1. Where can I find information about which SAP products are supported by MaxDB?
This information is available in the Product Availability Matrix (PAM) in the SAP Support Portal: service.sap.com/PAM
2. Where can I find information about the operating system platforms for which MaxDB is released?
This information is available for the relevant SAP product in the PAM under service.sap.com/PAM.
3. Where can I get the software for a MaxDB installation or upgrade?
For each SAP product, a complete set of DVDs provides the software for new installations or upgrades of MaxDB. In the SAP final assembly, these DVDs successfully ran a test suite. We will not provide separate DVDs for the database installation or the upgrade.
MaxDB software patches are provided by the SWDC (Software Distribution Center).
If you use MaxDB in the SAP environment, for contractual reasons, you must NOT download the MaxDB software using the free downloads that are available in the SDN to use this software in the SAP system.
4. What is the difference between a MaxDB upgrade and a MaxDB patch?
Database upgrade:
A MaxDB upgrade refers to the change of the MaxDB software to a newer major or minor release (for example, from 6.2.10 to 7.3 or from 7.5 to 7.6). These database upgrades often occur in connection with an upgrade of the SAP application software. For database upgrades, SAP provides relevant software CDs or DVDs. You always the SAP tools R3up (6.40 or lower) or SAPup to perform the database upgrade.
Database patch:
A database patch refers to the change of the database version to a newer Support Package or to a new build (for example, changing from 7.6.01 to 7.6.03 or changing from 7.6.03 build 4 to build 5). In the OLTP, CS (content server) and BI environment, a change to a new database Support Package or a new build is independent from a change to a newer release of the relevant application software.
One exception is the database patch in the liveCache environment. In this case, you must only apply a patch in combination with a patch of the SAP liveCache application routines.
From the SWDC, you can download database patches as complete MaxDB software packages.
You use the MaxDB tool SDBUPD to apply the database patch.
5. From where can I download a MaxDB patch?
The Software Distribution Center (SWDC) provides patches under service.sap.com/patches.
The MaxDB patches are located under "Entry By Application Group -> Additional Components -> MaxDB".
6. How do I install the MaxDB software in the SAP environment?
The MaxDB software installation is integrated into the installation of SAP products. You do not have to have installed the MaxDB software beforehand. To install the software, you must install the MaxDB software and set up a MaxDB database instance. To install the database software, the SAP installation tool calls the MaxDB installation tool.
Important: You must not install the MaxDB software independently from the SAP installation using the MaxDB installation tools. Instead, you must always use the SAP installation tools.
7. Where can I find the installation and upgrade guides for MaxDB?
The installation and upgrade guides are located in the Support Portal under service.sap.com/instguides -> Installation and Upgrade Guides -> Database Upgrades -> MaxDB.
8. Under which component should I report problems that occur with the MaxDB installation and upgrade?
Report any MaxDB installation problems under the component BC-DB-SDB-INS.
For the MaxDB software upgrade, you must report any problems under the component BC-DB-SDB-UPG.
9. Where can I find information about the directory structure of the MaxDB software?
Information about the directory structure of the MaxDB software is located in the SDN under the following link: https://wiki.sdn.sap.com/wiki/x/Tig
10. How do I determine the instance-specific directory structure?
You can use the program XINSTINFO to obtain information about the directory structure of a specific MaxDB database instance. Call up xinstinfo as follows :
xinstinfo <DBNAME>
The system displays the following information:
- RUNDIRECTORY
- version-dependent software path
- INDEP_DATA path
- INDEP-PROGRAM path
11. What do I have to consider during the configuration of a MaxDB instance?
There are a whole series of FAQ notes that contain information about this. You can use the keyword FAQ to find these notes under the component BC-DB-SDB.
To begin with, refer to the following notes:
820824 FAQ: MaxDB / SAP liveCache technology
869267 FAQ: MaxDB LOG area
846890 FAQ: MaxDB Administration.
In addition, further information about MaxDB is available in the SAP Software Developer Network: https://wiki.sdn.sap.com/wiki/x/gjc
12. Which logs do I have to provide the MaxDB support with if installation problems occur?
To install the database software, the SAP installation tool calls the MaxDB installation tool. If problems occur during the installation, provide MaxDB support with the log from SDBINST MaxDB*<date><time>.LOG. This log is located in the directory <INDEP_DATA_PATH>/wrk.
13. Which logs do I have to provide the MaxDB support with if upgrade problems occur?
If you use R3up or SAPup to perform the upgrade, the upgrade logs are located in the directory <DIR_PUT>/log. <DIR_PUT> is an upgrade directory that was selected by the customer.
The default upgrade directory for SAP upgrades in target systems lower than 7.00 is /usr/sap/put.
The default upgrade directory for SAP upgrades in target system 7.00 and higher is /usr/sap/<SID>/put/<abap|java>.
For analysis, MaxDB support requires:
a) Database log files from the RUNDIRECTORY:
knldiag or knlmsg (MaxDB 7.7 or higher)
knldiag.old or knlmsgold (MaxDB 7.7 or higher)
knldiag.err or knlmsgarc (MaxDB 7.7 or higher)
b) database-specific SDBUPD log:
MaxDB:
MaxDB*<date><time>.LOG in the directory <INDEP_DATA_PATH>/wrk
liveCache:
SAPliveCache<date><time>.LOG in the directory <INDEP_DATA_PATH>/wrk
c) upgrade-specific logs:
XCMDOUT.LOG
DBSDBENV.LOG
DBSDBDLL.LOG
Phasenlogfiles <phase ID>.LOG and <phase ID>.ELG
The log files from the current or terminated phase have abbreviated phase names. For example, a termination in the phase PARCONV_UPG creates the log files PARCONV.LOG and PARCONV.ELG.
d) In addition to the log files, the following information is helpful:
- SAPUp program version: SAPup -v
- dbadashoplib version:
UNIX: what dbadashoplib.<extension> | grep INFO
LINUX: strings dbadashoplib.<extension> | grep INFO
WIN: File properties of the dbadashoplib.dll
.<extension> is, in this case, the UNIX/LINUX-specific library
ending, for example, ".so".
- If you can log on to the affected system, it may be helpful to execute the following commands to find out which files were created last.
ls -ltr or dir /od
14. Which logs do I have to provide the MaxDB support with if problems occur when applying the patch?
You use the tool SDBUPD or SDBSETUP to apply the patch for the MaxDB software. As of Version 7.6, when you use SDBSETUP, there is a tool that has a graphical interface. You can use this tool to install new software and to perform a software upgrade.
The log 'MaxDB*<date><time>.LOG' of the SDBUPD/SDBSETUP is located in the directory <INDEP_DATA_PATH>/wrk.
15. Which tool do I use to apply a MaxDB patch?
To apply a MaxDB patch, you can use SDBUPD and, as of Version 7.6, you can also use the graphical tool SDBSETUP.
16. How do I use SDBUPD/SDBSETUP to apply a MaxDB kernel patch?
The procedure for applying a MaxDB kernel patch depends on the target version and on the SAP application that you use.
Refer to Note 498036 as a central point of access. This note contains references to the relevant notes that are suitable for your MaxDB version and application. This note mentions, for example, Note 735598 that has a description of the procedure for applying a kernel patch version 7.6.
17. Where can I find information about how to apply a MaxDB client patch?
For more information about this, refer to Note 649814: Updating MaxDB/liveCache client software
18. How do I check a MaxDB software installation?
You can use the tool 'sdbverify' to check a MaxDB software installation. It checks for potential inconsistencies within the software installation and the dependencies of the various software components. At the end of the check, the system displays the in a summary.
19. How do I uninstall the MaxDB software?
You must never delete individual executables, files or directories to uninstall MaxDB software. The uninstalling process of the database must be controlled by the software using 'sdbuninst' or SDBSETUP.
For more details about this procedure, refer to Note 599129 "Uninstalling MaxDB/SAP DB software using SDBUNINST".
As of SAP NetWeaver Version 7.00, you can also use SAP tools to uninstall the entire SAP system. This uninstalling process implicitly includes the MaxDB database.
20. Where can I find further information about the installation, upgrade and applying the patch?
Further information about the installation, upgrade and applying the patch is available in the SDN under the following link:
https://wiki.sdn.sap.com/wiki/x/VDo