Diagnostics Agents Installation Strategy

Objectives

After completing this unit, you will be able to: Understand the architecture of the Root Cause Analysis Agents (also known as

Diagnostic Agents) Explain the rules for the Agent installation / deployment in various landscapes. List the different types of Diagnostics Agent installers.

Quick reviewCategories of SAP Web Application Servers

Database

SAP product based on a Java stack

Dialog Instance

Central Instance

Dialog Instance

Quick reviewCategories of SAP Web Application Servers

Database

SAP product based on an ABAP stack

Dialog InstanceICM

Central Instance

ICM

Dialog Instance

ICM

Quick reviewCategories of SAP Web Application Servers

Database

SAP product based on a dual stack (Java + ABAP)

Dialog InstanceDialog Instance

An Agent is like any “other” SAP system

Rule #1: Consider the Diagnostics Agent as a standard SAP system.

Therefore the rules common to all SAP Systems apply Never install an Agent (or copy / move the files) into the directory structure of

another System– Agents must be independent from any other kind of system installation

But, several Agents (same kernel release) can be installed with the same SID, using different Instance numbers– Of course the SID must contain only Diagnostics Agent instances

Agents typically have as System IDs:– For Agents delivered with “recent” Products like SAP Netweaver 7.1 EhP1 & 7.0 EhP2,

the System ID is usually: DA? (DAA, DAB, etc.)– For older Agent versions (7.0 EhP1 SR1, 7.0 SR3, and prior),

the System ID is usually: SMD

Diagnostics AgentFile System structure

Diagnostics Agents are installed in the following directory structure: /usr/sap/<SID of Agent>

– This can / should NOT be changed.– a Diagnostics Agent is an independent SAP System. It therefore has its own kernel and

profile files.

The directory /usr/sap/<SID of Agent>/<Instance Name of Agent> contains instance specific information.

Possible choices to install multiple Diagnostics Agents on the host

1. Using a same System ID but with different Instance Numbers– Recommendation: Avoid using the same SID for different Agent versions (in most

cases this use case is prevented by the Installer).

2. Using different Agent System IDs– Totally independent installation, regardless of the Diagnostics Agent version.– Easy mount handling in HA environment (see Rule #7)– But, note that on Windows the DLLs are shared….(see Rule #5)

Diagnostics AgentFile system considerations

The Agent’s underlying File system can be: A LOCAL file system.

– No particular consideration.

A SHARED file system (see also Rule #7)– Easier handling when using different Agent System IDs

Landscape scenariosWhere to install a Diagnostics Agent?

Rule #2: Install one Diagnostics Agent per Host (physical or virtual/logical depending on

use case).

An Agent can manage ALL systems running on the (virtual/logical) host. Nevertheless, the Managed System setup wizard must be repeated for each

SAP system running on that (virtual/logical) host. With “host” we do NOT designate network alias. Hosts (virtual/logical) MUST

have their own IP address.

Rule #3: Each Diagnostics Agent gets mapped to the SMSY repository, using the “server

name” key.

Each host of the customer landscape MUST have an entry in SMSY (with a distinct IP address). By default SLD/SMSY use the Managed system short hostname as “server name” key.

© SAP 2007 / Page 10

Landscape scenariosWhere to install a Diagnostics Agent?

PhyHost1

PhyHost2

PhyHost3

VHost1 VHost2

C1 C2

A1

C3 C4

A2

C5 C6

A3

Solution ManagerSMD

Solution ManagerSMD

DB

cluster

1 agent per managed ‘host’

represented by a name: physical or virtual

VHost3

C7 C8

A4

SMD Agent

Managed Component

1 agent per Support several managed systems running on the same named host

© SAP 2007 / Page 11

Landscape scenarios

PhyHost1

PhyHostVHost2

C1 C2

A1

C3 C4

Solution ManagerSMD

Solution ManagerSMD

DB

An agent installed on a physical host cannot manage a component running under a virtual host

An agent installed on a virtual host cannot manage components running on other virtual hosts

VHost1

C7

C8

SMD Agent

Managed Component

A2

VHost3

C5 C6

Not supported

Not supported scenarios

Managed SystemsWhere to install an Agent?

Rule #4 Do not install a Diagnostics Agent on host that only run Databases or SAP

Central Services. Install a Agent on EACH host running a Central Instance and / or a Dialog

Instance.

Managed SystemsWhere to install an Agent?

In SMSY, all SAP components can be modeled except: SAP Central Services

– ABAP Central Services– Java Central Services

Databases

For that reason, it is useless (and not recommended) to install Diagnostics Agents on hosts where ONLY a Database or a SAP Central Service (SCS) is installed.

Whereas install a Diagnostics Agent for each single: Central Instance Dialog Instance

Customer landscape exampleCategories of SAP Web Application Servers

ECC Server

Central Instance+ Central Services

ECC Server Database

Enterprise Portal

ABAP Central Instance+ Central Services

Java Central Instance

Solution Manager

Central Services

Enterprise Portal

Central Instance

ECC Server

Dialog InstanceEnterprise Portal

Dialog Instance

Portal Database

SolMan Database

Solution Manager

Java Central Services

Solution ManagerEnterprise Portal ERP Central

Component

Customer landscape exampleWhere do I need to install Diagnostics Agents? 1/2

ECC Server

Central Instance

ECC Server Database

Enterprise Portal

Central Services

Enterprise Portal

Central Instance

ECC Server

Dialog Instance

Enterprise Portal

Dialog Instance

Portal Database

Diagnostics Agent

Diagnostics Agent

ABAP Central Instance

Java Central Instance

Solution Manager

SolMan Database

Solution Manager

Java Central Services

Diagnostics Agent

Managing systemManaged system Managed system

Customer landscape exampleWhere do I need to install Diagnostics Agents? 2/2

ECC Server

Central Instance

ECC Server Database

Enterprise Portal

Central Services

Enterprise Portal

Central Instance

ECC Server

Dialog InstanceEnterprise Portal

Dialog Instance

Portal Database

Diagnostics Agent

Diagnostics Agent

Diagnostics Agent

Diagnostics Agent

ABAP Central Instance

Java Central Instance

Solution Manager

SolMan Database

Solution Manager

Java Central Services

Diagnostics Agent

Managing systemManaged system Managed system

Managed SystemsWhere to install an Agent?

Rule #5An Agent could only connect to ONE SINGLE Solution Manager system In the context of a 2 or 3 - Solution Manager systems landscape you need to

install multiple Diagnostics Agents on the same host, each one connecting to a given Solution Manager system.

Agent connection to Solution Manager system

Diagnostics Agents– An Agent is dedicated / connected to ONLY one Solution Manager System– If a Managed System has to be connected to 2 Solution Managers, two SMD

agents must be installed on the same host– For Multi Solution Manager scenario, you need to install multiple agents on the same

host.

© SAP 2008 – Olivier Montabert / Page 18

Customer landscape example How to connect Dev, Q&A and Prod systems – Example 1

Enterprise Portal

Productive

Enterprise Portal

Quality Assurance

Enterprise Portal

Development

Solution Manager

Managing systems

“Promote to Production” EP landscape

Managed systems

Introscope EM

Development

Solution Manager

Diagnostics Agent

Diagnostics Agent

Diagnostics Agent

Introscope Agent

Introscope Agent

Introscope Agent

Introscope EM

Productive

Diagnostics Agent

SolMan Database

SolMan Database

Dev EPConfig

Q&A EPConfig

• Comparison possible

• Use Dev IS EM for Q&A Managed system Perf data

Prod EPConfig

Q&A EPConfig

• Comparison possible

Productive

Development

Customer landscape example How to connect Dev, Q&A and Prod systems – Example 2

Enterprise Portal

Productive

Enterprise Portal

Quality Assurance

Enterprise Portal

Development

Solution Manager

Managing systems

“Promote to Production” EP landscape

Managed systems

Introscope EM

Development

Solution Manager

Diagnostics Agent

Diagnostics Agent

Diagnostics Agent

Introscope Agent

Introscope Agent

Introscope Agent

Introscope EM

Productive

Diagnostics Agent

SolMan Database

SolMan Database

Dev EPConfig

• Use Dev IS EM for Dev Managed systemProd EP

ConfigDev EPConfig

• Comparisons possible

Q&A EPConfig

Productive

Development

ECC Server

Quality Assurance

Enterprise Portal

Productive

Enterprise Portal

Quality Assurance

Solution Manager

Managing systems

Introscope EM

Development

ECC Server

Productive

Solution Manager

Diagnostics Agent

Diagnostics Agent

Diagnostics Agent

Diagnostics Agent

Introscope Agent

Introscope Agent

Introscope EM

Productive

SolMan Database

Q&A EP

• Allows simple E2E Analysis

Q&A ECC

SolMan Database

Prod EP Prod ECC

• Allows simple E2E Analysis

Customer landscape example Example of how to connect multiple SAP systems. 2/2

Development

Productive

Agent DeliveryWhich Diagnostics Agent should be installed ?

Rule #6: Choose the adequate Diagnostics Agent installer / version

SAP delivers Diagnostics Agent through different installers : Standalone Installer

– In case the Diagnostics Agent is not installed automatically, a smaller installation package (packaged as single SAR file) allows to install the Agent without downloading big DVDs– Latest available version: 7.10 EhP1 (also known as 7.11) IMPORTANT: This Agent requires Solution Manager 7.0 EhP1 SP20 or later– N.B. : For the older standalone Agent installer (7.0 SR3) the Installation Master & Kernel DVDs

were additionally required Standard SAP Netweaver 7.0 EhP1 SR1 or 7.1 EhP1 Installers

– For Managed systems 7.0 EhP1: With 7.0 SR3 & 7.0 EhP1 SR1 all newly installed J2EE based Products automatically ship

Diagnostics Agents. (Required DVDs: Installation Master, Kernel and Java)– For Managed systems NW CE & PI 7.1 EhP1: With 7.1 EhP1 newly installed CE & PI systems automatically ship Diagnostics Agents. (Required

DVDs: Installation Master, Kernel).– Using the above listed DVDs the Agent could of course also be installed manually on a different

existing system (see also Rule #4 and recommendations on next slide) Mass Installation

– As described in SAP note 1294713 or 1172764 the installers could be used in silent mode to automate the installation of a higher number of similar Agent installations

Agent DeliveryWhich Diagnostics Agent should be installed ?

Please consider the following additional points, before choosing an Agent installer: You have already a Diagnostics Agent 6.40 installed on the physical host / disk:

SAP proposes to plan a replacement of this Agent using the later exposed guidelines. You have already different Diagnostics Agent release(s) on the physical host / disk:

7.01 SR1 or 7.11 Agent Installers accept to installed a new Agent (release), but will require to use a different Agent System ID (SID).

Agent DeliveryWhich Diagnostics Agent should be installed ?

Solution Manager Managed System Version Diagnostics Agent version/SAP note

Versions 7.00 (prior to EhP1) 6.40, 7.00 and higher 7.01 SR 1Installer guide available in SAP Note 1357812

Versions 7.0 EhP1 >= SP 18 6.40, 7.00 and higher 7.01 SR 1Installer guide available in SAP Note 1357812

Versions 7.0 EhP1 >= SP 20 6.40, 7.00 and higher 7.11 + SAP Host AgentInstaller guide available in SAP Note 1234387Read also Note 1400891

Agent DeliveryHow to replace Diagnostics Agents 6.40 ? 1/2

Follow these steps in order to safely replace your Diagnostics Agent 6.401. Write-down the SMSY server name of the Diagnostics Agent 6.40 to be replaced

(information could be found in the Agent Administration UI)

2. Stop the Diagnostics Agent 6.40 (at OS level)

3. Install the new Diagnostics Agent 7.11 (or 7.01 SR1 if SolMan SP < 20)

a) Connect the new Agent to the same Solution Manager system

b) Use the smdsetup script to assign the SMSY server name (of the Agent 6.40) to this new Agent (Refer to the Agent troubleshooting guide for further details)

Agent DeliveryHow to replace Diagnostics Agents 6.40 ? 2/2

4. In solman_setup -> Managed system configuration, run again the Diagnostics Configuration

5. IMPORTANT step concerning J2EE engine based Managed systems:

Run again the Wily Introscope Agent setup (a.k.a. Introscope Byte Code Agent setup). This will update the JVM parameters of the Managed system so that the Introscope Agent binaries will be read from the new Diagnostics Agent directory structure and no longer from the previously used 6.40 Diagnostics Agent.

5. Restart the J2EE engine based Managed System to start the Introscope Byte Code Agent using the binaries located in the newly installed Diagnostics Agent directory structure

6. Finally, uninstall the Diagnostics Agent 6.40 using sapinst

Agent DeliveryHow to upgrade a Diagnostics Agent ?

4. In solman_setup -> Managed system configuration, run again the Diagnostics Configuration

5. IMPORTANT step concerning J2EE engine based Managed systems:

Run again the Wily Introscope Agent setup (a.k.a. Introscope Byte Code Agent setup). This will update the JVM parameters of the Managed system so that the Introscope Agent binaries will be read from the new Diagnostics Agent directory structure and no longer from the previously used 6.40 Diagnostics Agent.

5. Restart the J2EE engine based Managed System to start the Introscope Byte Code Agent using the binaries located in the newly installed Diagnostics Agent directory structure

6. Finally, uninstall the Diagnostics Agent 6.40 using sapinst

Agent DeliveryHow to upgrade a Diagnostics Agent ?

Upgrade process The idea to keep in mind is that in most case you do not have to worry about upgrading

the Diagnostics Agent. Most new features or eventual bug fixes are automatically provided to the Agent via Solution Manager (the one to which the Agent is connected).

As further technical details consider that the Diagnostics Agent is mainly composed of: Kernel binaries (OS dependent).

In most cases you will never need to manually upgrade these kernel binaries of the Diagnostics Agent.

Java software, containing the Agent Business Logic.

The Agent Business Logic must/will have exactly the same release and Support Package (SP) level as the LM-SERVICE of the Solution Manager system to which this Agent is connected to.

Therefore, each time the LM-SERVICE Java Software Component is upgraded on the Solution Manager system, the connected Diagnostics Agents get automatically their Business Logic upgraded (to have the same release and SP level).

Switch Over scenarios

Rule #7 In a switch over scenarios, Diagnostics Agents must move with their respective

virtual host and managed systems.

Landscape scenariosConsiderations for switch over environments

In High Availability (switch over) scenario, the Diagnostics Agents must move along with the associated Managed Systems.

The start/stop of the Diagnostics Agents (on the various physical hosts) must be included in the vendor specific switch-over configuration / scripts.

Especially on UNIX environments the complete Diagnostics Agent directory structure (/usr/sap/<Agent SID>) should be mounted from a share.

Diagnostics Agents that could potentially move to the same physical host should be installed with different System IDs (SID).

This Diagnostics Agent share directory MUST be mounted before the associated Managed system is started. Indeed, the Wily Introscope Agent binaries – used by Managed system – are located in the Agent directory structure.

The Agent Troubleshooting guide proposes for MSCS HA environments to install the Diagnostics Agents locally on the Windows boxes.

Subsequent IMPORTANT requirement: switch-over environment MUST be configured to guarantee that ONLY the Diagnostics Agent on the active cluster node is started and that beforehand the Agent on the previous cluster node remains stopped.

Rules summary

Rule #1:

Consider the Diagnostics Agent as a standard SAP system. Rule #2:

Install one Diagnostics Agent per Host (physical or virtual depending on use case). Rule #3:

Each Diagnostics Agent gets mapped to the SMSY repository, using the “server name” key. Rule #4

Do not install a Diagnostics Agent on host that only run Databases or SAP Central Services. Install a Agent on EACH host running a Central Instance and / or a Dialog Instance.

Rule #5

An Agent could only connect to ONE SINGLE Solution Manager system In the context of a 2 or 3 - Solution Manager systems landscape you need to install multiple

Diagnostics Agents on the same host, each one connecting to a given Solution Manager system.

Rule #6

Choose the adequate Diagnostics Agent installer / version Rule #7

In a switch over scenarios, Diagnostics Agents must move with their respective virtual host and managed components.

Troubleshooting

Please refer to the following guide in case you still have some open points or you encounter issues during the Agent installation:

Diagnostics Agent Troubleshooting