Configuring Server Processes with Config Tool

You can use the Config Tool to edit the secure store of AS Java on the one hand and the system settings for the AS Java (cluster-data) on the other. The area on the left in the Config Tool shows the breakdown of the structure of the cluster-data into "template settings" and "instance-specific settings". You can make settings for applications (applications), managers (managers), services (services) and the log configuration (log configuration) at template level and individually for each instance. The instances are displayed in the Config Tool with the instance number (leading zeros are omitted). See also the figure "Window Sections in the Config Tool". The parameters of the selected elements are displayed and maintained in the window on the right of the Config Tool.

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In Release 7.10, the concept of Zero Administration was introduced in SAP NetWeaver AS Java. The aim is to simplify the technical configuration of SAP NetWeaver AS Java and to adjust it dynamically to changes in the system environment. Configuration templates are provided to implement the concept; they enable a simple adjustment of the SAP NetWeaver AS Java configuration to the requirements of the installed product. In addition, dynamic configuration parameters that can be used to make changes, for example, to the hardware without reconfiguring SAP NetWeaver AS Java are introduced.

For example, the heap memory of the VM can be configured as a fraction of the physical RAM available or the number of server processes as a multiple of the available CPU.

The customer can continue to adjust the default settings that are delivered. However, the amount of effort required to make changes is less than in previous releases. Furthermore, the template concept also enables the default settings to be updated smoothly via Support Packages without overwriting customer settings.

The developer determines the potential configuration settings of an application or a manager, or services and their default values (Default level). Changes to these default settings that are valid throughout the system can be made at Custom Global level. The changes made there are retained if you switch from the template that is currently active to another template (and if these settings are not overwritten at template level).

SAP provides concrete default configuration settings for individual products with the templates (Template Default). The corresponding template is activated by the installation program (SAPinst) during the installation of the product. There are different templates for different products. For example, there is a large number of templates for SAP Composition Environment but not for SAP Process Integration or SAP Enterprise Portal. In the template, filter rules are used to decide which applications and services are already started when the system is started.

At template level, customer changes can be made using the Config Tool (Template Custom). These changes override the settings of the previous levels. If no instance-specific customer changes are made (Instance Custom), the settings apply at template level throughout the system.

Certain system parameters can be used for the dynamic configuration that are evaluated dynamically at runtime; for example, the number of processors, the working memory of the host that is physically available or the instance number. These parameters can also be set when customer changes are made.

You can display the parameters and their values in the Config Tool by selecting an instance in the Config Tool and then choosing the Instance Profile tab page. Some of these parameters can be set by setting profile parameters in the default profile or in the instance profile of the system.

The settings for the Java VM (Virtual Machine) are maintained only with the Config Tool. You can maintain the VM parameters at template level or individually for each instance. The values then apply either to all server processes of the entire system (template level) or to all server processes of the respective instance. You must switch to Expert Mode of the Config Tool in order to maintain VM parameters at template level. Choose View and select the option Expert Mode.

To maintain the VM parameters at template level, select the entry template - <name of the template> from the area on the left. You can choose the tab page VM Parameters in the Config Tool window on the right after you activate Expert Mode. You must now decide which combination of VM and operating system or processor architecture your changes are valid for; for example Vendorsap and Platformntamd64. Then choose one of the tab pages Memory, System, or Additional, depending on which type of VM parameter you want to maintain.

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If you want to add a new parameter that is not yet in the parameter list, choose New in the lower area of the window on the right. The new parameter is added in the area Custom Parameters.

You must select a parameter if you want change it. Enter the new value for the parameter in the input field Custom value and choose Set. The changed value is in turn displayed in the list of the Custom Parameters. To return to the default value, select the custom parameter and choose Remove.

You can also deactivate existing parameters. In this way, you can test the effects of the change on the system but retain the entry with the set value. To do this, select the parameter and choose Disable. If it is a template default value, the Config Tool enters the value (if requested) as a custom parameter, which is then deactivated (checkmark in column Enabled is missing). You can use Enable to reactivate a deactivated parameter.

The settings at instance level override those at template level. Select an entry of the type instance - ID<instance ID> (host name) from the window of the Config Tool on the left. Then choose the tab page VM Parameter from the window on the right. The parameters are maintained in the same way as at template level. You are advised to deactivate Expert Mode when maintaining the VM parameters. This way you can ensure that you are maintaining the parameters for the VM that is currently being used.

If you have changed settings but not yet saved them with Apply changes, you can reload the older settings with "Connect to DB". If you have already saved the changes, the old settings cannot be restored.

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Setting VM Parameter using the Config Tool could be a tricky thing.

In the VM Type section on the top of the UI, you can make configuration changes that are specific for the selected JVM. These changes apply only if the current platform and vendor matches. The changes made in GLOBAL vendor apply to all vendors and platforms.

SAP recommend that you use sap vendor on all supported platforms.

The screen shot shows on top right the Custom Parameter set on Template Level. The platform linuxx86_64 gets automatically selected in our case while using the NWA to set the parameter at the first place. Because this is the only parameter for this platform other parameter not get's shown.

In the screen shot in the middle shows the Instance-specific level. When selecting Vendor sap and Platform GLOBAL you see all parameters set for this use case. Here you see the maxHeapSize Paramter ist set to 4096.

Finally on the screen shot on the bottom right you see the Platform linixx86_64 gets selected and the inherited Parameter from the Template Level get's shown. If a parameter on Platform level is set it overrules the GLOBAL value.

If you would like to change this value for a specific instance you need to select the correct platform in our case, select the parameter you want to change and use the Custom Value field shown in the screen shot in the middle.

The parameter in the Memory tab page does not have its technical name. The following names are used in the Config Tool.

Take a look in the developer trace of the server process (dev_server<number>) to check whether the changes that were made have taken effect in the respective server processes after the system is restarted. This file is located in the work directory of the instance. Search for the line F SAP JVM arguments: in this file. The set parameters are listed under this line.

The properties of Managers and Services can also be maintained at instance level or at template level.

screenshot im system nur auf englisch verfügbar. übersetzung nicht notwendig

Expand the tree structure under the entry template - <name of the template> in the left screen area until you are taken to the required manager or service. Select this entry to display the parameters.

To change parameters, select a parameter, enter the required value in the input field Custom value and choose Set. You can use Restore to Default to delete the Custom value for the selected parameter and the template default value will be valid again.

Save your changes. The changes will be active once the system is restarted if no instance-specific entries exist for the changed parameters.

For instance-specific maintenance, expand the tree structure below an entry of the type instance - ID<instance ID> (host name). Select the required manager or service entry to display the parameters.

To change parameters, select a parameter, enter the required value in the input field Custom value and choose Set. You can use Restore to Template to delete the Custom value for the selected parameter and the template value will be valid again.

Save your changes. When the instance in question is started, the changes for this instance will be active.

In the Config Tool, you can use filter rules to determine which Managers, Services and Applications are started or remain stopped during the system start. The template activated during the installation already provides a useful initial status that has low impact on resources, which can be adjusted customer-specific.

Expert Mode must be activated under View → Expert Mode to maintain the runtime filter. Select the entry template - <name of the template> to set system-wide filters. To set instance-specific filters, select the corresponding entry of the type instance - ID<instanz ID> (host name). Then choose the Filters tab page. Choose the required Action and Component and enter the values for Vendor Mask and Component Name Mask. Then choose Add to add the new filter rule. The changes take effect after you save your changes and restart the system.

The number of Server Processes can be calculated dynamically, just like the VM parameters. The delivered template values can be overridden by the customer.

screenshot im system nur auf englisch verfügbar. übersetzung nicht notwendig

Depending on whether you set the number at template level or instance level, all instances have the same (or different) number of server processes. Fixed values may also be entered instead of the dynamic formula. The corresponding number of server processes starts after you save your changes and restart the system. The default value depends on the template, the template Usage_Type_All_in_One uses fixed values for the number of Server Processes and CE templates uses formulas.

With regard to the customer changes made to the configuration data in the AS Java, you have the option of saving this data by exporting it to a zip file. Changes can be exported from the database in this way and later re-imported to restore earlier settings without having to also implement a database backup (without having to carry out a restore).

You can export the configuration to a zip file using the menu path File → Backup Custom Data in the Config Tool.

You can re-import the data from the zip file into the database using the menu path File → Restore From Backup. Choose File → Reload Data from DB to display the data that was just imported in the Config Tool.

In addition to the "normal"Config Tool, there is also the Configuration Editor Mode, which you can call from the Config Tool using Tools → Configuration Editor. You can access maintenance at Custom Global level only using this Editor; for example, this may be necessary for specific parameters of the User Management Engine (UME).