In a tutorial video, the SAP HANA Academy’s denys.kempen demonstrates the new features for SAP HANA's Platform Lifecycle Management found in SAP HANA SPS10. Watch Denys’ video below.
(0:22 – 1:20) Overview of the New System Update
The first new feature effects the system update. Now, as of SAP HANA SPS10, you can run a SAP HANA System update in two phases – an update preparation phase and a resume update phase. The phased update aims to lower system downtown and to reduce the chances of a failed system update due to preliminary steps such as archive preparation and/or dependency conflicts.
The SAP HANA Lifecycle Management tools comes in three UIs – Command-Live Interface, Graphical User Interface and Web User Interface. You can use any of the three to preform the prepare update phase and the resume update phase. For example this means that you can automate the preparation on the command-line with a script at night and then resume at your convenience during the day with a Windows UI.
(1:20 – 4:30) Demonstration of Phased System Update
Denys is connected to a Windows computer and has started a tunnel session to the SAP HANA server. Denys is in the directory that contains the SAP HANA SPS10 installation media. On the command-line Denys starts the prepare updates tab by entering /hdblcm –action-update –prepare_update. The installer then detects the components and Denys chooses his SAP HANA SPS09 system. Denys then keeps the default selections for the components (server and client) before entering the password for the operation system account and the database user name.
Another new feature of SAP HANA SPS10 is the ability to create a database user account dedicated to software update operations. This user will not require any of the super user privileges that would allow the user to peak at the actual data. This new feature further enhances security.
In his demonstration Denys has yet to set up this user so he continues with the default user and enters the password to get the summary. Denys enters a Y to continue and watches the installer copy the files from the installation media. After a few minutes Denys gets a message of “Update of SAP HANA components prepare” and then enters tail after highlighting the file to get the message “Upgrade partially done, up to and including phase prepare, resumable."
Next Denys runs the hdblcm lifecycle manager tool in windows mode and this second phase will not need any flags. The initial select software location screen displays the default components and Denys hits the next button to continue. On the second Select Activity screen Denys chooses the Resume pending update option and selects the proper system (HDB). On the following screen Denys enters the password for the system administrator and the database user. Finally, on the next screen Denys will see a message that reads “Resume SAP HANA System update at step ‘Prepare update of SAP HANA Database’.” After clicking the update button the system will be fully updated within a few minutes.
(4:30 – 7:20) Demonstration of High Isolation Mode for Multi-Tenant Databases
Another new feature of the Platform Lifecycle Management in SAP HANA SPS10 is high isolation mode for multi-tenant databases.
Back in his Windows machine Denys uses the Windows installer by entering /hdblcmgui into the command-line. After keeping the default components, Denys selects to install a new system. Denys leaves the default for the additional components and chooses single host. In the Define System Properties screen Denys chooses multiple_containers for Database Mode. For Database Isolation Denys chooses High, which means that each database has its own operating system user. Then Denys clicks next on the following pair of screens before entering his system administrator and database user passwords.
The above image explains the concept of High Isolation mode. You can find more information about it in section 4.2.2 of the SAP HANA Security Guide. Denys shares the following from the guide:
Database Isolation
Every tenant database in a multiple-container system is self-contained and isolated in terms of users, database catalog, repository, logs, and so on. However, to protect against unauthorized access at the operating system (OS) level, it's possible to increase isolation further through OS user separation and authenticated communication within databases.
So each tenant database will run under a different Linux user account or even user group. When running in High Isolation mode internal database communication is secured with the secure sockets layer (SSL) protocol. This is the same protocol used to encrypt HTTP traffic. This relies on certificate-based authentication.
Now you may be wondering how do I activate High Isolation mode if I already have a multi-tenant database container system running? You can accomplish this by running a python script. The procedure is documented in section 2.2.1.2 of the SAP HANA Administration Guide.
(7:20 – 9:45) Add Additional Hosts and Remove Hosts SAP Fiori Tiles in the SAP HANA Cockpit
A part of every SAP HANA installation is the inclusion of a local embedded/resident lifecycle management tool. This tool is used to preform post installation configuration tasks to your SAP HANA landscape. Another new feature is that the SAP HANA lifecycle management web version has been integrated with SAP HANA cockpit.
To demonstrate back in his Windows machine Denys has navigated to the SAP HANA cockpit in a browser. Note that the entire UI is SAP Fiori based. Denys has added the SAP HANA Lifecycle Management tiles to the cockpit homepage. Of course like for all of SAP Fiori UIs this homepage is configurable and role based depending on the privileges of the account used to connect.
The tiles View System Information, Install or Update Additional Components, Update System and Components, Configure Inter-Service Communication and Configure System Landscape Directory were already part of the SAP HANA cockpit in SAP HANA SPS09. The new titles for SAP HANA SPS10 are Add Additional Hosts and Remove Hosts.
You can very easily scale SAP HANA from a single computer or host to a number of computers. This is called a distributed system. To create one just add one or more hosts to a single host system.
To accomplish this, first click on the Add Additional Hosts tile and enter the host's credentials (SAP Host Agent User (sapadm) Password and System Administrator (hdbadm) Password) before clicking the Add Host button with the plus sign. Next you can select from many options including if you want the host to have a worker or standby role, if you want the host to be for Dynamic Tiering for hot or warm data, or a host for SAP ASE Accelerator, Smart Data Streaming or Remote Data Sync.
(9:45 – 10:55) Review of New Features
To conclude the video Denys quickly reviews the new features he has highlighted for SAP HANA SPS10 Platform Lifecycle Management. The below slide is a list of those features.
For further information about what’s new in SAP HANA SPS10 please read the free What’s New guide located here.
For over 60 tutorial videos on What's New with SAP HANA SPS10 please check out this SAP HANA Academy playlist.
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