Unattended Installation with Software Provisioning Manager 1.0
What’s the difference between “observer mode” and “non-observer mode” when using the unattended installation option with Software Provisioning Manager 1.0?
Introduction:
As you might know, the installation of SAP systems can-not only be done with the user interface of the Software Provisioning Manager, but also in unattended mode.
This means that, after inserting the required parameters into a parameter-file and providing the file to SAPinst executable, the installation will run in the background and no further user interaction is required.
This is well described in the SAP Note “2230669 – System Provisioning Using a Parameter Input File”
Since the new Web-based SL Common GUI was introduced in 2017 there are 2 ways to run the unattended mode: “observer mode” and “non-observer mode“.
What’s the difference?
Observer mode:
Start the installation as described in SAP Note 2230669 using the following parameters:
SAPINST_INPUT_PARAMETERS_URL=<path_to_your_parameterfile>
SAPINST_EXECUTE_PRODUCT_ID=<product-id for the installation>
SAPINST_SKIP_DIALOGS=true
SAPINST_SLP_MODE=true
The Software Provisioning Manager will start the installation in the background AND start a Web Dispatcher and provide an URL to access the SL Common GUI. The user who has started the installation can now connect to the URL and observe the progress of the installation, for example to look at the logfiles in the Web browser. However, all parameters will be taken from the parameter input file and can not be changed in the Web browser.
If an error occurs and a WebGUI is connected to the running installation tool, the SAPinst and WebGUI processes will stop but not abort. The two processes will have to be ended manually.
If an error occurs and WebGUI is not connected to the running installation tool, SAPinst will abort the execution and the tool will stop with an error immediately.
Non-observer mode:
As described in SAP Note 2230669, you can start the unattended installation and provide the following parameters in addition to the parameters mentioned above:
SAPINST_START_GUI=false
SAPINST_START_GUISERVER=false
This will start the installation but this time NO Web Dispatcher will be started and no URL to access the SL Common GUI will be provided either. So the user can not follow the processing of the installation in a Web browser and the installation will run completely in the background.
If the installation runs into an error, SAPinst will abort and you have to check for the reason in the logfiles.
What are typical customer use cases for each option?
If you are running an installation in unattended mode but you are sitting in front of the screen, you might want to check the progress from time to time. In this case the “observer mode” makes sense.
The “non-observer mode” makes sense in case you run a “scripted” or by other means automated scenario, for example overnight. In that case it is crucial that the process is started without a Web Dispatcher and therefor without a WebGUI. Otherwise, the automation will be stuck if the Software Provisioning Manager encounters an error.
Of course, in both cases, the logfiles are written and you can check them after the installation has completed.
Best Regards Stefan Jakobi Product Management CLM
Hello,
is there any possibility to explain the start_dir.cd file?
i'm trying to make an unattended installation and want to use one parameter file with different kernel releases.
Is this possible?
Would be nice, if anybody could give me some help.
Hello Matthias,
There is another, better option to point to the media DVDs for unattended installation. Instead of inserting entries into start_dir.cd file, it is better to put additional entries in inifile.params with prefix SAPINST.CD.PACKAGE.xxx
e.g. SAPINST.CD.PACKAGE.xxx=/your/location/for/the/package/xxx
Another example:
If you have three kernel DVDs, then add three additional parameters in your inifile.params file:
SAPINST.CD.PACKAGE.UKERNEL1=/myloc/ukernel749
SAPINST.CD.PACKAGE.KERNEL2=/myloc/kernel749
SAPINST.CD.PACKAGE.KERNEL3=/myloc/kernel722
This is valid not only for the kernel DVDs, but for all DVDs that will be used in the installation.
For example:
SAPINST.CD.PACKAGE.DATALOAD4=/myloc/dload1
SAPINST.CD.PACKAGE.DATALOAD5=/myloc/dload2
Hope this helps and best regards
In regard to media locations note 2230669,
SAPINST.CD.PACKAGE.<media_name>=<location>
Is there a list of specific <media_name> names ? eg like or .KERNEL1 UKERNEL1 .ORACLI or can it be any name we like eg
SAPINST.CD.PACKAGE.BOB = /media/51050819_java/DATA_UNITS/JAVA_J2EE_OSINDEP
SAPINST.CD.PACKAGE.JANE=/media/51050819_java/DATA_UNITS/JAVA_EXPORT
The reason is I am getting the error below and have no idea how to identify the correct media to the unattented installation.
Hello Aditya
There is no list of specific names.
Important is the prefix: SAPINST.CD.PACKAGE.xxxx
If this is ensured, you can use any name as xxxx. Your examples are valid.
From the error message, I am not sure what the problem is. Seems like the LABEL.ASC file in /media/51050819_java/DATA_UNITS/JAVA_J2EE_OSINDEP/LABEL.ASC does not match to the required CD: SAP:J2EE-CD:SR2740:J2EE-CD:j2ee-cd:*
Maybe the content of /media/51050819_java/DATA_UNITS/JAVA_J2EE_OSINDEP/LABEL.ASC is wrong.
To figure this out, please open a message at the SAP Support.
Best Regards
Thanks Stefan
Will investigate further and raise a case though I can say it is certainly the correct folder/bucket as when I run in attended mode the media is found correctly.
Suggest the note be updated to say that it can be any arbitrary name eg.
SAPINST.CD.PACKAGE.MYMEDIA1=<location1>
SAPINST.CD.PACKAGE.MYMEDIA2=<location2>
Keep up the good work with unattended deployment I think it is super valuable tool to have in this age of automated public cloud deployments.
As a recommendations
how can I automate java installation with usage types? the generated inifile does not contain a usage type parameter :(.
Just as workarround you can read sapinst develop trace log an gather package names for each usage Types and deploy the packages after installation. Search in trace files for something like:
……
5837 Table(t_NW_SWFEATURES).insertRow({
5838 DESCRIPTION:Adapter Engine (Java EE)
5839 DVDLocation:SCA
5840 ID:47
5841 InLoad:
5842 Included:73554900104900001068-73554900100900000414
5843 Installable:true
5844 InstanceType:J2EE
5845 NAME:Adapter Engine (Java EE)
5846 PPMS_ID:73554900104900001099
5847 PRODUCT_DESCRIPTION:SAP NETWEAVER 7.5
5848 PROD_ID:73554900100900000414
5849 Required:
5850 SCAs:INTG_VIS_DCJ**_*.SCA,GWJPO**_*.SCA,SOAMON**_*.SCA,SAP_XIAF**_*.SCA,SAP_XIIGW_APPL**_*.SCA,SAP_XIIGW_CORE**_*.SCA
5851 TemplateId:01200615324800000165
5852 VENDOR:sap.com
5853 }, WHERE 1=1)
…..
On NW750 >= it doesn't matter what you select in SWPM all SCA Packages already deployed as default 🙂 ....
Hello Florian,
The parameter to handle usage types is available:
# Comma-separated value list containing which product instances (former usage types) are installed. Used for handling product instances in unattended mode.SAP_Software_Features_Select.selectedInstancesForInstallation = <USAGE_TYPE_ABBREVIATION>
It should be in the inifile.params once the usage types selection dialog is passed.
Do not get miss leaded by the documentation of the parameter “containing which product instances (former usage types)”. It is revised to mention product instances, but essentially it is populating usage types.
It is also available for AS Java 7.0 in 70SWPM:
# Comma separated list containing which Usage Types will be installed. Used for handliing UTs in unattended mode.
SAP_Software_Features_Select.selectedInstancesForInstallation = AS
Is there a way to restart an unattended install from where it failed? Or do we need to always restart from begining.
Hello,
in any case, if the installation fails, the cause of the problem needs to be fixed.
As SAP can not cover all cases where a restart at the point of failure makes sense, we recommend to always start from the beginning.
Hello,
Is there any command or parameter for the hdbclient installation thru swpm if possible will it be possible to share the parameter for the same.
SAPINST.CD.PACKAGE.
/Prasad Raju
Hi Prasad Raju,
all necessary parameters are documented in the parameter input file which you generate by running the SWPM.
I don't know which parameter you are missing?!
Hi Jakobi,
We are planning to migrate AWS cloud from on-premise. kindly suggest on below points.
Our current version of SAP is NW700 ECC6.0 no EHP.
Current DB version is DB2 9.1.5 Z/OS
SAP is running on AIX OS and DB is running on Z/OS DB2.
Our Landscape is distributed.
Target
SAP version is NW700 ECC6.0 no EHP
Target DB version is DB2 11.5 LUW.
Target OS RedHat Linux.
1. We would like to migrate to cloud AWS, we are planning to keep SAP and DB on the same server (Central System).But our current environment is distributed Systems.
2. If we want to export DB, where should we run the SWPM, either Z/OS DB2 server or on SAP application AIX server?
3. From the SWPM 1.0 SP30 we have chosen option SAP business suite 2005, in that ECC6.0.Is that selection is fine for our landscape?
4. Since our landscape is distributed, in SWPM didn't find distributed option to export data.while exporting data which option need choose under System copy (Central system or High availability)?
Thanks,
Siva.
Hello experts 🙂
there are still support for "Unattended Installation with Software Provisioning Manager 1 and 2" ?
Is there any support note for that?
This one is not available anymore...
950619 - Installation of SAP Systems with Unattended Mode
Thks
Hello Carlos,
as Carlos Wolff answered on your same question in the other blog:
"The SAP Note #950619 refers to the deprecated unattended mode using old inifile.xml.
For the current method, see SAP Note 2230669."
Hello experts 🙂
there is still support for "Unattended Installation with Software Provisioning Manager 1.0 & 2.0" ?
This note is not available anymore...
950619 - Installation of SAP Systems with Unattended Mode
Thks
Carlos Biscaia