Migration to SAP ASE is an attractive option being proposed by SAP. Ensure you're prepared with some lessons learned.

1. Business
Suite
on
ASE
Lessons
Learned

2. • This document provides a brief summary of experiences and
lessons learned following a recent customer migra9on from
Oracle to ASE
• The document is aimed at technical consultants involved with
migra9on to ASE
Introduc3on

3. • 2087322 -­‐ SYB: Where to find informa9on about SAP
applica9ons on SAP ASE
• SAP ASE is cer9fied for use with SAP Business Suite or as a
standalone database plaKorm
• There are always two delivery channels for the SAP ASE
soLware binaries
• Check if your use case is supported and that you download the
relevant soLware version
• Ensure that you validate the informa9on within the SAP notes
to ensure it’s relevant to your use case
#1
–
Business
Suite
Compa3bility

4. • Download the latest SP from the SAP Support Portal
• The version of SAP ASE will make a big difference when
considering the implementa9on project
• Consult with your SAP TQM to ensure you plan to be on the
op9mum version and patch level of SAP ASE for your project
9melines
• SAP ASE patches are released as frequently as every 3 months
which can poten9ally contain fixes for a possible data loss or
data corrup9on scenario
#2
–
Download
the
Latest

5. • hVp://wiki.scn.sap.com/wiki/display/SYBASE/Targeted+ASE+15.x
+Release+Schedule+and+CR+list+Informa9on
• Revisions to SAP ASE soLware are performed rapidly so plan to
patch at least every 3 to 6 months at minimum
• Failing to remain current may create issues with other 9ghtly
associated soLware areas (such as SAP Replica9on Server)
• Revisions can be delayed drama9cally (by months) only to be
superseded almost immediately by a later revision
• “Hot fixes” exist, whereby a current revision receives an
addi9onal increment in between the previous and the latest
#3
–
Stay
Current

6. • 1539124 -­‐ SYB: Database Configura9on for SAP applica9ons on
SAP ASE
• 1619967 -­‐ SYB: DBA Cockpit Correc9on Collec9on SAP Basis
7.31
• Configura9on of parameters of SAP ASE database is performed
against one core SAP note.
• It has a messy layout and can be complex to digest manually.
• Changing the parameters to those recommended by SAP is a
must as out-­‐of-­‐the-­‐box configura9on is never op9mal or
poten9ally even unstable
• DBA Cockpit is your friend and allows easy valida9on of the
parameters depending on your NetWeaver release
#4
–
Ensure
Correct
Parameteriza3on

7. • Erroneous or conflic9ng support statements within SAP notes
can cause confusion
• Some9mes the SAP ASE standalone community forget SAP ASE
can run underneath SAP Business Suite
• If you see a SAP note sta9ng you’re not supported if you do “X”
or have “Y” installed, query it with your TQM as it may not be
relevant to your use case
• Get the account manager involved with your project
#5
–
Confirm
Statements
with
TQM

8. • 1749935 -­‐ SYB: Configura9on Guide for SAP ASE 15.7
• 1581695 -­‐ SYB: Configura9on Guide for SAP ASE 16.0
• Some parameters listed in SAP notes will be specific to SAP BW
or SAP ERP
• The old OLAP versus OLTP tuning issue is s9ll relevant
• Double check the SAP note containing the SAP ASE
recommended parameters and don’t just blindly apply it
#6
–
Set
Relevant
DB
Parameters

9. • Patching SAP ASE is simple so expend the 9me saved by tes9ng
• Include both func9onal, technical and opera9onal tes9ng
including your system copy process
• Performance tes9ng is a must with the change in database
• Issues detected may take 9me to resolve with workarounds
possible
• But issue may be fixed in a later SAP ASE revision – keep an eye
on the important notes
#7
–
Perform
Rigorous
Tes3ng

10. • 2077419 -­‐ Targeted ASE 15.x Release Schedule and CR list
Informa9on
• Check the bug lis9ng of the next revision carefully
• It could save you from poten9al corrup9on or an unfixable
situa9on
• SAP ASE bugs are not listed in individual SAP notes but in the
Release Informa9on Note for the next revision
#8
–
Always
Check
Bug
List

11. • 1618817 -­‐ SYB: How to restore an SAP ASE database server
(UNIX)
• 1585981 -­‐ SYB: Ensuring Recoverability for SAP ASE
• The log files for the database, jobserver and backupserver do
not rotate un9l the SAP ASE instance is restarted
• Keep these files 9dy and compressed with your own
housekeeping scripts
• Recommenda9ons exist for retaining certain files such as the
last config file, the dumphist file and export of sysdevices table,
on a separate file system
#9
–
Configure
Housekeeping

12. • Out-­‐of-­‐the-­‐box the performance of backups and restores is
adequate.
• A 1.3TB database within 1 stripe can take in excess of 4 hours
(to a DataDomain appliance such as EMC Avamar)
• Spend 9me to performance tune by adjus9ng one SAP ASE
parameter and you could reduce run9me by as much as 30%
• Make sure that you test the restore capability
• Allocate adequate disk space for emergency backups (dumps)
to disk if you’re planning to backup to a third-­‐party tool
• Allocate adequate disk space for transac9on log in case of
emergency situa9ons
#10
–
Tune
Backup
for
Performance

13. • 1996340 -­‐ SYB: Default RSDB profile parameters for SAP ASE
– Failure to set these parameters correctly will lead to performance
problems during SELECT with IN lists
• During a database plaKorm migra9on ensure that you re-­‐visit
the relevance of any database specific parameters especially
those concerned with DBSL level interac9ons.
• Search for notes in component BC-­‐DB-­‐SYB and order in date
descending then filter for relevancy against your NW release
and SP level
#11
–
Re-­‐Visit
NetWeaver
Parameters

14. • 1702338 -­‐ SYB: Database hints in Open SQL for Sybase ASE
– Failure to re-­‐visit any hints you had previously specified for your source
database may lead to unexpected performance problems
• Your old database plaKorm hints will be ineffec9ve on the new
database
• Consider valida9ng whether new hints for ASE are required, or
whether the new op9mizer will automa9cally cope
• Ensure that you know how to “EXPLAIN PLAN” as you’ll need it!
• Budget project 9me for performance tuning of SQL especially in
custom code
#12
–
Re-­‐Visit
Any
SQL
Hints

15. • 2162183 -­‐ SYB: Frequently Asked Ques9ons for SAP ASE
– good star9ng point for other notes
• 1946048 -­‐ Too many UPDATES to Table SWNCMONI
– without this note, high transac9on log volumes may be experienced
• 2276031 -­‐ Deac9va9on of BAdi ICF_STAT_COLLECTOR
– without this note, high transac9on log volumes may be experienced
Other
Useful
Notes

16. Thank-­‐you