HOWTO reconfigure/rename a SAP WAS 6.4 server post installation.

[Former Member]

INTRODUCTION/HISTORY:

I am new to SAP, Netweaver and the Enterpirse Portal. Learning on the job.

Our development team uses an environment based on VMWare virtual servers running Win2003 Server and Netweaver 04 ( EP6 SP13 ) with Microsoft SQLServer as the SAP System DB. This installation works correctly and as expected.

Our justification for this setup is that at anytime we can stop and scrap our working VMWare server image[s], copy the original back in it's place, restart the new VMWare server image and have a brand new / cleanly installed Netweaver installation in a matter of minutes rather than hours. As you can imagine, very convenient for new developers learning a new technology.

PROBLEM:

The original/source VMWare image (the one we copy from as it contains a clean Neteaver installation) was built based on a server with a host name of ams-vm-5.

Our problem arises when each developer starts their VMWare server image!!!!! Each VMWare server is identical, hence it shares the same hostname, SAP System name and SAP database name and as you can imagine name resolution conflicts occur!

HOWTO:

After renaming the hostname for the VMWare server, we are trying to reconfigure our SAP installation as the simple hostname change is not sufficient. When restarting the server the SAP WAS doesnt work!

HOW do we correctly reconfigure/rename the server, the SAP Neteaver installation and SQLServer so that they only refererence their newly renamed VMWare server hostname.

I've searched hard for a definitive/official way to do this but cant find a guide.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

[chrisp_vigelius · Accepted solution]

Hi,

I've got no real HOWTO, but some tips which might help (I did the exact same thing some time ago, but unfortunately did not note down the steps I've taken. I still remember it was a little bit tricky):

You have at least to change the start profile in

C:\usr\sap\[SYSTEMID]\SYS\profile\ (look for param SAPGLOBALHOST)

Also check the syslog (in MMC snap-in) and the other log files (usually in C:\usr\sap\[SYSTEMID]\DVEBMSG00\work\); they should contain more information about what went wrong.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Guys,

For J2EE instance adjustment, you can refer to the OSS note 757692 which describes this process. For ABAP, DB, OS changes, the note # 8307 might be helpful:

Regards,

Mike

Message was edited by: Mykhaylo Puzankev

[markus_doehr2]

> I've searched hard for a definitive/official way to do this but cant find a guide.

yes - because renaming an instance by copying an image is not supported.

You may technically be able to get the system up again but especially on Windows renaming the host generates a new GUID and finally invalidates permissions on filesystems, registry keys etc.

The only supported way would be doing a system copy and using a virtual hostname for the instance, so you can simply move the system from one node to another without affecting the runtime.

Markus

[Former Member]

Hi guys,

i have a similar problem. We made a System Copy and moved our SQL-Server to an new host with another name. The system copy worked fine but in the sapmmc the db hostname is displayed wrong. any idea?

[benjamin_houttuin]

Hi Guys,

Just a small extra...

I have implemented the following for a customer and it works great:

1. Create a VMWARE image with OS and DB

2. Create a backup for later use

3. Install the SAP product that you want, let say NW2004S AS JAVA + Portal

4. Update to latest SPS

5. Run the SAP SystemCopy Source Procedure for Homogeneous Systemcopy

- This creates a big package that you can use later

6. Make a backup of your DB or if you use MSSQL Detach the DB an do a file copy

7. Make a new VMWARE instance by creating again a copy of the backup created in step 2.

8. Change the hostname on that VMWARE image

9. Attach or use backup to put DB in DBMS

10. Start the SAP SystemCopy Target Procedure for Homogeneous Systemcopy

11. In a few steps you have a Unique system with his own Hostname and if you want even a New SID!

From my experience, it Works great and also easy to maintain.

Cheers,

Benjamin

[Former Member]

After taking the advice from the OSS note 757692 recommended by Mykhaylo Puzankev we thought things were working well!

I should mention that the OSS Note is targeted at a j2ee installations only, wihtout any other SAP components installed. We have the KM & CM installed.

The changes seemed fine until we attempted to install the TREX component/services. Through more investigation we found references to the old hostname. In particular, the SAPLOCALHOST registry key's value referes to the old hostname, it keeps reverting to the original server host name no matter what we do (almost-see below).

We have tried making SAPLOCALHOST changes with all SAP services tunred off, then with them all turned on... it keeps reverting back!

It appears that newly installed components depend on this SAPLOCALHOST entry, and base their setting on it. We managed a temporary (HORRIBLE hack) solution by removing the SAPServiceJ2E registry 'fullcontrol' permissions on the registry folder (HK_L_M\SOFTWARE\SAP\J2E\Environment) containing SAPLOCALHOST.

Does anybody have any idea how to stop SAPLOCALHOST from reverting to the original hostname (ams-vm-5)? Our new host is named ams-vm-4-i1.

Does SAP encrypt or encode parameter values that it stores on the filesystem or in the database (in our case MSSQLServer). ?

NOTE: I've written stored procedures the interrogate every text field in the database looking for the old host name and have changed any hits there. Still the SAPLOCALHOST values reverts!!!

[Former Member]

Hello D. Theo.

I know it is an old thread, but still interesting.

We copied a VM with NW7 SR2 JAVA AS, EP, EPC and changed the hostname on the new VM.

After applying Note 757692 and installing a new license the SAP system ran fine.

But once we tried to do a Service Pack Stack implementation or any sapinst activity, it shutted down the wrong instance on the old host. No so funny I can tell you .....

The resolution was simple but crazy:

The sapinst reads the sap profile file name and determines the hostname accordingly. It does nto determine the hostname according to the content of the file, but of the file name itself, strange.

After changing the profile name and changing the Windows services to use the new file name to startup, everything works fine.

Maybe this can be a solution for others also.

This note explains thie behaviour a bit

https://service.sap.com/sap/support/notes/81611

Kind regards

Stefan Molzen

Edited by: Stefan Molzen on Oct 7, 2009 10:37 AM

[Former Member]

We've made the following changes in attempt to reconfigure the installation:

STEP 1.

rename server hostname from ams-vm-5 to ams-vm-5-i1 (Computer Names Changes in System Properties, WINKEY + Break)

STEP 2.

Using the SAP Visual Admin tool changed

Global Configuration > Dispatcher > Kernel > ClusterManager > ms.host = ams-vm-5-i1

Global Configuration > Dispatcher > Kernel > LockingManager > unqu.host = ams-vm-5-i1

Global Configuration > Server > Kernel > ClusterManager > ms.host = ams-vm-5-i1

Global Configuration > Server > Kernel > LockingManager > unqu.host = ams-vm-5-i1

STEP 3.

Run SQL Server Manager and manually start Server instance named 'ams-vm-5-i1'

Run SAP Config Tool and browsed through all entries in an attempt to change the old hostname references to the new, i.e. ams-vm-5-i1

STEP 4.

In SAP Config Tool

instance > message Server & Bootstrap > Message Server Host ams-vm-5-i1

STEP 5.

stop all instances in SAPMMC

edit \usr\sap\j2e\sys\exe\run\strdbsj2ee.cmd

change old hostname references to new

Note: this seems to allow the database to start correctly.

STEP 6

stop sqlserver

edit \Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\80\Tools\Binn\cnfgsvr.ini

change old hostname references to new

Note: not sure if this has had any effect.

FINALLY:

We've restarted the VMWare server and isolated the machine from the network and it appears to work... BUT

When we opent he SAPMMC console it still lists

'ams-vm-5' as the SAP System database name.

'ams-vm-5 0' as greyed out server instance.

I've manually added 2 instances under the SAP System J2E, they are named 'ams-vm-5-i1 0' and 'ams-vm-5-i1 1'. These are displayed and are green.

MORE QUESTIONS:

If this is the correct process ( I sort of doubt it as there as still ams-vm-5 references hanging around inside txt, ini, cfg, etc files - I've done a search post modifications ) how can I get the correct SAP System database to be displayed for the SAP System J2E?