SAP 7.20 Downwards Compatible Kernel is Finally Released

The SAP Downwards Compatible Kernel has finally been released after a long testing program. The 7.20 DCK kernel allows customers to greatly simplify their SAP landscape and also allows customers to use some enhanced features.

The procedure for installing the 7.20 is documented in SAP OSS Note:

1636252 - Installing a 7.20 kernel in SAP Web AS 7.00/7.01/7.10/7.11

1. SAP Kernel Versions

Current SAP products have a variety of Basis levels and a variety of different Kernels that are quite confusing.

The 7.20 Downwards Compatible Kernel (DCK) replaces all of these different Kernel versions with a single release.  Below are some examples:

SAP Product

SAP_BASIS release

SAP Kernel Release

SAP ECC 6.0 with no EHP

7.00

7.00

SAP ECC 6.0 with EHP 4

7.01

7.01

SAP ECC 6.0 with EHP 5

7.02

7.20

SAP Netweaver 7.3

7.30

7.20

SAP PI EHP 1

7.11

7.11

SAP PI with no EHP

7.10

7.10

2. How to Deploy the 7.20 Downward Compatible Kernel on 7.xx Systems

When applying the new 7.20 DCK Kernel there are several OSS Notes to review:

Note 1467086 - SAP 7.20 Kernel (DCK) on MS SQL Server

Note 1375494 - SAP system does not start after applying SAP kernel patch

Note 1402510 - Resolving SideBySide Assembly Errors

Note 1553465 - Prerequisites for running the 720_EXT kernel on Windows

3. How to Update Microsoft Visual C Runtimes

The SAP 7.20 Kernel is delivered in two SAR files:

1. SAPEXE.SAR – this contains all the kernel components for Windows

2. SAPEXEDB.SAR – this contains all the kernel components specific to SQL Server

Inside the archive SAPEXE.SAR will be a file called vcredist_x64.exe. Run this executable on any server that runs SAP kernel components (application server or ASCS)

Microsoft & SAP strongly recommend against using SAP products on 32 bit versions of Windows or SQL Server therefore this blog only documents Intel 64 bit platform. 32 bit Intel and Itanium are not supported for 7.20 DCK

4. Benefits of 7.20 Downwards Compatible Kernel

SQL Server has a maximum number of parameters on a parameterized statement. Example:

SELECT * FROM TABLE WHERE COLUMN1 = PARAM1, COLUMN2 = PARAM2….. COLUMNx = PARAMx

The maximum number of parameters is 2090. However it is possible for a non-parameterized statement to exceed 2090. In such a case the SQL Statement is using “Literals” rather than parameters.

This functionality was not available for ECC 6.0 customers prior to the release of the 7.20 kernel.

More details can be found in this note:

Note 1552952 - Parameter maxmarkercnt increased to 10000

5. 7.20 DCK on Microsoft Cluster Systems

SAP provide three DLLs for Microsoft Cluster Services.

The NTCLUST.SAR contains three DLLs that reside in the C:WindowsSAPCLUSTER directory:

sapclus.dll

saprc.dll

saprcex.dll

6. 7.20 SAP Host Agent Replaces SAPOSCOL

SAPOSCOL should be replaced by SAP Host Agent for 7.20 system. SAPOSCOL should be uninstalled from SAP application servers.

Note 1031096 - Installing Package SAPHOSTAGENT

7. SAP Kernel 7.20 on Java or ABAP+Java systems & JDBC Driver Requirements

Please note that the 7.20 Kernel is for ABAP systems only at this time.  The newer Java Kernel will come later.  Therefore do *not* update Java systems until the 7.20 Java Kernel is released

There are multiple JDBC drivers for SQL Server

JDBC Driver

SAP_Kernel

SAP_BASIS

SQL Server

JVM

Comment

Data Direct JDBC

7.00

7.00

-

1.4.2

Do not use

MS JDBC 1.2

7.20

7.0x-7.11

2005, 2008(R2),2012

1.4.2

*Must apply KBA 945842

MS JDBC 2.0

7.20

7.10-7.11

2005, 2008(R2),2012

5

 

MS JDBC 2.0

7.20

7.20 or above

2005, 2008(R2),2012

6

 

MS JDBC 3.0

7.20

7.20 or above

2005, 2008(R2),2012

6

NW 7.31 will use JDBC 3.0

In all cases it is recommended to update to the SAP JVM. The Sun JVM will be desupported by SAP in 2012.

Review this OSS Note 639702 - JDBC Driver for Microsoft SQL Server

8. SAP JVM 1.4.2 & Kernel 7.20

When updating the SAP kernel it would be also possible to change to the new SAP owned and written JVM for 1.4.2 - Note 1495160 - SAP JVM as replacement for Partner JDKs 1.4.2 This release works with 6.40 and 7.0x systems. During the same downtime for exchanging the SAP Kernel the Sun JVM can be removed and the SAP JVM installed

9. System Copy with new JVM & 7.20 Kernel

The system copy will revert the 720-DCK to the originally shipped kernels for NW releases 7.0, 7.01, 7.10, 7.11 (7.02/7.03/7.20/7.30 was shipped with the 720-kernel already)

The system copy will revert the SAPJVM4 setup for NW releases 6.40, 7.0, 7.01, 7.02 (7.03 was shipped with SAPJVM4 - therefore the copy will install SAPJVM4 again).

After the system copy please update the JVM and Kernel