SAP Kernel Upgrade

SAP Basis Team

Linux
Estimated Time: 55 – 59 minutes, 10 seconds
Difficulty Level: Basic-Medium

Date 23/04/20
Version V7.0
Revision Cristobal García, Guillermo Vivaldo
Tester Sebastian Andrew, Lucía Gomez, Gonzalo Galván, Lucía Ramón
Approvals Guillermo Vivaldo
Cristobal García
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Table of Contents

Version Control ............................................................................................................................... 3

Quality Check Control ..................................................................................................................... 5

Objective ......................................................................................................................................... 6

Previous concepts ........................................................................................................................... 7

Prerequisites (9-13 minutes) .......................................................................................................... 8

1) Validations and backup (4-5 minutes) .................................................................................. 8
1.1) SAPLOCALHOSTFULL (1 minute) ............................................................................... 8
1.2) Kernel version validations (2 minutes) ..................................................................... 9
1.3) Kernel Backup (2-3 minutes)................................................................................... 10
2) Download Software (5-8 minutes) ..................................................................................... 12

Main Procedure (16 minutes, 10 seconds) ................................................................................... 15

1) Moving media to Kernel Path (2-2 minutes, 30 seconds) .................................................. 15
2) Stop SAP Instance (3 minutes, 10 seconds) ........................................................................ 17
3) Decompressing and Updating (8 minutes) ......................................................................... 19
4) Start SAP Instance (2 minutes, 30 seconds) ....................................................................... 22

Post-steps (34 minutes) ................................................................................................................ 23

1) Validating New Kernel (1 minute) .................................................................................. 23
2) Run Transaction SGEN (35 minutes approx) .................................................................. 24
3) Basis Healthcheck (9 minutes) ....................................................................................... 26

Bibliography .................................................................................................................................. 27

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Version Control
Version Date of Modified by Commentaries
modification

1.0 19/03/20 Gerardo Arellano Creation of the document.

You want to upgrade
compatible 7.53 kernel in
Application Server ABAP or AS
Java instead of an earlier
kernel.

2.0 24/03/20 Guillermo Vivaldo Added the process of stop and

star SAP, added updates to the
process. Bibliography field was
added.

3.0 26/03/20 Gerardo Arellano Review of details and addition

of missing steps.

3.1 27/03/20 Guillermo Vivaldo Redaction mistakes were

corrected. Validation of
additions of Gerardo Arellano.
Quality Check control table
added.

4.0 6/04/20 Gerardo Arellano Addition of information

required to complete the
activity successfully.

5.0 15/04/20 Guillermo Vivaldo The document to Stop/Start

SAP was attached; the
redundancy of kernel backup
process was removed (this step
will appear only in pre-steps
section). Orthographic mistakes
were corrected.

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5.1 15/04/20 Lucía Ramon Images updated based on the

testing that was executed.
SGEN post step was added

6.0 16/04/20 Guillermo Vivaldo Details added on “Download

Software” section, adjustment
on some images, corrections on
redaction and orthographic
mistakes, times added and
updated on Table of contents.

6.1 20/04/20 Guillermo Vivaldo ABAP Healthcheck was

attached as part of post steps
activities.

7.0 23/04/20 Guillermo Vivaldo The option of compressed

kernel backup was stablished as
standard. Additions and
corrections of screenshots on
sappfpar and sapcpe log steps.
SAP Download Manager option
was attached on Download
Software section. Orthographic
errors were corrected.

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Quality Check Control

Document Quality Check

Innovation QA Guillermo Vivaldo

Technical QA Gerardo Arellano, Cristobal García, Guillermo Vivaldo

Sebastián Andrew, Lucía Gomez, Gonzalo Galván, Lucía

Tester QA
Ramón

Recoverable Signature

Reviewer signature
X
Cristobal García
Document approver
Signed by: itgarc

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Objective
Facilitate the process to understand all theorical concepts to define a standard process to execute
a SAP Kernel Upgrade process on a Linux Server, with SAP version 7.2.

The purpose is to replace the old executables from new version according SAP Notes. This update
is normally used to eliminate bugs and other errors. The scope of this document is to SAP BASIS.

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Previous concepts
Kernel is a group of executable programs that exists between SAP Applications and Operating
System. This is the core of the SAP NetWeaver.

Is needed to review the actual version of the kernel to consider all requirements according the
package. i.e. the 7.53 kernel is compatible with the 7.40, 7.41, 7.42, 7.45, and 7.49 kernels. This
means that you can correct errors and benefit from the other improvements in the 7.53 kernel
without having to perform an SAP upgrade.

Below figure you can find the structure of the Kernel files. The procedure is to replace central
information to the local “exe”.

In below figure we can see all diagram about how is built central and local “exe”. The process is
to replace Physical shared directories with the new Kernel, once we have completed the
replacement, it will be needed to replicate to local directories with the command sapcpe.

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Prerequisites (9-13 minutes)

1) Validations and backup (4-5 minutes)

Before starting, check and validate the following prerequisites.

1.1) SAPLOCALHOSTFULL (1 minute)

a. The profile parameter "SAPLOCALHOSTFULL" must be set. The DNS Domain Name is used
to calculate the Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) (Reference to SAP System
Parameters). FQDN is the fully qualified domain name for an IP address. It consists of the
host name and the domain name. Check it on rz11.

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1.2) Kernel version validations (2 minutes)

b. Check the current kernel version:
1.2.1 Go to System > Status:
For Kernel Information , click on the Other Kernel Info icon.

You will see the Kernel information as shown below.

1.2.2 Check at operating system level; with user <sid>adm, then execute script
disp+work. This will provide you, details about actual Kernel Version and its patch
number.

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1.3) Kernel Backup (2-3 minutes)

c. For better practices, it is strongly recommended that you backup the central kernel
directory before the kernel change so that you can return to this state if necessary.
The central kernel directory is usually specified by the value of the profile parameter
DIR_CT_RUN (check it on rz11) normally given by the next standard structure:
Linux → /usr/sap/<SID>/SYS/exe/uc/<linuxx86_64>

Windows → S:\usr\sap\<SID>\SYS\exe\uc\<NTAMD64>
AIX → /usr/sap/<SID>/SYS/exe/uc/<rs6000_64>
d. Proceed to create the backup of the kernel there are two options to create the kernel’s
backup:
Creating a compressed backup of the kernel’s folder.

Login with <sid>adm

>cdexe
>tar -cvf linuxx86_64.tar /usr/sap/<SID>/SYS/exe/uc/<linuxx86_64>
>ls -rlta | grep tar

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Important Note: The same Kernel should be installed on all servers in a system (CI and other
applications servers).

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2) Download Software (5-8 minutes)

• On your Citrix session, download kernel medias from Support packages and patches
(Refer to SAP Note 19466 for more information of downloading the correct medias):
• Select “By Alphabetical Index (A-Z)” ---> “K “

• Select SAP kernel <bit> <uc> (here search and select the one, based on the specifications
of the system you have been checking disp+work or at SAP level as mentioned on
Prerequisites section)

• Based on the SAP kernel <bit> <uc> selected now proceed to select the SAP <release> (...)
---> Once There choose <operating system> ---> both #Database Independent and
<database specific> archives, for this example the database of this SAP System is ORACLE.

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SAPEXE.SAR contains all the files that are independent of the database that is used to run the
application server. Thus, all customers running the application server on a particular operating
system platform install the SAPEXE.SAR package belonging to this platform independently of the
database they use.

SAPEXEDB.SAR contains all files needed for the application server that depend on the specific
database in use.

Example:

Copy all downloaded media on local folder on fitmedia shares of the respective bat site:
For example:
\\10.130.19.83\bata
\\10.130.19.83\batb
…

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Note: According with the initial requirement, please review which other components need to be
added, please consider if the components are DB independent or in other case review the
dependency of the DB (HANA, Oracle, Sybase, etc.) i.e.
DB independent

Oracle dependent

Note: As an additional option you can download your software using the SAP Download Manager
(Refer to the attached file)

Basis_SAPDownloa
dManager_ITAREL_V1.1_ALL_Windows_20200423.docx

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Main Procedure (16 minutes, 10 seconds)

1) Moving media to Kernel Path (2-2 minutes, 30 seconds)

Kernel refers to all executable programs, libraries, and other files contained in the central
directory for executable files. These are located in:

For Linux/Unix → /<sapmnt>/<SAPSID>/SYS/exe/<nuc|uc>/<platform>

To start follow these steps:

1. Log on as the user <sid>adm and change to profile folder, in case of Linux you can type
cdpro and automatically you will redirect to profile path (20 seconds).

2. Once there, find the instance profile (20 seconds).

3. Find parameter by executing "sappfpar pf=<instance pf with full path>" then write on
“Parameter-Name” DIR_CT_RUN to find the path where kernel is located (20 seconds).

Note: in case of Linux systems you can execute the command “cdexe” to redirect
automatically to the location of the kernel (30 seconds).

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4. Copy SAR files from fitmedia shares one level above, in this case on
“/usr/sap/<SID>/SYS/exe/uc” (1 minute).

> cp -r </BATC/KERNELUPGRADE/*> /usr/sap/FIM/SYS/exe/uc

5. Copy the SAPCAR located on current kernel’s folder to the folder where you move the
SAR files “/usr/sap/<SID>/SYS/exe/uc” (30 seconds).
> cp ./linuxx86_64/SAPCAR ./

Ensure that SAPCAR file has been copied correctly.

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2) Stop SAP Instance (3 minutes, 10 seconds)

At this point you need to stop SAP. Also, stop “sapstartsrv” processes of the SAP system. For this
procedure you need only to stop SAP services, you don’t need to stop the database (to stop SAP
instances refer the attached document and also you can refer to Starting and Stopping SAP
Systems Based on SAP NetWeaver).

Basis_StopStartSAP_
ITVIVA_V3.1_ALL_Linux_20200423.docx

1. If the kernel upgrade takes place from a kernel release below 7.42, the SCSA must be
deleted. Execute "cleanipc <instance_number> remove" 2 times to delete the SCSA. This
is important, since the structure of the SCSA has changed in SAP Kernel Release 7.42 (40
seconds).

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2. Validate Sap Instances are down (30 seconds).

3. Once you have Stop SAP instance, ensure that there are no more SAP process hanging or
running. (1 minute).

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3) Decompressing and Updating (8 minutes)

Once SAP has been stopped, proceed to execute the following decompressing steps:

1. Extract kernel archives by "SAPCAR -xfj <SAR_file> -R <destination folder>". First extract
SAPEXE and SAPEXEDB SAR files and then the rest (dw sar, lib_dbsl sar, in case it was
required) (3 minutes).

2. Once you finished decompressing the files, change permission and owner of kernel files.
(1 minute).
> As root user
> chmod -R 755 <kernel folder>/* and “chown -R <sid>adm:sapsys <kernel folder>/*”

Note: chmod -R 755: is used to give read and execution permissions.

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3. Also, as root user proceed to run script saproot.sh (1 minute).

> As root user

> <kernel_folder>/saproot.sh <SID>

4. Execute sapcpe to replicate central “exe” to local kernel. This command must be running
as <sid>adm user as follow (3 minutes).

a. In case of CI or PAS application

i. cd /usr/sap/<SID>/DVEBMGS<XX>/work
ii. sapcpe pf=/sapmnt/<SID>/profile/<instance_profile>

Where <XX> is the instance number.

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b. In case of AAS or another applications servers

i. cd /usr/sap/<SID>/D<XX>/work
ii. sapcpe pf=/sapmnt/<SID>/profile/instance_profile

Where <XX> is the instance number of the AAS.

Instance profile is the instance for each server, i.e. RR2_DVEBMGS10_cina08v235 or

RR2_D10_cina08v361 in such case.

Review the log generated for this sapcpe, located in the same patch. These logs should
not contain any error.

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4) Start SAP Instance (2 minutes, 30 seconds)

1. Once you have finished this process proceed to bring SAP services up again (Refer to the
attached documentation to start SAP. Also for more technical information related with
start SAP process you can refer to Starting and Stopping SAP Systems Based on SAP
NetWeaver).

Basis_StopStartSAP_
ITVIVA_V3.1_ALL_Linux_20200423.docx

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Post-steps (34 minutes)

Once SAP services are up, check the new kernel version as following:

1) Validating New Kernel (1 minute)

1. Go to System > Status > Other kernel information (30 seconds).

2. At Operating system level run disp+work (30 seconds).

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2) Run Transaction SGEN (35 minutes approx)

SGEN: Stands for SAP Load Generator, is a transaction used to compile ABAP repository objects
that are newly delivered into the system, either via an installation or via an upgrade/support
package import. Here the term "Load" refers to an ABAP runtime object, used on ABAP
environments.

1. Go to SGEN and mark the option of “Generate all objects of selected components” and
then click on “Components” option

Then select the Software Components installed in your system to Compile (Select All)

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2. On the Selection of the application servers for parallel generation do not change anything
and click on Continue.

3. Start the Job on Job Monitor for checking the progress of the generation in the
background (25-27 minutes).
Here You can start Job to compile or schedule Job

Click on Refresh to see the progress of the execution of the job.

Keep monitoring the Job Status.

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3) Basis Healthcheck (9 minutes)

Perform a Healthcheck process (Refer the ABAP Healthcheck file attached).

Basis_ABAPHealthch
eck_ITVIVA_V2.0_ALL_ALL_20200825.docx

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Bibliography
SAP NetWeaver Library: Function-Oriented View. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://help.sap.com/viewer/ff18034f08af4d7bb33894c2047c3b71/7.4.18/en-
US/47fd7230eca159e8e10000000a421937.html

SAP System Parameters. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://help.sap.com/viewer/4525cac38cb94d15aadb1feaacee7836/CURRENT_VERSIO
N/en-US/fe3f4554f82b1d5de10000000a44538d.html

Support SAP . (n.d.). Retrieved from https://launchpad.support.sap.com/#/notes/ 19466

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