What’s new in SAP NetWeaver 7.3 – A Basis perspective Part-I
There are various materials present about features of SAP NetWeaver 7.3 but not all of them are directly useful for Basis people like us. So I thought to collect some of differences/features which I noticed.
I know some folks will say that not all features are introduced in 7.3 some of them were introduced in 7.1 and 7.2, but I am a greedy man and I wanted to increase number of features 😛 in this blog so I included them as well. Beside it will be helpful to those who haven’t got chance to work with 7.1 or 7.2 and directly started working with 7.3.
So lets begin…
1. SAP NetWeaver 7.3 Goes Green
With NW7.3 you can save more energy from architectural perspective, you can get details of it here, I find it interesting.
http://scn.sap.com/community/sustainability/green-it/blog/2011/06/06/sap-netweaver-73-goes-green
2. SAP NetWeaver 7.3 – Lean Avatar
- In the process integration, a Java-only, lightweight advanced adapter engine is now available for NetWeaver 7.3, eliminating the need to run SAP NetWeaver Process Integration (SAP NetWeaver PI) as a dual stack.
- From SAP NetWeaver 7.30, customers can reduce their hardware needs as a result of common deployment options for all Java usage types, including enterprise portals, SAP NetWeaver BW, and SAP NetWeaver Composition Environment (SAP NetWeaver CE), with one unified Java application server.
- NetWeaver Portal 7.3 uses half as much memory on average to execute navigations.
- NetWeaver Portal 7.3 server node starts up much faster than 7.01, with improvement of 33% in average.
3. Instances Naming convention
As of SAP NetWeaver 7.1, the concept and naming of SAP system instances has changed. The terms “central instance” and “dialog instance” are no longer used. Instead, the SAP system consists of the following instances:
- Application server instances
Application server instances can be installed as “primary application server instance” (PAS) or “additional application server instances” (AAS).
- Central services instance
- Database instance
4. The Central Services Instance ABAP – ASCS
The central services instance for ABAP (ASCS instance) is now installed with every SAP ABAP system distribution option:
❶ Standard System ❷ Distributed System ❸High-Availability System
The enqueue replication server instance (ERS instance) can now be installed together with the central services instance for every installation :
- Standard System (optional)
- Distributed System (optional)
- High-Availability System (mandatory)
At the time of SCS installation if we can select the above option it will install ERS instance as well.
Though I am such a naive person who is failed to understand the purpose of having ERS instance on same host where we are having Enqueue server.
5. The Central Services Instance ABAP – ASCS
With new Installation Master for ABAP+Java, SAPInst does not provide option for separate ASCS and SCS Instance. Though it can be separated manually after installation on different host.
6. Split Off ASCS Instance
SAPInst now has an option to “Split Off ASCS Instance”
With the option Split Off ASCS Instance from Existing Primary Application Server Instance, you can split off an central services instance for ABAP (ASCS instance) from the primary application server instance of an existing ABAP system or ABAP+Java (dual-stack) system.
7. Solution Manager Key
As of SAP NetWeaver 7.3, Solution-Manager-Key at the time of Installation is not asked/required by SAPInst.
Even in previous installation people found out the way to generate the Solution Manager Key out of SolMan System.
http://kohanov.com/tmp/sap_keys.vbs
8. Start Profile Merged
As of SAP NetWeaver 7.3, Start Profile has been removed as separate file.
In earlier versions of NetWeaver there were 1 Default profile per SAP system, 1 Start profile per Instance and 1 Instance profile per instance.
Now the Start profile contents are merged with Instance profile. With help of new Instance profile SAP processes are started and at the same time instance specific parameters are read.
This removed total number of profile files. 1 Default profile per SAP System, 1 instance profile per instance.
Now Profile Directory will look neater !!
9. JSPM (Java Support Package Manager) Initial credential requirement changed
- While starting JSPM – SDM password is not being prompted, Instead you need to provide Java Admin User ID and password.
- While deploying and upgrading components it needs restart of just Java and sometime complete SAP restart, for which Admin User ID at OS level and its password is asked.
- SDM is replaced with JSPM and directory SDM is altogether removed.
- Un-deployment of SCA’s/EAR files are not possible using JSPM. You have to use NWDI for this purpose.
- No support for PAR files. All portal applications are now EAR (Enterprise Archive) based, PAR migration tool for converting PAR files to EAR files
10. JCMON changed menu
After NetWeaver 7.01 JCMON menu 20: Local Administration Menu is non functional.
Select opton Solid Rock …. name is funny I mean Rocks are solid anyway 😆
and you will able to see which state of different components/nodes. Unlike previous version I didn’t find refresh option here, so go back and come to this menu again for recent view.
11. Visual Admin Vs NWA
As of SAP NetWeaver 7.1, Visual Admin has been replaced with NWA
12. Support Pack Stack
Earlier in NetWeaver 7.0, For a Support Pack Stack the release level of BW component was generally 2 release ahead of the ABAP and Basis component.
Now all components are released on same level.
Please continue with second part of this blog.
What’s new in SAP NetWeaver 7.3 – A Basis perspective Part-II
My other Blogs, if you have time…
Bye bye STRUSTSSO2: New Central Certificate Administration NW7.3
Escaping tough moments of SPAM or SAINT
SAP Software Provisioning Manager : with screenshots
Multiple/Bulk transports with tp script for Unix (AIX, Solaris, HP-UX, Linux)
Script for deleting files within a directory structure with different retention days
Holistic Basis View: BusinessObjects BI 4.0 SP 2 Installation & Configuration
How to Rename the Oracle Listener & Change Listener port for SAP
OSS1 & RFC connections SAPOSS, SAPNET_RFC, SDCC_OSS
Start/Stop SAP along with your Unix Server Start/Stop
Interrelation: SAP work process, OPS$ mechanism, oracle client & oracle shadow process
Install and configure NetWeaver PI 7.3 Decentralize Adapter part-1
Install and configure NetWeaver PI 7.3 Decentralize Adapter part-2
List of Newly added/converted Dynamic parameter in NetWeaver 7.3
Sunset for ops$ mechanism: No more supported by Oracle & Not Used by SAP
Hi Ishteyaq,
Nice blog. I have also noticed there is no Java dispatcher anymore, icm does the purpose. Not sure since what version it changed.
Thanks,
Samik
Thanks for your input Dada,
I will update this point in my next free time.
Java Dispatcher disappeared in NW 7.1, along with Visual Admin.
Point 11 is what I have been looking for...Thanks
Very Nice Blog. Thanks for sharing the information.
Is it possible to use "Autostart =1" parameter an if it possible where can put it into instance profile file.
Hi Kisselve,
If I am not wrong "Autostart =1" is only for Windows systems, there it should be added in start profile. if your system is of new version then your start profile is merged with instance profile, so in that case you can insert into Instance profile itself. Make sure your database services should be also in auto start mode.
In case of any Unix based SAP system, story is altogether different, check my this blog for details.
Start/Stop SAP along with your Unix Server Start/Stop
Hi Ishteyaque Ahmad,
Is Netwearer 7.3 compatible with BW 7.1, if not what is the impact.
Thanks,S
Hi Ishteyaque Ahmad
I am not able to open the below link
http://scn.sap.com/community/sustainability/green-it/blog/2011/06/06/sap-netweaver-73-goes-green
Request you to guide me, as I am very much interested to know it.
This blog is very good,very much thankful for sharing this information..
Thanks a lot. This blog is very useful and helps us to understand the changes taking place. Is there any other way we can check? I tried help.sap.com but it contains a forum and not official information on the changes.
I tired too, didn't find anything so written my own 🙂 , not all but for selected components like PO, PI, BW etc they publish like whats new, but they are more functional perspective, Basis people are ignored as usual!
Very nice blog....Thanks
Hello Ahmad,
Good one Brother, really a nice blog.. appreciated and thank you very much.
You are the eye opener as always 🙂
Excellent compilation. Thanks for looking out for BASIS!
Regarding #8 - Make sure to spot check those merged profiles! SUM does not always do a great job of getting the merge correct. There's often duplicate entries or newly inserted entries that step on existing entries.