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SnapCenter Integration for SAP ASE Database

Contributors kevin-hoke
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This document describes the SnapCenter integration specifics for SAP ASE Database used in an SAP environment.

Introduction

The document is not intended to be a step-by-step description of how to setup the complete environment but will cover concepts and relevant details related to:

  • Example configuration overview

  • Sample Layout

  • Protect SAP ASE Instance

  • Restore and Recover SAP ASE Instance

Author: Michael Schlosser, NetApp

Example configuration overview

Example Implementation for SnapCenter ASE Plugin for an SAP System running on the Azure Platform.

Note This implementation describes the minimal required volume configuration. Data Dump Backups and Log Dump Backups are configured according to SAP Note 1588316.

Alternatively, the volume structure described in this MS Technical Community Blog could be used.

Demo Environment

Figure highlighting the demo environment that was used

Software versions

Software Version

Linux OS

SLES for SAP 15 SP5

SAP

SAP NetWeaver 7.5

SAP ASE

16.0 SP04 PL06 HF1

SnapCenter

6.1

ASE Volume Design

Following least volume Layout must be used to enable backup / recovery and clone use-cases for the SAP ASE database. The example configuration use <SID>: A01.

Volume Name Directory (qtree) on Volume Mount Point on Server Comment

<SID>-sapase

sybase

/sybase

Parent directory for ASE related files

/sybase/<SID>/backups

Data Dump Backups (might be placed on a different volume)

/sybase/<SID>/log_archives

Log Dump Backups (might be placed on a different volume)

<sid>adm

/home/<sid>adm

Home directory of user <sid>adm

usrsaptrans

/usr/sap/trans

Transport directory

usrsap<SID>

/usr/sap/<SID>

Usr sap

sapmnt<SID>

/sapmnt/<SID>

SAP GlobalHost Dir

<SID>-datalog

sapdata_1

/sybase/<SID>/sapdata_1

DB Data (SID)

saplog_1

/sybase/<SID>/saplog_1

DB Log (SID)

saptemp

/sybase/<SID>/saptemp

PSAPTEMP

sybsecurity

/sybase/<SID>/sybsecurity

Sybase security DB

sybsystem

/sybase/<SID>/sybsystem

Sybase system DB

sybtemp

/sybase/<SID>/sybtemp

Sybase system DB - Temp

sapdiag

/sybase/<SID>/sapdiag

'saptools' database

Steps to Protect Database A01

  • Check File distribution, according to the sample Layout

  • Check Prerequisites for the Host (vm-a01)

  • Check Prerequisites for the Database (A01)

  • Deploy / Install SnapCenter Agent on Host (vm-a01)

  • Create SnapCenter Instance Resource Configuration

Prerequisites on Host

More current information might be available here.

Before you add a host and install the plug-ins package for Linux, you must complete all the requirements.

  • If you are using iSCSI, the iSCSI service must be running.

  • You can either use the password-based authentication for the root or non-root user or SSH key based authentication.

  • SnapCenter Plug-in for Unix File Systems can be installed by a non-root user. However, you should configure the sudo privileges for the non-root user to install and start the plug-in process. After installing the plug-in, the processes will be running as an effective non-root user.

  • Create credentials with authentication mode as Linux for the install user.

  • You must have installed Java 11 on your Linux host.

  • Ensure that you have installed only the certified edition of JAVA 11 on the Linux host

  • For information to download JAVA, see: Java Downloads for All Operating Systems

  • You should have bash as the default shell for plug-in installation.

Prerequisites for the Database – Enable Logging and Backups

  • Create Directories for backups and log_archives (/sybase/A01/backups, /sybase/A01/log_archives)

  • Connect to database A01 (as OS-user syba01)

    • isql -S A01 -U sapsa -X -w 1024

  • Create Dump configuration for DATA (A01DB) according to SAP Note 1588316

    • use master

    • go

    • exec sp_config_dump @config_name='A01DB', @stripe_dir = '/sybase/A01/backups' , @compression = '101' , @verify = 'header'

    • go

  • Create Dump configuration for LOG (A01LOG) according to SAP Note 1588316

    • use master

    • go

    • sp_config_dump @config_name='A01LOG', @stripe_dir = '/sybase/A01/log_archives' , @compression = '101' , @verify = 'header'

    • go

  • Enable full logging for Database A01

    • sp_dboption A01, 'trunc log on chkpt' , false

    • go

    • sp_dboption A01, 'full logging for all', 'true'

    • go

    • sp_dboption A01, 'enforce dump tran sequence', 'true'

    • go

  • Database DUMP Backup to enable Log DUMP Backup

    • dump database A01 using config ='A01DB'

    • go

    • Log Dump

    • dump transaction A01 using config = 'A01LOG'

    • go

  • Ensure, that regular Log Backups are configured, according to SAP Note 1588316

Optional – create dedicated database user

For SAP Environments user sapsa could be used.

  • Connect to database A01 (as OS-user syba01)

    • isql -S A01 -U sapsa -X -w 1024

  • create user

    • create login backup with password <password>

    • go

  • assign permissons / roles to the user

    • grant role sa_role,sso_role,oper_role,sybase_ts_role to backup

    • go

Deploy SnapCenter Agent to Host vm-a01

Further information could be found in the SnapCenter documentation.

Select SAP ASE and Unix File Systems Plugins.

Screen shot of the add host dialog

Create SnapCenter Instance Resource Configuration for Database A01

Resources → SAP ASE → Add Resources

Screen shot of the add host resource details dialog

Note If Password contains Special Characters, they must be masked with a backslash.
E.g. Test!123! → Test\!123\!

Screen shot of the add host resource details dialog
Screen shot of the add host resource details dialog

Note If you are using the volume design out of the MS Technical Community Blog.

Volumes /vol<SID>sybase, /vol<SID>data, /vol<SID>log has to be configured as Storage Footprint

Following Resource Settings Custom key-value pairs must be made (at least).

Screen shot of the Resource Settings Custom key-value pairs dialog

The following table lists the Sybase plug-in parameters, provides their settings, and describes them:

Parameter Setting Description

SYBASE_ISQL_CMD

Example: /opt/sybase/OCS-15__0/bin/isql -X

Defines the path to the isql command. Available Options: https://infocenter.sybase.com/help/index.jsp?topic=/com.sybase.infocenter.dc34237.1500/html/mvsinst/CIHHFDGC.htm

SYBASE_USER

user_name

Specifies the operating system user who can run the isql command. This parameter is required for UNIX. This parameter is required if the user running the Snap Creator Agentstart and stop commands (usually the root user) and the user running the isql command are different.

SYBASE_SERVER

data_server_name

Specifies the Sybase data server name (-S option on isql command).For example: A01

SYBASE_DATABASES

db_name:user_name/password

Lists the databases within the instance to back up. The master database is added; for example: DBAtest2:sa/53616c7404351e.If a database named +ALL is used, then database automatic discovery is used, and the sybsyntax, sybsystemdb, sybsystemprocs, and tempdb databases are excluded.

For example: +ALL:sa/53616c71a6351e

Encrypted passwords are supported if the NTAP_PWD_PROTECTION parameter is set.

SYBASE_DATABASES_EXCLUDE

db_name

Allows databases to be excluded if the +ALL construct is used. You can specify multiple databases by using a semicolon-separated list.For example, pubs2;test_db1

SYBASE_TRAN_DUMP

db_name:directory_path

Enables you to perform a Sybase transaction dump after creating a Snapshot copy.For example: pubs2:/sybasedumps/pubs2

You must specify each database that requires a transaction dump.

SYBASE_TRAN_DUMP_FORMAT

%S_%D_%T.cmn

Enables you to specify the dump naming convention. The following keys can be specified:

%S = instance name from SYBASE_SERVER

%D = database from SYBASE_DATABASES

%T = unique timestamp

Here is an example: %S_%D_%T.log

SYBASE_TRAN_DUMP_COMPRESS

(Y / N)

Enables or disables native Sybase transaction dump compression.

SYBASE

Example: /Sybase

Specifies the location of the Sybase installation.

SYBASE_MANIFEST

Example: A01:/sybase/A01/sapdiag

Specifies the databases for which the manifest file should be created, along with the location where the manifest file should be placed.

SYBASE_MANIFEST_FORMAT

%S__%D_.manifest Example: %S_%D_.manifest

Enables you to specify the manifest file naming convention. The following keys can be specified:

%S = Instance name from SYBASE_SERVER

%D = database from SYBASE_DATABASES

SYBASE_MANIFEST_DELETE

(Y / N)

Allows the manifest to be deleted after the Snapshot copy has been created. The manifest file should be captured in the Snapshot copy so that it is always available with the backup.

SYBASE_EXCLUDE_TEMPDB

(Y / N)

Enables automatic exclusion of user-created temporary databases.

Sequence to Recover System A01

  1. stop SAP System A01 (including database), stop sapinit

  2. umount Filesystems

  3. restore Volumes A01-datalog (using SnapCenter)

  4. mount Filesystems

  5. start Database A01 (with option –q, to avoid automatic online and keep database forward recoverable – according to SAP Note 1887068)

  6. start BackupServer A01

  7. online database saptools, sybsecurity , sybmgmtdb

  8. recover Database A01 (using isql)

  9. online database A01

  10. start sapinit, SAP System A01

Recover Instance A01

  • Stop SAP System + DB A01 on host vm-a01

    • User a01adm: stopsap

    • User root: /etc/init.d/sapinit stop

    • User root: umount -a -t nfs

  • Restore Backup

    • SnapCenter GUI: Select required Backup for Restore

      Screen shot of the Select required Backup for Restore dialog

    • For ANF Deployment – only Complete Resource is available

      Screen shot of the Select required Backup for Restore dialog

Note Selecting Complete Resource will trigger a Volume Based Snap Restore (VBSR). Within Azure it is called volume revert.

Screen shot of an important message about snapshots

Note For other deployment Types (e.g. On-Prem ANF) a Single File Snap Restore (SFSR) operation could be orchestrated. Select File Level and the according Volume and Checkmark “All” – see following screenshot.

Screen shot of selecting file level snapshots

Summary would be displayed and with Finish the actual restore is started.

Screen shot of summary of the snapshot restore

  • Mount Filesystems (vm-a01)

    • User root: mount -a -t nfs

  • Start Database A01 + BackupServer

    • Modify RUN_A01 and add -q \ (according to SAP Note 1887068)

    • User syba01: RUN_A01 &

    • User syba01: RUN_A01_BS&

  • Online databases saptools, sybsecurity , sybmgmtdb

    • User syba01: isql -S A01 -U sapsa -X -w 1024

    • online database saptools

    • go

    • online database sybsecurity

    • go

    • online database sybmgmtdb

    • go

  • recover Database A01

  • remove -q from RUN_A01

  • start SAP System

    • User root: /etc/init.d/sapinit start

    • User a01adm: startsap

Additional information and version history

Quiesce vs. prepare

See the documentation on link: SAP help page.

Screen shot of the SAP help page content

SnapCenter SAP ASE Plugin uses the quiesce database command, however it could be replaced by the prepare command. If required, it must be changed in the SYBASE.pm in line 473, 475, 479, 481, 673, 675
e.g.

Screen shot of the quiesce database command

Recorded Demos

Following recoded Demos are available to support the documentation.

Installation and Configuration ASE Plugin, Backup of ASE database
Restore and Recovery of ASE database

External Documentation

To learn more about the information that is described in this document, review the following documents and/or websites:

Version history

Version Date Document version history

Version 1.0

April 2025

Initial version – backup / recovery ASE database