How to upgrade SLES for SAP Applications 11 SP3 to 11SP4

This document (7023070) is provided subject to the disclaimer at the end of this document.

Environment

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 11 Service Pack 3

Situation

A System running SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 11 Service Pack 3 should be upgraded to Service Pack 4

Resolution

Important note:  After completing any form of update, run the command "rcrpmconfigcheck", then look at the contents of the file /var/adm/rpmconfigcheck. This file contains a list of configuration files that could not be updated automatically. These files must be checked and the configurations adjusted manually.

Procedure for upgrading from SLES / SLED 11 SP3 There are different supported ways for updating a SUSE Linux Enterprise 11 system to SP4 level. Users can either update to SP4 by using the online update tools to install the respective patches or update using the SP4 installation media.

For installing SP4 via the respective patches, the following tools are supported:
  • 1) YaST ("yast2 wagon")
  • 2) zypper
Alternatively, the full SP4 media (DVD ISO image) can be downloaded and one of the following procedures can be used, especially in case of environments without network access:
  • 3) by booting from SLES for SAP 11 SP4 media

Update to SP4 via patches

Attention: The update process has to be done completely from beginning to reboot. There is only a limited chance to revert changes. Furthermore, the server has to be connected online during the whole update process.
Prerequisites: Users have to make sure to have the system registered. If this is not done already, it can either be registered by using the "SUSE Customer Center Configuration" module in YaST or by using the suse_register commandline tool. This will add update sources to the system.

1) Update by using YaST and/or Update Applet

  • Start the Online-Update module (YOU) from the YaST control center. 
  • Check, if all available patches that are named "You update for Software update stack" are installed. If this is not the case, those patches will automatically be preselected. Press 'Accept' to apply those updates. Among others, this will install updates of libzypp, satsolver, yast2-wagon, yast2-pkgbindings, etc. After installing those, YOU will restart itself.
  • Now it is possible to install all other updates that are available for SLE for SAP 11 SP3. The system needs to be rebooted afterwards, because the kernel and/or other important system components are updated.
  • The tray applications kupdateapplet or gnome-packagekit will display a message that a distribution upgrade is available and start the YaST2 module 'wagon' on request. If the gnome desktop is being used, but the gnome-packagekit applet is not started automatically on login, go ahead as follows:
    • Press ALT-F2 and run 'gconf-editor'. 
    • In here, select 'apps' -> 'gnome-packagekit' -> 'force_get_update_login'. 
    • After the next login the gnome-packagekit will start automatically and open up a message that a distribution upgrade is available.
  • As an alternative to using the tray application open up a root shell and run '/usr/sbin/wagon &'.
  • to manually start yast wagon you can also open a root shell and execute 'yast2 wagon'
  • yast2 wagon contains a workflow to upgrade the system to the next Service Pack level. On the welcome page press "Next". 
  • yast2 wagon will do an automatic self update if needed. 
  • In the following dialogue select how to migrate. Select "Customer Center" if the update repositories should be used, or select "Custom URL" if you want to specify the update source manually (see the respective section below). In most cases "Customer Center" should be the right choice. If you want to review the repositories changes yourself, additionally select "Check Automatic Repository Changes". Click "Next". 
  • A re-registration of the system against the SUSE Customer Center will be done. During the registration process the appropriate SP4 update catalogs (SLE11-SP4-SAP-Pool, SLE11-SP4-SAP-Updates, SLES11-SP4-Pool, etc.) will be added. The SLES for SAP 11 SP3 catalogs will be removed. Click "Next". 
  • The success dialog-popup at the end informs about which repositories were added (click on the "Details" Button). A detailed list of the repos can be found further down in this document in the "Update via zypper" section.
  • If you have selected "Check Automatic Repository Changes", the list of repositories will be displayed, providing the opportunity to manually enable/disable/add/delete repositories. Klick "Ok" when finished.
  • A proposal screen (named "Distribution Upgrade Settings") is now listed with the following sections: 
    • Add-On Products: Third Party add-on products can be added here. 
    • Update Options: This shows what will happen with the product. Temporary migration products (e.g. SUSE_SLES_SAP-SP4-migration  ) will be removed, real products (e.g. SUSE_SLES_SAP-SP4 ) will be upgraded. Further, it can be selected, if all packages should be downloaded before upgrading (this is the default) or if the packages should be downloaded and installed one by one.
    • Packages: shows some statistics about rpm packages to update, to install and to remove. 
    • Backup: some backup options. 
  • Please note: If you changed your mind and want to abort the upgrade to SP4, click "Back" then "Abort". In this case a rollback is triggered to bring the system back to SLE 11 SP3 level. Further the migration products are removed, a re-registration is performed and the newly added repositories are removed.
  • To continue the upgrade to SP4 press "Next" -> "Start Update".
  • The following steps are executed:
    • The update of the rpm packages is performed. 
    • SuSEconfig is executed.
    • A message to reboot the system is displayed (Press "Ok").
    • A registration of the final SP4 product(s) takes place. Please note that only the SLE 11 SP4 catalogs need to stay enabled.
  • After a reboot the system is on SP4 level.
1.1) Using a "Custom URL" for updating with YaST
  • Start yast2 wagon as stated above.
  • In the "Update method" dialogue select "Custom URL". 
  • A list of repositories will be displayed, providing the opportunity to manually enable/disable/add/delete repositories. In here it is possible to manually adjust installation- and update repositories.
  • Add the SP4 update source(s). This can either be the SP4 installation media or the new SP4 repositories (SP4-Pool and SP4-Updates). 
  • Klick "Ok" when finished and continue with the "Distribution Upgrade Settings" dialogue as stated above.

2) Update by using zypper

  • Open a root shell.
  • Run 'zypper ref -s' to refresh all services and repositories.
  • Run 'zypper update -t patch' to install package management updates (same as "zypper patch")
  • Now it is possible to install all available updates for SLES for SAP 11 SP3: run 'zypper update -t patch' again.
(As a sidenote: if you want to use the above command in a script for an unattended upgrade, the command would be: "zypper --non-interactive patch --auto-agree-with-licenses --with-interactive")
  • Now the installed products contain information about distribution upgrades and which migration products should be installed to perform the migration. Read the migration product informations from /etc/products.d/*.prod and install them. Use the following command:
  • zypper se -t product | grep -h -- "-migration" | cut -d\| -f2
  • A sample output could be as follows:
SUSE_SLES_SAP-SP4-migration
  • Install these migration product:
    • zypper in -t product SUSE_SLES_SAP-SP4-migration
  • run 'suse_register -d 2 -L /root/.suse_register.log' to register the products in order to get the corresponding SP4 Update repositories.
  • Run 'zypper ref -s' to refresh services and repositores.
  • Check the repositories using 'zypper lr'. Important: if needed, disable the SP3 Pool/Updates repositories manually and enable the new SP4 repositories:
    • zypper mr --disable <repo-alias>
    • zypper mr --enable <repo-alias>
  • The following repositories should be made available (please note this list contains the HAE add-on product):

  • zypper lr -E
    #  | Alias                                                                                                       | Name                                                                           | Enabled | Refresh
    ---+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+-------------------------------------- -------------------+------------+--------
     1 | SLES-for-SAP-Applications 11.3.3-1.17                           | SLES-for-SAP-Applications 11.3.3-1.17 | Yes            | No    
     2 | scc_suse_com:SLE11-HAE-SP4-Pool                               | SLE11-HAE-SP3-Pool                                        | Yes            | Yes   
     3 | scc_suse_com:SLE11-HAE-SP4-Updates                       | SLE11-HAE-SP3-Updates                                | Yes            | Yes   
     8 |scc_suse_com:SLE11-SP2-WebYaST-1.3-Pool           | SLE11-SP2-WebYaST-1.3-Pool                    | Yes            | Yes   
     9 | scc_suse_com:SLE11-SP2-WebYaST-1.3-Updates   | SLE11-SP2-WebYaST-1.3-Updates            | Yes            | Yes   
    12 | scc_suse_com:SLE11-SP4-SAP-Pool                             | SLE11-SP3-SAP-Pool                                         | Yes            | Yes   
    13 | scc_suse_com:SLE11-SP4-SAP-Updates                     | SLE11-SP3-SAP-Updates                                 | Yes            | Yes   
    22 | scc_suse_com:SLES11-SP4-Pool                                     | SLES11-SP3-Pool                                                 | Yes            | Yes   
    23 | scc_suse_com:SLES11-SP4-Updates                             | SLES11-SP3-Updates                                         | Yes            | Yes   
  • Then perform a dist upgrade by using the following command (example including the HAE add-on product)
    • zypper dup --from SLE11-HAE-SP4-Pool --from SLE11-HAE-SP4-Updates --from SLE11-SP2-WebYaST-1.3-Pool --from SLE11-SP2-WebYaST-1.3-Updates --from SLE11-SP4-SAP-Pool --from SLE11-SP4-SAP-Updates --from SLES11-SP4-Pool --from SLES11-SP4-Updates
       #add more SP4 catalogs here if needed, e.g. in case other add-on products are installed
  • zypper will report that it will delete the migration product and update the main products. Confirm the message to continue updating the rpm packages.
  • After the upgrade is finished, register the new products again:
    • suse_register -d 2 -a email=user@site.com -a regcode-sles=insert_valid_regcode -L /root/.suse_register.log
  • Reboot the system
 

Update to SLES for SAP 11 SP4 via patches by using Subscription Management Tool for SUSE Linux Enterprise

As an alternative to downloading the updates for each single client system from the SUSE update server, it is possible to use Subscription Management Tool for SUSE Linux Enterprise to mirror the updates to a local server.
This tool acts as SUSE Customer Center proxy both for client registrations and as software update repository. The SMT documentation at http://www.suse.com/documentation/smt11/ gives an overview of its features as well as instructions on how to implement it.
 

Update via using a SLES for SAP Applications 11 SP4 installation media

Please obtain the ISO images from http://download.suse.com.
 

3) Update by booting from a SLES for SAP Applications 11 SP4 media

To start the standard update via DVD, reboot the computer with this medium in it's DVD drive. Perform a system update instead of a fresh installation. To achive this, select"Installation" -> Select language and keyboard layout -> Agree to the License ->  Select "Update an Existing System" instead of "New Installation".
 

3.1) Update by booting off a SP4 network installation source

It is also possible to provide the installation media via network. The SLES for SAP 11 Service-Pack 3 media contains a complete product. So it can be added to an installation server in the same way as every other SUSE LINUX Enterprise product. The procedure on how to setup an installation server and on how to add the service pack is described in the product documentation. For SLES 11 have a look into chapter 14.2 of the deployment guide. The document is available online under http://www.suse.com/documentation/sles11/
 
To start the update, go ahead as follows:
  • A bootable medium is needed to initialize the process. Booting via network/PXE is also possible. For PXE boot configuration examples see chapter 14.3 in the SLES 11 deployment guide (online available at http://www.suse.com/documentation/sles11/ ).
  • Boot the machine and choose "Installation".
  • Change the installation source via the "F4" key and enter the IP and path to the installation source or select "SLP" if this protocol is configured on your installation server.
  • Select "System Update" instead of performing a "New Installation".

Disclaimer

This Support Knowledgebase provides a valuable tool for SUSE customers and parties interested in our products and solutions to acquire information, ideas and learn from one another. Materials are provided for informational, personal or non-commercial use within your organization and are presented "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND.

  • Document ID:7023070
  • Creation Date: 08-Jun-2018
  • Modified Date:28-Sep-2022
    • SUSE Linux Enterprise Server
    • SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications

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