SAP support for Windows Server 2008 R2

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SAP is currently validating Windows Server 2008 R2 and plans to issue a support statement for their applications on Windows Server 2008 R2 by end of Q1/2010. Since Windows Server 2008 R2 will be based on a new kernel which enhances the functionality already available in Windows Server 2008 by new scalability features (up to 256 processors) and many more enhancements in the OS, SAP has scheduled a separate validation for W2K8 R2. This will also be reflected in a new entry in the Platform Availability Matrix (PAM) at the SAP Service Marketplace (Login required). One of the mandatory changes for W2K8 R2 from SAP side will be a new SAP kernel which supports this Windows version. More information about SAP’s support for Windows Server 2008 R2 can be found in SAP note 1383873.

Since W2K8 R2 will be independently validated to W2K8, applications available on W2K8 will not automatically also be available W2K8 R2. The Platform Availability Matrix (PAM) at the URL: https://service.sap.com/pam will provide info about the supported applications once Windows Server 2008 R2 is supported by SAP.

Another good source of information about the state of support for Windows Server 2008 R2 (as well as general info about the Windows platform at SAP) is the URL https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/windows

SAP’s SDN page for SAP on Windows will be periodically updated when the support state changes.

How can Windows Server 2008 R2 be used in virtualized SAP installations

Since SAP has announced support for SAP installations in Hyper-V, one of the possibilities would be the use of Windows Server 2008 R2 as parent host for a virtualized SAP installation. Windows Server 2008 R2 brings even more value to this possibility since it supports Live Migration which basically comes with the Windows Server license. As a general rule of thumb with virtualized installations, no application component should be installed on the parent side and the parent should be dedicated to the virtualization role. With this consideration in mind, it’s already now possible to use W2K8 R2 for Live Migration scenarios as follows:

                                            Windows Server 2008 or

                                             Windows Server 2003 <--- Guest OS for the SAP app

                                       ----------------------------------------

                                            Windows Server 2008 R2 <--- Parent OS

Of course, when SAP validates Windows Server 2008 R2, it will be also possible to use R2 in a VM as guest OS for SAP.

- Josef