Best Practices for SAP System Installation and Transformation

[daniele_dutra]

Software Provisioning Manager The Software Provisioning Manager offers the execution of many system provisioning tasks and covers a broad range of platforms and products, both on the ABAP and the Java technology. Whether you are going to copy an SAP NetWeaver system, rename an SAP Business Suite system, or install a standalone engine (such as SAP LiveCache), you can handle all these tasks with the Software Provisioning Manager. Read more > Visit our community

Software Provisioning Manager allows you install, copy, transform, split, rename, and uninstall products based on SAP NetWeaver AS ABAP and AS Java. For detailed information and latest updates about Software Provisioning Manager, please check SAP Note 1680045 – Release Note for Software Provisioning Manager 1.0.

If you are going to perform any of the mentioned tasks, please also consider taking some time to review the related set of information below:

Software Provisioning Manager

Software Provisioning Manager is the tool for system installation and transformation: Install a new SAP system or standalone engine, uninstall, copy or migrate the system to a new server with same or different OS and Database configuration, rename your SAP System or change attributes such as hostname and instance number. The Software Provisioning Manager is delivered with Software Logistics Toolset 1.0 and can be downloaded from the link: http://help.sap.com/sltoolset

New patches for the Software Provisioning Manager are released frequently with latest features and fixes for known bug.

Remark: Software Provisioning Manager makes use of the SAPinst framework and it includes the latest SAPinst version for several products and releases – for the underlying SAPinst framework, you can find more information about known issues and patches at:

SAP Note 1548438 – SAPinst Framework 720-2 Central Note

SAP Note 929929 – Latest SAPinst Patch (latest version of Software Provisioning Manager contains latest SAPinst patch)

Installation Guides

In the Installation & Upgrade Documentation central page you can find several comprehensive technical documents organized by area and release. Master Guides, Installation Guides, Upgrade and Configuration guides and System Copy Guides are available.

The required guides can be downloaded from the link:

http://service.sap.com/instguides

Installing and Uninstalling SAP Systems

Please always refer to the specific Software Provisioning Manager Installation Guide of your SAP System’s NetWeaver release, as it contains detailed information to plan and execute installation and uninstallation tasks:

For SAP Systems based on SAP NetWeaver 7.0x
For SAP Systems based on SAP NetWeaver 7.1 and higher

These and other installation guides can also be accessed following this path: http://help.sap.com/sltoolset -> Software Logistics Toolset 1.0 -> (scroll down to the bottom of the page) Documentation  -> System Provisioning. 

System Copy and OS/DB Migration

The Software Provisioning Manager System Copy Guides below must be used for all System Copy or OS/DB migration related activities:

For SAP Systems based on SAP NetWeaver 7.0x
For SAP Systems based on SAP NetWeaver 7.1 and higher 

To support OS/DB Migrations specifically SAP provides Migration services such as the OS/DB Migration Check. With the migration check you manage the risks involved in a migration and prepare to execute it smoothly. The OS/DB Migration Check is mandatory if you are going to migrate a productive system.

Please be aware that when performing a SAP System migration you will also need a Migration Key. This migration key can be generated online (http://service.sap.com/migrationkey), using an S-User account assigned to the source system's installation number. If you are facing any issues with the generated migration key, please see SAP Note 1899381.

Renaming SAP Systems

The System Rename activity is available for SAP Systems based on SAP NetWeaver 7.0x, 7.3 and higher. The technical guides for renaming SAP systems are available at:

Renaming SAP Systems based on SAP NetWeaver 7.0x
Renaming SAP Systems based on SAP NetWeaver  7.3 and Higher

The main SAP Note 1619720 for system rename contains remarks, annotations, and corrections discovered after the release of the original documentation and should also be checked.

Splitting a Dual-Stack System

The Software Provisioning Manager offers the capability of splitting a ABAP+Java system into two separate systems and also has features to reestablish the connectivity between the separated ABAP and Java systems for specific scenarios when required. For planning and executing a Dual-Stack Split, the documentation below serves as reference: 

Dual-Stack split for SAP Systems based on SAP NetWeaver 7.0x
Dual-Stack split for  SAP Systems based on SAP NetWeaver  7.3 and 7.31

See also:

The main SAP Note 1797362 for Dual-Stack Splitting.

Troubleshooting Procedures

Troubleshooting documents for Software Provisioning Manager – http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-62646

For errors or issues not covered in the troubleshooting page, the following SAP Knowledge Base Article can help you finding a solution:

SAP KBA 2081285 - How to get best results from an SAP search?

Additional Resources

Other Software Provisioning Manager related documentation not mentioned here can be accessed from the following path in SAP Service Marketplace: http://help.sap.com/sltoolset -> Software Logistics Toolset 1.0 -> Documentation -> System Provisioning.

Do you have any comments or suggestions? Please post them below.