Upgrade from 4.0B to ECC 6.0 on iSeries

[Former Member]

Last time we were looking at an upgrade to ECC 5.0, we were told we would have to do an upgrade to 4.6C first and then a migration to Unicode. I have now had 2 consultants tell me that is not necessary - basically that we can go straight from 4.0B to ECC 6.0. Methinks they don't know naything about the iSeries but I've been wrong before (once or twice). Can someone give me the definitive answer here? (or a reference to the definitive OSS note) Do we need to go to 4.6C and do the Unicode migration first or not? Thanks - Rick

[markus_doehr2 · Accepted solution]

Check the official upgrade guide on page 25 (Upgrade - Step by step point 15):

[...]

Source Releases of the SAP Systems:

SAP R/3 3.1I

SAP R/3 4.0B

SAP R/3 4.5B

[...]

so yes - you can upgrade from 4.0B.

--

Markus

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Do you have a link to that "official upgrade guide"? The one I have doesn't have anything like that on page 25. The question isn't can I upgrade, the question is can I upgrade directly without stopping to do the EBCDIC to ASCII migration? If so, is there now a facility to do that migration after the upgrade as none of the releases after 4.6C support the EBCDIC database?

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

OK, if the "official upgrade guide" you are talking about is the "SAP NetWeaver 2004S Application Server ABAP for i5/OS", then my copy says (in point 14):

14. You check the software requirements [page 55]:

Source release [page 55] of the SAP system:

SAP Basis 4.6D

SAP Web Application Server 6.10

SAP Web Application Server 6.20

SAP Web Application Server 6.40

I remain confused. Anyone else have a take on this?

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Rick,

unfortunately I have to tell you, that your consultants and the postings above are WRONG ;-((

The general guide is correct for everything except iSeries and your guide is a "basis guide only" => it does not cover 4.6C that would be the "in between release" for you.

You have to upgrade to 4.6C first (on EBCDIC) - then you have to do a codepage conversion on 4.6C level to ASCII. Then you can upgrade to ECC 6.0 that is ONLY provided in ASCII or Unicode but NOT in EBCDIC !!!!

I don't know where this is exactly documented (there are "millions" of places) - perhaps the SAP collegues do have an easy idea here ...

What should you do ?

You should thing on a 3-4 days downtime and do all in one step - ugly, but in my eyes the only useful solution. We did this several times in such situations => it is reliable and supported from SAP.

Regards

Volker Gueldenpfennig, consolut.gmbh

http://www.consolut.de - http://www.4soi.de - http://www.easymarketplace.de

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Rick,

here the you can find the desired information - especially in the first note:

- Note 529887 - Future Directions mySAP.com on IBM eServer iSeries

- Note 500950 - iSeries: R/3 EBCDIC --> ASCII Codepage Conversion Doc.

Regards

Volker Gueldenpfennig, consolut.gmbh

http://www.consolut.de - http://www.4soi.de - http://www.easymarketplace.de

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Volker,

Thanks - as I noted above, the only info I could find said I needed to do as you said (must be at 4.6D on iSeries before upgrading to ECC 6). Sort of makes me think I should rule out consultants who tell me otherwise. (as in, they don't really know the 400)

Thanks,

Rick

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Rick,

I would say, you are perfectly on track )

Except, that it is 4.6C in your case, as 4.6D R3 doesn't exist ...

Regards

Volker Gueldenpfennig, consolut.gmbh

http://www.consolut.de - http://www.4soi.de - http://www.easymarketplace.de