Solution Manager 7.2 - Installation and Configurat...

yakcinar · ‎10-06-2016

I want to give some general information about the related components for managed system configuration.

Let me start with the general architecture of Solution Manager, then list the components of the architecture and give some details and related links.

Technical Architecture of Solution Manager

Solution Manager, Managed Systems and related components technical architecture can be figured out as below.

More detailed technical overviews can be seen in Technical Infrastructure link according to scenarios of the Solution Manager. The data flow, ports, users are defined in detail.

There is also a pdf document about the infrastructure information (Technical Infrastructure) that you can download.

We have below components related to managed system configuration on Solution Manager and Managed Systems landscape;

Solution Manager (ABAP + Java Instances)
Managed System (ABAP, Java, Dual Stack, BOBJ, etc)
Software Provisioning Manager (SWPM)
SM Diagnostic Agent (SMD)
SAP Host Agent (SAPHOSTAGENT)
Introscope Enterprise Manager (IEM)
Introscope Java Agent
Support Tools (ST* Plugins)
System Landscape Directory (SLD)
Landscape Management Database (LMDB)
Extractor Framework
Solution Manager Busines Warehouse
SAP Support Backbone

First three blogs were about the Solution Manager so I will not give details again here.

The next blogs will be about the configurations of ABAP, Java, BOBJ, HANA etc managed systems so I will not mention about them here either.

Here are the short descriptions of the other components and some useful links about them.

Software Provisioning Manager (SWPM)

Software Provisioning Manager offers relevant system provisioning procedures to install, copy, and transform SAP systems in your landscape.

We use SWPM for installation of systems and especially SM Diagnostic Agents.

You can chek link Overview - Software Provisioning Manager 1.0 for detailed overview.

You can download the tool itself, the Kernel for the tool the documentation from this link.

Central Release Note for SL Toolset 1.0 is SAP Note 1563579.

Help page for the tool is Software Logistics Toolset (SL Toolset)

Demo for Software Provisioning Manager 1.0.

SM Diagnostic Agent (SMD)

Normally SMD Agent is optionally installed when you are installing the SAP System.

I recommend to install the latest version of the tool before carrying out the managed system config.

So if it is installed with the SAP system together check whether it is the latest version. If it is not uninstall the existing one using SWPM firstly and then reinstall the latest version.

Check the notes and wiki pages for the currnet information

1833501 - Diagnostics Agent - Installer Versions

1365123 - Installation of Diagnostics Agents

There are 6 essential rules explained in detail in the attached "AgentInstallationStrategy.pdf" document of the note.

You can check SCN wiki: "Diagnostics Agent Maintenance Procedures for details of diagnostics Agent and hostagent components.

SAP Host Agent (SAPHOSTAGENT)

SAP Host Agent is installed automatically when you install an SAP system.

You should keep this component also in the latest version.

You can use auto upgrade feature of the component.

Here is a figure of SAP Host Agent architecture. Saphostexec, saphostctrl services are the main programs for the component.

Check the notes and wiki pages for detailed information

Have Up-To-Date SAP Host Agents

1031096 - Installing Package SAPHOSTAGENT

1473974 - Using the SAP Host Agent Auto Upgrade Feature

Introscope Enterprise Manager (IEM)

Introscope is used for managing Java Applications performance.

You can install the Enterprise Manager is on the Solution Manager host or on a separate host.

You can find detailed information about the installation of Introscope Enterprise Manager in blog Part 2.

Check the note and wiki page for detailed information

797147 - Introscope Installation for SAP Customers

RCA_Introscope_Home

Introscope Java Agent (on managed systems)

When you are performing managed system configuration you also install Introscope Host Adapter for the managed system in one of the automatic activities. This process is part of the SMD (Diagnostics Agent) process. Adapter collects data on operation system level.

Wiki for Introscope Host Adapter.

Support Tools (ST-PI and ST-A/PI)

We see these plug-ins on EWA reports as seen below. In order to have better service you should keep these plug-ins up to date on managed systems.

Solution Tools Plug-In ST-PI and Service Tools for Applications Plug-In ST-A/PI have both Service Data Control Center (SDCCN). This center controls the data collection. ST-A/PI has application specific data collectors and RTCCTOOL feature.

Check the notes and help page for detailed information

https://support.sap.com/supporttools

539977 - Release strategy for add-on ST-PI

69455 - Servicetools for Applications ST-A/PI (ST14, RTCCTOOL, ST12)

System Landscape Directory (SLD)

The System Landscape Directory of SAP NetWeaver (SLD) keeps information about your system landscape. It saves data of your sap systems, instances, hosts, databases, components etc centrally and replicates this data to LMDB.

SAP Systems inside a landscape send data automatically to the SLD using Data Suppliers.

The figure below shows the flow of data between the SLD and other components.

As it can be seen above figure component information is provided by SAP. Keeping this information model (in other words, SAP CR Content) in latest version is recommended. The note 669669 - Update of SAP System Component Repository in SLD can be used for details.

Check below help document, blogs, presentation and pdf document for detailed information

System Landscape Directory (help.sap.com)

System Landscape Directory (SLD) (blog)

SCN blogs and docs on SLD and LMDB (blog)

System Landscape Directory of SAP Netweaver by Boris Zarske (presentation)

Planning Guide – System Landscape Directory (pdf document about the details, topologies etc. )

Landscape Management Database (LMDB)

The Landscape Management Database (LMDB) is one of the main part of Solution Manager and it keeps the whole landscape data.

LMDB was introduced in SAP Solution Manager 7.1, and is key component since then.

Useful links about LMDB;

Documentation for Landscape Management Database - LMDB (For a list of system landscape management documentation)

Guidance to Best Practices in SLD and LMDB

SLD-LMDB Topology – Connections, Valid, and Invalid Data Exchange Between SLD and LMDB of SAP Soluti...

Landscape Management Database (LMDB)

Landscape Management Database (LMDB) – FAQ

Extractor Framework (EFWK)

Extractor Framework (EFWK) is centrally used on Solution Manager for data collection and distribution. Almost all scenarios use extractors.

You can find detailed information on EFWK_Home --> EFWK_OVERVIEW.

There are links on mentioned wiki pages about Setup & Administration, How Tos, Troubleshooting, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) of EFWK.

Solution Manager Busines Warehouse

Solution Manager uses Busines Warehouse for keeping the monitoring data. Data is put to DSOa directly by extractors.

BI Content for SAP Solution Manager

Keeping BW data on the production client of Solution Manager is recommended but you can also use a seperate BW system. BW structures are activated during configurations. You can also activate the required content manually. There could be errors in extractors that are pointing to not generated BW objects. EWA reports can also refer to these kinds of errors. You should check and activate related BW objects in order processes to keep related data.

SAP Support Backbone

Support Backbone is the integrator of SAP Solution Manager, SAP Service Marketplace, and SAP service infrastructure.

Managed System Configuration of an ABAP, Java, BOBJ and HANA Systems are coming next.

Thanks for your interests.

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