Updating SAP ABAP Systems on UNIX and Linux: Oracle

Making Preparations at the Database Level

Context

Several preparatory steps are required at database level.

Procedure

  1. Make sure that the statistics are up to date for all tables.

    Out-of-date statistics can increase the runtime of the update process significantly. Proceed as described in Oracle: Performing Actions for the Cost-Based Optimizer

  2. Check the value of parameter shared_pool_size:

    select NAME, VALUE from v$parameter where name='shared_pool_size';

    select NAME, VALUE from v$parameter where name='shared_pool_reserved_size';

    If the value is lower than 150 MB, increase it to at least 150 MB (400 MB is better), and restart the database.

    For more information, see SAP Note 556764 Information published on SAP site.

  3. Log on as user <SID>adm at the operating system level.
  4. Log on to the database as the Oracle user system with sqlplus (default password is manager).
  5. Check the resource quotas of the database user SAP<SCHEMA-ID> or SAPSR3:

    Oracle error 1536 can occur during the update if the resource quotas of database user SAP<SCHEMA-ID> or SAPSR3 are limited.

    Make sure that these quotas are unlimited. Check whether the table DBA_SYS_PRIVS contains one of the following entries:

    grantee='SAPSR3/SAP<SCHEMA-ID>',privilege='UNLIMITED TABLESPACE',adm='YES'

    grantee='SAPSR3/SAP<SCHEMA-ID>',privilege='UNLIMITED TABLESPACE',adm='NO'

    To do this, enter the following SQLPLUS statement:

    select * from dba_sys_privs where grantee = 'SAPSR3/SAP<SCHEMA-ID>';

    If this entry does not exist, enter the SQLPLUS statement:

    grant unlimited tablespace to sapsr3/SAP<SCHEMA-ID>;

  6. Log off from the database with the command quit.

    Only if using the dictionary managed tablespaces function:

    Make sure that the storage parameters MAXEXTENTS and NEXT have the correct values for certain tables and indexes. Otherwise, they may overflow during the update. The Oracle-specific SAP Note for the update contains the tables and the required minimum values.

    You can display the current settings with BRSPACE. The index names are not constant. However, you can also determine these names with BRSPACE.

    SAP Note 11777 Information published on SAP site describes how to change the parameters NEXT and MAXEXTENTS.

  7. If you want to leave brarchive running to avoid archiver stuck situations (brarchive -f ...), proceed as follows:

    Release upgrade: Only if you do not switch off archiving during the upgrade.

    SPS update: Only if you leave archiving on during the update.

    1. Create a temporary copy of brarchive:

      cp /usr/sap/<SID>/SYS/exe/run/brarchive /tmp

    2. Start brarchive as user ora<SID> from the temporary directory /tmp/brarchive -f ...

    3. After the update, delete the copy of brarchive.

      This procedure avoids update errors caused by the program files being overwritten during the update.

  8. Release upgrade only: If your database version is already higher than the minimum version for the new release, we recommend that you exchange the DBA tools (such as BRSPACE) for the upgrade.

    The Start of the navigation pathDatabase Software OracleEnd of the navigation path archive for the database contains the up-to-date tools that you unpacked on the current SAP kernel when you migrated the database. After you execute the preparation roadmap steps, unpack this archive again into the subdirectory exe of the abap subdirectory of the SUM directory.

    This overwrites the DBA tools, which are optimized for the minimum required database version, with the tools best suited to your database version.