Ruchit.

[Former Member]

Thanks Ruchit for your answer.

The actual HW has installed Windows 2003 and MSSQL 2005, then the new system must be NW 7.3.

Then the process is prepare the new system with the MSSQL 2008 and Windows 2008, then:

1-.Make the system copy, for to export from server 1 to server 2 and after that

2-.Make the upgrade in the new server from Netweaver 7.01 to Netweaver 7.3.

In the 2 step, I think that I could make the unicode conversion with the upgrade process,no?

Theses are the typicall steps to do in this environment (upgrade to NW7.3)

[Former Member]

Hi Sergio,

Yeah this should worK.

regards.

Ruchit.