SAP JVM 4.1 Switch Procedure

[Former Member]

1. SAP JVM as replacements for Partner JDKs 1.4.2

SAP developed its own Java Virtual Machine (JVM) 1.4.2, named SAP JVM 4 in order to ensure the guaranteed support for SAP Web Application Server 6.40 and SAP NetWeaver 7.0 systems

The advantages of the SAP JVM 4 for customers are:

1. The SAP JVM maintenance period is aligned with the maintenance period of SAP products running on SAP JVM.
2. Problem analysis tools like the SAP JVM Profiler and the SAP Memory Analyzer is supported by SAP JVM 4.
3. The SAP JVM 4 includes supportability enhancements known from SAP JVM 5.1 and 6.1.
4. SAP JVM 4 is the standard JDK included in Enhancement Package 3 for NetWeaver 7.0.
5. Appropriate performance for SAP applications, comparable to currently used vendor JDKs.

2. Recommendation on when toswitch to the SAP JVM

Starting October 1st 2012, the SAP JVM 4 is the only supported option. Therefore, please switch to SAP JVM 4 now as the partner JDKs are not supported anymore.

3.  Downloading the Standard Installation Guide

You can download the standard installation guide for your operating system from the http://service.sap.com/instguides under “SAP JVM Switch Tool”.
Please go through the installation guide before performing the SAPJVM switch. However the steps provded in this document are sufficient.

4. SAP JVM Compatibility

The SAP JVM 4 was released for the respective operating system platforms starting beginning in May 2011The following operating system platforms are available:

1. Windows (all processor types = x86_32, x86_64, IA64)
2. Solaris (all processor types = SPARC64, x86_64)
3. Linux (x86_32, x86_64, IA64, zSeries, Power)
4. HP-UX (all Processor types = PA-RISC64, IA64)
5. AIX
6. IBM

The SAP JVM 4 is certified for all
Operating System platforms supported by SAP for the appropriate applications and
has comparable performance with the 3rd party vendor JVM in standardized
benchmarks.

5. SAP JVM installation prerequisites

The SAP JVM requires specific operating system versions, additional libraries and library patches.

The list of minimum requirements for the operating system versions. Required additional libraries and library patches are listed in the Note 1367498.

Usually it has been observed if you keep updating your OS from time to time, then the requirements suggested in thenote would be met and no extra action is required. However its recommended to check once before you start.

6. Downloading SAP JVM Switch Tool and SAPJVM 4

Following two software archives are required for the switch to the SAP JVM 4:

SAPJVMSWITCH<version>.SAR

SAPJVM4<version>.SAR

These can be downloaded from Service Market Place. How to unzip and store these files, has been shown in the screenshots below

a. SAPJVM Switch Tool: To download follow the below link

http://service.sap.com/swdc

Support Packages and Patches -> My Company’s Application Components -> Complimentary Software -> SAP JVM 4.1 Switch Tool

SAPJVMSWITCH<version>.SAR

b.SAPJVM 4.1 : To download follow the below link

http://service.sap.com/swdc

Support Packages and Patches -> My Company’s Application Components -> Complimentary Software-> SAPJVM 4.1

SAPJVM<version>.SAR

7. Performing the SAPJVM switching:

Perform the below steps in every application server Instance host of your system:
1. Make a new directory in the local file system of the host of SAP instance and put the two SAR files SAPJVMSWITCH<version>.SAR  and SAPJVM<version>.SAR
2. Extract the SAPJVMSWITCH<version>.SAR using SAPCAR and do not unpack the SAPJVM<version>.SAR
3. Start the sapinst that is extracted from the SAPJVMSWITCH<version>.SAR file and follow the below steps:

7.1 Checking old JVM environment variable

Before you start installation with sapinst, check the old/existing JVM environment variable

7.2 Extracting JVM Files

Before you start installation with sapinst, check
Create folder named SAPJVM4.1 in /usr/sap/<SID> which should contain these two JVM files as shown below.
Only unpack SAPJVMSWITCH file.

7.3 Starting SAPINST (with screenshots)

Execute the ./sapinst to start the setup of SAPJVM

Select the path for profile directory above

select the path where SAPJVM4 is kept

Click Next, not major changes are required unless you specifically want any

Click Next

Click Next

You can select the checkbox above. Selecting the checkbox will automatically restart the JAVA system once the installation is done.

Preferably you can leave it black and manually restart the SAP instance once the installation process gets over, when the server has been scheduled for downtime for its restart.

Click Next

Installation in progress

installation completes, prompting you can now restart your SAP system

The switch from JDK to SAP JVM is completed above.
Click OK

8. Follow up activities:

1. Close all the terminal sessions which you opened for SAP system
2. Login again through PUTTY as SIDADM and password
3. Once you login, execute ‘env’ command to check the environment variable for JAVA_HOME, you would find that it has been appropriately set to new path of SAP JVM (shown below)

The path for JAVA_HOME has been changed above

You can also check with command ‘java –fullversion’

Here the command shows SAPJVM4 -Patch43 is installed on the system.

This is Linux OS

This completed the process of updating SAP JVM 4.1.