SAP installation on external harddrive

[Former Member]

Here is my questions to gr8 admins

I am nothing in Windows and BASIS, I am trying to install SAP on external harddrive. I came to know after installing; it needs services to be started in windows.

Here what I want is - I want to install SAP on a external harddisk and I need to be able to work SAP with any other systems.

Is this scenario possible.

Let me know the earliest.

Thank you.

Sreedhar.

[Former Member]

Installing SAP on an external disk will be very slow and it is not recommended.

[Former Member]

I know that -but I like to know the processess to run the SAP which are on external harddisk.

Is it possible that - if we install SAP on external harddisk and taking that to connect to another harddisk and running with that another system.

Let me know please.

Thank you.

[Former Member]

Hi Sreedhar,

When you install SAP on external harddisk, many of files get install into your system drive and plenty of settings get saved in registry.

Once you connect same harddisk on other sytem then you won't be able to start SAP ( Same harddisk on other system), as windows files, services and other process gets missing on the new (other) system.

Hope its clear.

Cheers

Deepanshu

[Former Member]

Before you even think about SAP, think about your database. Ask the question: What does it take for me to localize my database on an external harddrive, so I can run the database application where ever I go. Once you solve this issue, SAP is actually the easy part.

For SAP in windows environment, these are the places you have to look out for when moving SAP from 1 system to another.

1. Registry.

2. User environment variable for the user running your NT service.

3. Install the proper NT service (use sapstartsrv.exe for this).

4. Server name and IP it's bound to. (you can make your life easier here by using a virtual name and virtual IP).

5. Different physical servers are going to have different hardware keys, resulting in multiple SAP licenses. This means, it could mean more $ cost to you.

Back to localizing database on an external harddrive:

1. This is nearly impossible from application level, due to local bits, registry, etc.

2. I would do this by placing the data files on the external media and attaching it locally to each server you attach the storage to.

3. However, this means you need to pre-install database on each server you want to move the external hard drive to. Which means more $ cost.