SAP Kernel update on Unix for ABAP

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I recently have updated the SAP kernel of one of my test systems and I would like to share my
experiences with you. In my case it worked well, therefore if you follow the same steps it will
work for you, I promise.

What I did was following:

Step 1: Check the current kernel release and patch level

Login to SAP and choose menu System -> Status:

Kernel release 742

DBSL Patch Level 110

So my system was on SAP Kernel release 7.42 with patch level 200 and DBSL on patch level
110.

Step 2: Download the new kernel

They are available under http://support.sap.com/swdc -> Support Packages & Patches -> Browse
Download Catalog:
Here navigate to Additional Components -> SAP Kernel and choose the corresponding bit
version (32 or 64) make variant (empty or EXT) and unicode or nonunicode (empty or
UNICODE | UC) for your system.

The easiest way to get this information is to run disp+work command on operating system level
with sidadm user or from SAP system using RSBDCOS0 report. For example:

[1]disp+work
disp+work information
kernel release 742
kernel make variant 742_REL
compiled on Linux GNU SLES-11 x86_64 cc4.3.4 use-pr150508 for linuxx86_64
compiled for 64 BIT
compilation mode UNICODE
compile time Jun 29 2015 23:01:53
update level 0
patch number 200
source id 0.200
RKS compatibility level 0

After choosing the correct kernel path navigate to corresponding kernel release, operating system
and choose #Database_independent and database specific links:

:
I used SAPEXE.SAR and SAPEXEDB.SAR archives for updating. In addition, dw.sar
lib_dbsl.sar and further archives can be used, but only the ones which are newer than the latest
SAPEXE(DB) packages. All other executables are already part of SAPEXE(DB).

Download them to your SAP server.

Step 3: Make backup of current kernel

Check via AL11 transaction where DIR_CT_RUN (central kernel folder) points to:

DIR_CT_RUN /usr/sap/SID/SYS/exe/uc/linuxx86_64

This is where the kernel will be distributed to DIR_EXECUTABLE via sapcpe from.

Make backup of current DIR_CT_RUN:

hostname:sidadm 14> ls -al

total 306260

drwxr-xr-x 3 sidadm sapsys 4096 Nov 11 08:24 .

drwxr-xr-x 5 sidadm sapsys 4096 Jan 26 2015 ..

drwxr-xr-x 5 sidadm sapsys 12288 Oct 2 10:05 linuxx86_64

-rw-r–r– 1 sidadm sapsys 298799041 Nov 11 08:17 SAPEXE_300-20012215.SAR

-rw-r–r– 1 sidadm sapsys 14468589 Nov 11 08:17 SAPEXEDB_300-20012214.SAR

hostname:sidadm 17> ls -al

total 306264

drwxr-xr-x 4 sidadm sapsys 4096 Nov 11 08:25 .

drwxr-xr-x 5 sidadm sapsys 4096 Jan 26 2015 ..

drwxr-xr-x 5 sidadm sapsys 12288 Oct 2 10:05 linuxx86_64

drwxr-xr-x 2 sidadm sapsys 4096 Nov 11 08:25 linuxx86_64-bckp

-rw-r–r– 1 sidadm sapsys 298799041 Nov 11 08:17 SAPEXE_300-20012215.SAR

-rw-r–r– 1 sidadm sapsys 14468589 Nov 11 08:17 SAPEXEDB_300-20012214.SAR

hostname:sidadm 18> cp -R linuxx86_64/* linuxx86_64-bckp

Step 4: Stop SAP system

hostname:sidadm 22> stopsap r3

Checking SID Database

Database is running

——————————————-

stopping the SAP instance D02

Shutdown-Log is written to /home/sidadm/stopsap_D02.log

——————————————-

/usr/sap/SID/D02/exe/sapcontrol -prot NI_HTTP -nr 02 -function Stop

Instance on host hostname stopped

Waiting for cleanup of resources

………….

stopping the SAP instance DVEBMGS00

——————————————-

/usr/sap/SID/DVEBMGS00/exe/sapcontrol -prot NI_HTTP -nr 00 -function Stop

Instance on host hostname stopped

Waiting for cleanup of resources

…..

stopping the SAP instance ASCS01

Shutdown-Log is written to /home/sidadm/stopsap_ASCS01.log

——————————————-

/usr/sap/SID/ASCS01/exe/sapcontrol -prot NI_HTTP -nr 01 -function Stop

Instance on host hostname stopped

Waiting for cleanup of resources

..

Step 5: Extract kernel archives

First copy SAPCAR from DIR_CT_RUN outside of DIR_CT_RUN. This way extraction won’t
stop due to “text file busy” error.

hostname:sidadm 29> cp linuxx86_64/SAPCAR SAPCAR

hostname:sidadm 30> ls -al

total 310552

drwxr-xr-x 4 sidadm sapsys 4096 Nov 11 08:43 .

drwxr-xr-x 5 sidadm sapsys 4096 Jan 26 2015 ..

drwxr-xr-x 5 sidadm sapsys 12288 Oct 2 10:05 linuxx86_64

drwxr-xr-x 5 sidadm sapsys 12288 Nov 11 08:26 linuxx86_64-bckp

-rwxr-xr-x 1 sidadm sapsys 4367136 Nov 11 08:43 SAPCAR

-rw-r–r– 1 sidadm sapsys 14468589 Nov 11 08:17 SAPEXEDB_300-20012214.SAR

hostname:sidadm 32> ./SAPCAR -xfj SAPEXE_300-20012215.SAR -R ./linuxx86_64

Then extract the SAPEXE(DB) archives in DIR_CT_RUN:

SAPCAR: processing archive SAPEXE_300-20012215.SAR (version 2.01)

SAPCAR: 740 file(s) extracted

hostname:sidadm 33> ./SAPCAR -xfj SAPEXEDB_300-20012214.SAR -R linuxx86_64

SAPCAR: processing archive SAPEXEDB_300-20012214.SAR (version 2.01)

SAPCAR: 26 file(s) extracted

If you want to extract other archives as well check point 8. in SAP Kernel Update on Unix and
Linux – Application Server Infrastructure – SCN Wiki

Step 6: Adjust permissions by root user

hostname:/usr/sap/SID/SYS/exe/uc # chown -R sidadm:sapsys linuxx86_64

hostname:/usr/sap/SID/SYS/exe/uc # ./linuxx86_64/saproot.sh SID

Preparing /usr/sap/SID/SYS/exe/uc/linuxx86_64/brbackup …

Preparing /usr/sap/SID/SYS/exe/uc/linuxx86_64/brarchive …

Preparing /usr/sap/SID/SYS/exe/uc/linuxx86_64/brconnect …

Preparing /usr/sap/SID/SYS/exe/run/brbackup …

Preparing /usr/sap/SID/SYS/exe/run/brarchive …

Preparing /usr/sap/SID/SYS/exe/run/brconnect …

Preparing icmbnd …
icmbnd.new does not exist – skipped

Set user ID bit on /usr/sap/SID/DVEBMGS00/exe/sapuxuserchk

Set user ID bit on /usr/sap/SID/D02/exe/sapuxuserchk

Set user ID bit on /usr/sap/SID/ASCS01/exe/sapuxuserchk

done

Step 7: Start SAP system

Checking SID Database

Database is running

——————————————-

Starting Startup Agent sapstartsrv

OK

Instance Service on host hostname started

——————————————-

starting SAP Instance ASCS01

Startup-Log is written to /home/sidadm/startsap_ASCS01.log

——————————————-

/usr/sap/SID/ASCS01/exe/sapcontrol -prot NI_HTTP -nr 01 -function Start

Instance on host hostname started

Starting Startup Agent sapstartsrv

OK

Instance Service on host hostname started

——————————————-
starting SAP Instance DVEBMGS00

Startup-Log is written to /home/sidadm/startsap_DVEBMGS00.log

——————————————-

/usr/sap/SID/DVEBMGS00/exe/sapcontrol -prot NI_HTTP -nr 00 -function Start

Instance on host hostname started

Starting Startup Agent sapstartsrv

OK

Instance Service on host hostname started

——————————————-

starting SAP Instance D02

Startup-Log is written to /home/sidadm/startsap_D02.log

——————————————-

/usr/sap/SID/D02/exe/sapcontrol -prot NI_HTTP -nr 02 -function Start

Instance on host hostname started

Step 8: Check new kernel patch level

Kernel release 742

Sup.Pkg lvl. 300

DBSL Patch Level 300

Step 9: Enjoy