Support Package & Stack Upgrade

Steps to Upgrade the Support Package:

Step 1: Download Support Packs

Support Packages are available in SAP Support Portal, under service.sap.com/patches.

 

Step 2: Loading Support Packages:

To load support packages we have two options:-

1. From Application Server
2. From Front End

From Application Server

1. Download the support packages from service marketplace and save them at OS level in directory /usr/sap/trans.
2. Uncompress these files using sapcar executable

sapcar –xvf <support package name>

 

After uncompressing the support packages at OS level the .PAT and .ATT files are stored in /usr/sap/trans/EPS/in directory.

Next, load the Support Packages into SAP system by choosing  Support Package -->Load Package  --> From Application Server

 

From Front End 

Choose Support Package --> Load Packages --> From Front End

 

Step 3: Defining Queue 

Queue contains the Support Packages available for the different SAP Components installed in your system. This Queue information is derived from the support pack uploaded in Step 2.

1.On the initial screen in Support Package Manager, choose Display/Define.
2.A list of installed software components (for example, SAP_BASIS, SAP_HR, SAP_BW) is displayed.

 

3.Once you select the required component, the current queue appears. This queue contains the Support Packages available for the selected component in your system. If you want to define the queue for another software component, choose Other Component. If the displayed queue meets your requirements, you can confirm it by choosing Confirm Queue
 

 

 

Step 4: Importing Queue. 

Once you a define a Queue (Step 4) while selecting a particular component (for which we want to upgrade support pack), we need to do 'Import queue' to start importing/applying that particular selected support pack (as per the standard SAP process).

Choose Support Package --> Import Queue
 

 

To become familiar with known problems and issues, always read the note mentioned in above screenshot. 

The support package import has been started
 

 

Step 5: Confirming Queue: 

Confirm that the queue has been imported successfully into your system. This allows you to import Support Packages in the future. You will not be able to import Support Packages further, if you do not confirm the queue.
 

 

Once Queue has been imported, SPAM status becomes YELLOW

Confirm successful import of the Support Packages into your system by choosing Support Package à Confirm.
 

 

Checking Logs

• IMPORT LOG: It displays logs for Support Package Manager Phases that are used by transport control program tp(transport control program).
  Go to-->Import log-->Queue
  
  
  
• ACTION LOG: It contains information about the actions that take place during the individual phases (while importing the current queue).
  
  It also includes information about the point at which a phase was stopped, as well as detailed error information.
  
  To display the logs for the current queue Go to-->Action log
  
  
  


• While the support packages are being imported, logs are made into the tmp directory (path: usr/sap/trans/tmp)
• Once the import process is completed logs can be viewed from the log directory (path: usr/sap/trans/log)

How to Implement SAP Note SNOTE

• Go to Transaction SNOTE

• Read the note carefully and check for validity, Pre-Implementation steps , Post-Implementation steps and Pre-requisite Notes.

• Download / Upload the desired Note

• Do the manual pre-implementation steps in case the Note suggests.

• Implement the pre-requisite Note if needed

• Implement the Note , Navigate to menu Goto -> SAP Note Browser

• Make sure the Note is in “Can be Implemented” or “Obsolete version Implemented” Implementation status.

• Select the note and proceed with Implementation (F8) , SNOTE also allows to implement set of Notes together.

• Select the request from the pop-window or create a new request.

SNOTE lists out objects

Make sure to see the final status and log of note implementation (ctrl+F5).

Check for Post-Implementation steps from the Note , if mentioned proceed with the steps accordingly.

Kernel Upgrade in SAP

CHECK BEFORE

Check the current kernel version:

1. System > Status:
   
2. Operating system level:
    

DOWNLOAD

Download kernel from Support packages and patches ---> By Alphabetical Index (A-Z) ---> K ---> SAP kernel <bit> <uc> ---> SAP kernel <release> (...) ---> There choose <operating system> ---> both #Database independent and <database specific> archives

Example:

EXTRACTION, UPDATE

1. Change to profile folder:
   
2. Find the instance profile
   
3. Find DIR_CT_RUN by "sappfpar check pf=<instance pf with full path> DIR_CT_RUN"
   
4. Copy kernel folder, in this case NTAMD64 as NTAMD64.bak
   
5. Copy SAR files one level above, in this case to "<drive>:\usr\sap\<SID>\SYS\exe\uc":
   
6. Stop SAP at this point. Also stop processes of this SAP system. 
7. Extract kernel archives by "sapcar -xfj <SAR archive> -R <destination folder>". First extract SAPEXE and SAPEXEDB SAR files and then the rest (dw sar, lib_dbsl sar, etc):
   
8. Start SAP start service SAP<SID>_<instance nr> from Windows service manager or by sapcontrol -nr <instance nr> -function StartService <SID> command
9. Restart SAP:
   
10. Restart SAP Start Service:
    

CHECK AFTER

Check the new kernel version:

1. System > Status:
   
2. Operating system level: