Search results: “business one”

In my role, I work with a lot of prospective partners who ask the question “Why should I pay for Linux when I can get XYZ distro for free?”  My answer to this involves several facets.

1. Security – When a major security issue comes along, the commercial distributions are on the embargo list and working on a patch BEFORE the issue is made public. Wouldn’t it be great to be able to provide this patch to your customers sooner than several weeks after the issue is made public?
2. Stability – Enterprise Linux releases are put through the wringer.  The gauntlet of tests aren’t just what the distribution maintainer run, but what the beta customers and partners do it as well.  When bugs are found, they are fixed the right way and up-streamed.
3. Certification – IF you ever want your system to go inside of a government or highly secured environment, the customer is going to be looking for Common Criteria certification, FIPS compliance, etc.  A free distribution is going to have a tough time with this.
4. Liability – If your device is protecting data, providing critical infrastructure services or running systems that have the potential to affect welfare of a human being, do you really not want a dedicated support organization and engineering team behind you in the event that you are sued?  I can hear it now, “No your honor, we didn’t think it was important to have access to kernel engineers.”  Not exactly the statement I would want to be making in court.
5. Remove objections – Especially if you are a startup, it doesn’t make sense to go it alone.  Lean on the credibility of a well known and respected brand as part of your solution.
6. Improve time to market – I know that our distribution provides a number of tools to improve dev, test, and production image build times.  We also support a number of technologies that assist in software distribution (openSUSE Build Service), QA (openQA), and update management (SLMS and SMT).
7. Engineering – Doesn’t it just make sense to leverage a large Linux engineering team instead of a few guys on your payroll?  Let an enterprise Linux vendor do what we do best, make a solid and supportable Linux distro, you should focus on what makes you money.
8. Lifecycle – While you may hope that your enterprise customers upgrade every few years, it is inevitable that some will want to deploy and then stay at a steady state for years on end.  With offerings like our Long Term Service & Support and the overall thirteen year life-cycle, you can provide your customers with the steady state environment they seek.
9. Hardware – This seems like it should be simple, but it is not. I have seen partners encounter weird issues with hardware that turns out to be a flaw in the firmware or at the silicon level.  Having a vendor that provides a certification program and the engineering to back it up is helpful in ensuring stability.
10. Software Ecosystem – While you may be building an appliance image, at some point you may want to add another vendor’s product to the solution to enhance your value proposition.  SUSE is supported by over 4,000 software partners, making it easy to find the applications you or your customers are interested in.

These are just a few of the reasons I think it is important to look long and hard at the relatively small expense to include a commercial Linux distribution as part of your development process.  There are certainly a myriad of other reasons, ranging from tool sets, HA stacks, etc, but we’ll leave those for other discussions.

As always, feel free to comment or contact me with any questions.

Recently IBM announced the next evolution in IBM zEnterprise System hybrid computing, designed to unleash new business innovation in data centers – see:
http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/35013.wss

Workloads that span mainframe, Linux on System z, IBM AIX, Linux on IBM System x Blades or Microsoft Windows can be consolidated onto the zEnterprise System.

One focus of the July 12 announcement is the introduction of the IBM zEnterprise 114 (z114)—the next generation of the z10 Business Class. Like the z196, the z114 is a workload optimized system, offering a truly integrated hardware platform that is able to intelligently manage workloads across mainframes and distributed systems. The z114 has the same hybrid characteristics and capabilities as the z196, allowing customers to efficiently integrate a diverse set of workloads—and manage it all with the same tools, techniques and resources for consistent, automated and reliable service delivery. Further, this new system is fully capable of participating within a z196 centric ensemble. What is really exciting about this smaller machine: it is affordable also for smaller companies and can brings all advantages of the hybrid computing model to the mid-sized market.

The second key message that was emphasized is the availability of the zEnterprise BladeCenter Extension (zBX) running under Linux (end of September 2011) or Microsoft Windows (as a statement of direction). The IBM zBX is the zEnterprise infrastructure for extending System z qualities of service and management capabilities across a set of integrated, fit-for-purpose System x compute elements in the zEnterprise System. With the recent announcement, IBM introduced the support of select IBM BladeCenter HX5 7873 blades, with capabilities that help promote greater system uptime and energy-smart design . These blades can be installed in the zBX and will allow the zEnterprise access to a wide breadth of applications that run on Linux on IBM System x. The availability of the IBM BladeCenter HX5 7873 blade on the zBX will expand ISV support to IBM zEnterprise System for enterprise Linux applications. The System x offering is targeted for multi-tier applications that interact with mainframe data and transactions. The blades will be provisioned and managed by the zEnterprise Unified Resource Manager.

SUSE supports this recent evolution of the hybrid computing by providing a very special offering to all customers running SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for System z on an IBM zEnterprise System. So listen carefully now: If you are a SUSE customer with a (new or existing) registered and active subscription for SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for System z, you qualify to receive a free Basic subscription for SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for x86. This Basic subscription entitles you to unlimited use of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server with all your zBX hardware. This offering will be available for purchase in September, at the time when the zBX Blades running Linux will be shipped. Want to learn more? Have a look here +
http://www.novell.com/partners/ibm/mainframe/zbx.html

Reliable Data Protection and Bare Metal Recovery for SAP

Guest blog by SEP – co-exhibiting partner of SUSE (booth 859) at SAP SAPPHIRE NOW & ASUS Annual Conference

SAP solutions are central to IT-environments for organisations around the world, managing all types of data, from sales and customer relationships to finance and business operations. The importance of these systems requires a comprehensive business continuity management strategy, focusing on Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs) and Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs). SEP’s certified hybrid backup and bare metal recovery solution provides reliable and scalable data protection for all SAP environments. SEP can quickly recover an entire SAP environment in the event of a disaster.

SEP Hybrid Backup Solution is installed in over 50 countries worldwide and is used by the world’s leading governments, institutions and universities in the most varied environments, ranging in both size and complexity. SEP protects heterogeneous, virtual and physical environments of any size and supports the systems no competitor can. SEP has been partners with SAP since 2002 and offers certified backup and recovery software for the complete SAP solution stack including SAP HANA, SAP Business One, SAP NetWeaver on various databases and SAP ASE.

SEP offers solutions for service providers, who are running Backup-as-a-Service (BaaS), on-premise and in the cloud, based on the SEP technology. SEP provides a comprehensive, reliable and cost-effective data protection and recovery solution for business-critical information from small to large enterprises, covering both, market leading and niche hypervisors, applications, databases and operating systems, as well as SAP products.

Visit SEP at the SUSE booth at the 2018 SAP SAPPHIRE NOW & ASUG Annual Conference to see a live demo and find out more about SEP’s Hybrid Backup solution. For more information visit: www.sepsoftware.com.

Many enterprises are at crossroads regarding their infrastructure and software development and must ensure long term, trusted support and maintenance when it comes to open source software. 

Most recently, on June 30, 2024, CentOS 7 hit its EOL deadline. This critical milestone means the end of official updates, patches and security fixes, leaving many Linux systems vulnerable to attacks. In fact,  according to Enlyft, there are almost 400,000 CentOS users today. At SUSE, we see this as a chance to help ensure the risks and disruptions from CentOS EOL are mitigated with  SUSE’s Liberty Linux Lite offer.  

Since its inception, SUSE Liberty Linux has been a popular choice for customers needing secure and flexible Linux management without the need to migrate. SUSE Liberty Linux customers include global enterprises across a variety of industries including financial services, telecommunications and automotive

To this point, we have recently issued news about SUSE customer Deutsche Bank,  the leading bank in Germany with strong European roots and a global network and their deepened partnership With SUSE On Open, Enterprise-Grade Linux. Deutsche Bank will obtain support for thousands of SUSE Linux Enterprise and Red Hat Enterprise Linux Servers with SUSE Liberty Linux, an enterprise solution to maintain and support a wide variety of enterprise Linux distributions.  Keith Anderson, Product Manager for Compute at Deutsche Bank says, “Given the critical nature of our infrastructure, we have to consistently ensure the security of our mixed Linux estates. We have successfully partnered with SUSE for many years for innovative open source solutions. With SUSE Liberty Linux, we deepen this strong relationship.”

We are delighted that this esteemed member of the financial services industry chose SUSE Liberty Linux to maintain and support its global Linux estate. With SUSE Liberty Linux, customers such as Deutsche Bank, get comprehensive Linux enterprise support from one source for any enterprise Linux, any version, including Red Hat Enterprise Linux and CentOS, reducing complexity and cost, while keeping Linux estates secure and future-proofed.

This strategic move underpins the importance of customer choice and the ability to innovate at their own pace while ensuring the security of their enterprise Linux infrastructure. Enterprises, specifically those in highly regulated industries, require predictable maintenance, and trusted partners to ensure compliance, security and reliability. There is no room for error for these mission critical businesses. 

SUSE has been in the business of creating and supporting enterprise Linux systems for over 30 years. With hundreds of developers, we are one of the key contributors to Linux. Our goal is to ensure our customers can rely on a trusted, long-term partner who understands and is fully dedicated to open source.  As market consolidation continues to drive decisions around long term support and maintenance within open source software, SUSE will remain committed to being the most open enterprise Linux provider in order to help enterprises unlock the infinite potential of open source. 

Learn more about SUSE Liberty Linux here.

Navigating the end-of-life for CentOS has left the future of many organizations’ Linux uncertain, as they search for a reliable replacement. The transition is more than just daunting; it’s a journey filled with concerns over compatibility, security and return on investment. Facing the complexities of migrating from CentOS alone can be overwhelming, with potential pitfalls and uncertainties at every turn.

This is why finding a trusted partner is not just helpful; it’s essential. SUSE Liberty Linux Services offers businesses a clear, efficient path forward, ensuring your operations remain smooth and secure. Whether you need a quick health check or a comprehensive infrastructure overhaul, SUSE stands by your side. Don’t embark on this journey alone—let SUSE be your trusted guide through the process.

In this blog, we’ll discuss how SUSE Liberty Services can help you:

• Navigate the CentOS EOL
• Ensure operational continuity
• Maintain security and compliance
• Scale infrastructure effectively
• Access expert guidance and support
  

 

Tailored Solutions for Every Business Need

SUSE Liberty Linux offers a seamless and efficient path forward for businesses facing the end-of-life for CentOS. With no migration required, organizations can continue using their current CentOS 7 environments while receiving ongoing patches, updates and support.

SUSE Liberty Services are crafted to facilitate a frictionless transition to SUSE Liberty Linux, ensuring a quick return on investment. With three fixed-priced solutions—Onboard, Automate and Automate Plus—businesses can select the service that best meets their unique requirements, from small-scale operations to complex infrastructures.

 

Onboard: Smooth Transition for Standard Infrastructures

The Onboard service is perfect for businesses currently running CentOS 7 with a standard infrastructure. This service provides up to three days with a SUSE consultant who will validate your infrastructure and ensure its health. With the Onboard service, you can rest easy knowing your transition to Liberty Linux, including the shift to SUSE repositories, will be handled seamlessly. This remote-only offering guarantees that your onboarding with Liberty Linux is executed with precision and minimal disruption.

 

Automate: Comprehensive Management for Diverse Infrastructures

For organizations integrating SUSE Manager into their diverse infrastructure, the Automate service is the ideal choice. SUSE Manager is the only management solution that handles 16 different Linux distributions, including all variants of Enterprise Linux, from a single console. In a two-week engagement, a SUSE consultant will validate your current multi-distro infrastructure, implement SUSE Manager and conduct knowledge transfer sessions to equip your team for independent management. This service includes both on-site and remote support, ensuring your infrastructure is managed with the highest level of expertise.

 

Automate Plus: Flexible and Scalable Solutions

meet your specific needs. Whether you need to scale SUSE Manager for a growing infrastructure or pilot advanced automation use cases, Automate Plus provides a customized approach. With up to two weeks of on-site support and additional remote engagement as needed, your team will gain the skills and knowledge required for successful infrastructure management.

 

Addressing the Challenges of Finding a Replacement for CentOS

With CentOS discontinued, businesses face significant challenges, including concerns about security, compliance and operational continuity. SUSE Liberty Services are designed to mitigate these challenges by providing best-in-class support and expertise. Here’s how SUSE Liberty Services directly address these challenges:

1. Security and Compliance: Ensuring your Linux environment remains secure and compliant is crucial. SUSE Liberty Services offer comprehensive health checks, validation and best practices to maintain a secure infrastructure without the need to move to a new distribution.
2. Operational Continuity: Maintaining operational continuity is essential, especially with the end-of-life for CentOS. SUSE Liberty Services provide ongoing patches, updates and support, ensuring your operations run smoothly and without disruption.
3. Scalability and Flexibility: As your business grows, so do your infrastructure needs. SUSE Liberty Services offer scalable solutions tailored to your specific requirements, ensuring your existing Linux environment evolves with your business.
4. Expert Support: Managing your current CentOS environment post-EOL requires expert guidance. SUSE Liberty Services provide dedicated CentOS support from experienced consultants, ensuring your team is well-equipped to handle any challenges without migrating to a new distribution.

 

Comprehensive Support and Consulting Services

SUSE Services go beyond just the primary service offerings with additional support and consulting services designed to enhance your transition and management of Liberty Linux:

• Premium Support Services: Gain direct access to a named engineer who can support your entire environment, including RHEL, CentOS, SLES and Liberty.
• Consulting Engagements: Optimize your implementation of SUSE Liberty Linux with consulting services ranging from validating the health of your current infrastructure to implementing solutions for simplified management and migration services to SLES.
• eLearning Subscriptions: Get your team up to speed on all SUSE technologies at your convenience with flexible eLearning options.

 

Why Choose SUSE Liberty Services?

Engaging with SUSE Liberty Services offers a transformative advantage, one that accelerates your organization’s journey towards innovation and efficiency. By leveraging SUSE’s best practices and proven expertise, you create a secure and compliant Linux environment that’s built to last. The decision to engage with SUSE Services upfront isn’t just strategic; it’s visionary. It reduces future support costs, ensuring a smart, long-term investment.

As we face the uncertainty surrounding the future of CentOS, SUSE Liberty Linux Services emerge as a beacon of reliability and flexibility. We provide a comprehensive approach to managing your Linux infrastructure, tailored to meet your unique needs. With expert support and additional services enhancing your experience, SUSE Liberty Services stands out as the ideal replacement for CentOS. Don’t wait for uncertainty to dictate your path.

Engage with SUSE Liberty Services today and embark on a journey towards a more efficient and secure Linux environment.

Amid changing market conditions and hyper-competitive landscapes, heterogeneity in your Linux estate isn’t just a reality; it’s a necessity.

Linux diversity enhances your IT infrastructure, maximizing choice and flexibility. Heterogeneous environments unlock the potential of your IT, allowing your team to select the right Linux distribution for each workload. This ensures business continuity and IT agility, so you can stay ahead of the curve.

However, managing multi-distro environments can quickly become complex. The challenge of technology sprawl, the lack of internal expertise and the risk of cost overruns can be daunting. When trusted distributions go end-of-life, like CentOS 7 did in June 2024, this further complicates the management of your diverse Linux estate.

In this article, learn how to:

• Keep running EOL distributions like CentOS in your infrastructure
• Simplify the management of multiple distributions
• Consolidate support for your entire IT infrastructure

Discover how SUSE can remove multi-distro complications and empower your enterprise with the agility and choice needed for navigating today’s competitive landscape.

 

Support for CentOS within Your Multi-Distro Environment

Running an unsupported, end-of-life distribution like CentOS presents significant challenges and risks within a heterogeneous Linux estate. Without updates, your enterprise systems are left unpatched and unprotected. This can cause security holes, compliance issues, performance problems and other risks.

On the other hand, migrating to a completely new system has its own challenges, including investment of significant time and effort.

With SUSE, you can overcome these challenges and protect your IT investments. SUSE Liberty Linux consolidates support for your entire Linux environment, including CentOS, RHEL and SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) distributions. This unified support model not only simplifies management but also reduces costs and minimizes the complexity of dealing with multiple vendors. You get the flexibility to innovate at your own pace, with the support of a true partner focused on your needs.

SUSE Liberty Linux is specifically designed to support end-of-life distributions like CentOS, ensuring you receive the necessary security patches, maintenance updates and technical support to keep your systems secure and operational. As a no-migration CentOS alternative, SUSE Liberty Linux allows you to continue using your preferred Linux OS without the stress of an immediate migration away from CentOS.

By choosing SUSE Liberty Linux, you get the assurance that the end-of-life distributions in your estate remain secure and supported, freeing your team to focus on driving innovation and growth.

Learn more about SUSE Liberty Linux here: a lifeline for CentOS 7 users to future-proof and protect your investments.

 

Simplify Your Mixed IT Environments

The strategic use of mixed IT environments reduces costs, speeds up development and drives business growth. SUSE empowers you to optimize your IT investments, enabling innovation, agility and the freedom to choose the best technology for every use case. While SUSE makes Linux distributions, we also offer service and support across any Linux environment.

For over 20 years, SUSE has simplified multi-distro management with SUSE Manager. SUSE Manager supports over 16 different Linux distributions, providing full visibility of your Linux estate in a single pane of glass. SUSE Manager’s single console-based tool manages various Linux distributions, including CentOS alternatives like RHEL, SLES, Ubuntu and Debian.

Built to scale with your organization, SUSE Manager provides automated management, monitoring and reporting from a single location. Its automation and configuration management capabilities help avoid error-prone manual maintenance, ensuring a smooth and efficient IT operation.

By simplifying and securing your heterogeneous Linux environments, SUSE Manager helps you take your mixed IT strategy to the next level, empowering your choices now and in the future.

 

Support for Your Whole Infrastructure

Navigating the open source landscape requires a trusted partner with the expertise to support your multiple Linux environments. SUSE released the very first Linux distribution in 1992, and for over 30 years, we have been on the cutting edge of open source technologies.

SUSE Support and Services offer a deep bench of technical expertise, support and consulting services to transform your IT systems, ensuring they’re as agile and resilient as your enterprise.

Our world-class support team is trained to assist your entire mixed Linux estate — not just SUSE solutions. For extended white-glove support, SUSE offers the option of Premium Support Services, with a named premium engineer for your entire infrastructure, ensuring that you have the help you need when you need it.

 

Increased Efficiencies and Cost Savings

SUSE Support was crucial to the success of LOT Polish Airlines’ transition from Red Hat Enterprise Support to SUSE Liberty Linux. Hear directly from Marek Truszkowski, IT Systems Administrator at LOT: “We now have Polish-speaking L1 and L2 support in-country, which gives us additional assurance that we can keep our Linux-based systems in perfect condition at all times.”

In addition, LOT leveraged SUSE Manager to streamline management of its Linux estate, resulting in time savings and freeing up IT personnel to focus on value-add tasks. “It took just two weeks to deploy SUSE Manager, and we are now saving significant time and effort in patch management and reporting,” says Truszkowski.

Since implementing SUSE Liberty Linux, LOT has halved its subscription fees and gained the flexibility to run unlimited virtual instances of the OS. As the business grows — without needing to pay higher OS fees — LOT estimates that its total cost of ownership for Linux will be 30% lower. Discover LOT’s success story.

Expert guidance, optimized solutions and tailored support can lead to increased efficiencies and cost savings for your company. With the complexities of your heterogeneous estate simplified by SUSE, your team can focus on innovation.

 

Maximize Your Linux Choices

At SUSE, we champion heterogeneity and multi-distro environments as the default setting, and we’ve been doing so for three decades. SUSE empowers the strategic use of mixed IT environments, enabling innovation, agility and the freedom to choose the best technology for every use case.

With new EOL challenges impacting your mixed Linux infrastructure, we are committed to making choice happen. SUSE Liberty Linux is a stress-free CentOS replacement that ensures support and maintenance through 2028 so that your organization continues to thrive. Regain control over your Linux environments and minimize your dependency.

With SUSE, your future is secure, your operations are streamlined and your IT infrastructure is optimized for success.
Schedule a call to discuss simplifying your multi-distro environment with SUSE.

In today’s fast-paced business landscape, ensuring the seamless operation and availability of critical systems is paramount. SAP Content Server, paired with MaxDB, provides a robust solution for storing and retrieving documents, but without a high availability setup, businesses risk downtime that can lead to significant productivity losses and data accessibility issues.

This blog is aimed at solving the key challenges customers face with their SAP environments. Downtime and data loss can be detrimental to business operations, causing disruptions and potential revenue losses. Implementing SAP Content Server with MaxDB in a SUSE HA environment addresses these concerns by providing a reliable and resilient system that ensures continuous availability and quick recovery from failures.

Why does this matter? High availability is not just a luxury; it’s a necessity for businesses that rely on constant data access and uptime. SUSE’s expertise in high availability and SAP solutions uniquely positions us to offer comprehensive and reliable configurations that meet the demands of modern enterprises. Our partnership with SAP and years of experience in deploying SAP solutions ensure that we deliver optimized performance and stability, reducing the risk of downtime and enhancing overall business continuity.

In this blog, we’ll explore the step-by-step implementation process, share best practices, and provide insights into the benefits of leveraging SUSE’s HA capabilities for your SAP Content Server with MaxDB. Whether you’re an IT professional looking to enhance your current setup or an enterprise aiming to maximize the efficiency and reliability of your SAP environment, this blog is your go-to resource for expert guidance and practical solutions.

It includes the following topics:

1. Download Content Server Installer
2. Filesystem Preparation
3. Start Installation from Local System
4. Check Application and Database Status from the OS CLI
5. Post-Installation Steps
6. Cluster Integration of SAP Content Server and MaxDB

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Download Content Server Installer

Download contents:

• SWPM : Software package manager required to start the sapinst (SAP product installer).

• SAPCAR: Required to extract any SAR file of SAP products.

• MAXDB Installation Dump

• SAPCS: Content server installation dump.

• SAPHOSTAGENT: Required to install SAP host agent service on the server.

You can also download all these installation media from the SAP site SAP Support Portal. Refer to the steps below for manual downloads.

• Login to SAP Portal   SAP Support Portal Home

• Select Software Downloads

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• Download Content server installation media

 

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• Download MaxDB installation media

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• Download SAPHOSTAGENT

 

 

 

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• Download SAPCAR to extract all other Medias

 

 

 

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Filesystem Preparation

For Application (minimum consideration):

• NFS share on both cluster nodes:

/sapmnt: 1G 

• Cluster Shared Filesystem for Application:

/usr/sap: 1G

• Cluster Shared Filesystem for Database:

/sapdb: 15GB 

Disclaimer: The filesystem size should be considered according to your landscape requirements

 

• Create LVM by referring to the guide: SLE HA 15 SP5 | Administration Guide | Cluster Logical Volume Manager (Cluster LVM)

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Start Installation from Local System

App / DB Installation

• Go to the parent directory where all media is available.
• Untar SWPM***.SAR file using the SAPCAR utility (One-time task):

./SAPCAR_1115-70006178.EXE -X SWPM10SP40_5-20009701.SAR

• Start installation (For both app and DB, this step is common. After installation of the app, start the DB installation using the same command): — Here, vhost_name refers to the virtual hostname of the application

./sapinst SAPINST_USE_HOSTNAME=vhost_name

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APP Installation Steps:

 

 

 

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DB installation steps:

 

 

 

 

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Check App and DB Status from OS CLI

Login as <sid>adm:

su – susadm

To check DB State:

/sapdb/programs/bin/dbmcli -d SUS -u SUPERDBA,suse123 db_state

Expected output:

OK
State
ONLINE

To start the DB:

/sapdb/programs/bin/dbmcli -d SUS -u SUPERDBA,Suse@1234 db_start
/sapdb/programs/bin/dbmcli -d SUS -u SUPERDBA,Suse@1234 db_online

To stop the DB:

/sapdb/programs/bin/dbmcli -d SUS -u SUPERDBA,Suse@1234 db_stop

To check application status:

sapcontrol -nr 00 -function GetProcessList

Expected output:

01.02.2022 18:32:33
GetProcessList
OK
name, description, dispstatus, textstatus, starttime, elapsedtime, pid
sapcs, Content Server, GREEN, Running, 2022 02 01 14:34:16, 3:58:17, 113634

Start/stop content server application:

sapcontrol -nr 00 -function Start
sapcontrol -nr 00 -function Stop

Start/stop sapstartsrv:

sapcontrol -nr 00 -function Stopservice
sapcontrol -nr 00 -function StartService SUS
# OR
/usr/sap/SUS/C00/exe/sapstartsrv pf=/usr/sap/SUS/SYS/profile/SUS_C00_sapcsmapp -D -u susadm

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Post Installation Steps

Synchronization of Files to All Nodes

Sync the below files with the secondary cluster node:

/etc/passwd --> only new SAP app/db users
/etc/group  --> only new SAP app/db groups
/etc/services
/home/sapadm, /home/<sid>adm and 'database user' home directory
/etc/init.d/sapinit

MaxDB specific files:

/etc/opt
/var/lib/sdb

Add sapinit service on node2 using chkconfig to be present among other system services:

chkconfig --add sapinit

SetDatabaseProperty

Reference: 2018919 – SAP MaxDB/SAPHostagent: Setting connect information as SetDatabaseProperty function

/usr/sap/hostctrl/exe/saphostctrl -host vnode \
-user susadm Suse@1234 -dbname SUS -dbtype ada \
-function SetDatabaseProperty DBCredentials=SET \
-dboption User=SUPERDBA -dboption Password=Suse@1234

Expected output:

Webmethod returned successfully
Operation ID: C79C68055B271EEF83E904AEC59FDB9E

----- Log messages ----
Info: saphostcontrol: Executing SetDatabaseProperty
Info: saphostcontrol: SetDatabaseProperty successfully executed

/usr/sap/hostctrl/exe/saphostctrl -dbname SUS -dbtype ada -function SetDatabaseProperty DBCredentials=SET -dboption User=SUPERDBA -dboption Password=Suse@1234

Expected output:

Webmethod returned successfully
Operation ID: C79C68055B271EEF83E8E3421E02DB9E

----- Log messages ----
Info: saphostcontrol: Executing SetDatabaseProperty
Info: saphostcontrol: SetDatabaseProperty successfully executed

The below command should be run by the root user after setting the above DB property:

/usr/sap/hostctrl/exe/saphostctrl -function GetDatabaseStatus -dbname SUS -dbtype ADA -service
/usr/sap/hostctrl/exe/saphostctrl -function StopDatabase -dbname SUS -dbtype ADA -service
/usr/sap/hostctrl/exe/saphostctrl -function StartDatabase -dbname SUS -dbtype ADA -service

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Cluster Integration of SAP Content Server and MaxDB

To prevent the cluster from starting partially defined resources, set the cluster to the maintenance mode. This deactivates all monitor actions.
As user root, type the following command:

# crm configure property maintenance-mode="true"

Now, configure the resources for the file system, IP address and the SAP instance, Database. You need to adapt the parameters for your specific environment.

primitive dlm ocf:pacemaker:controld \
    op monitor interval=60 timeout=60 \
    op start timeout=90s interval=0s \
    op stop timeout=100s interval=0s
primitive lvmlockd lvmlockd \
    op start timeout=90 interval=0s \
    op stop timeout=100 interval=0s \
    op monitor interval=30s timeout=90s
primitive maxdb_fs Filesystem \
    params device="/dev/maxdbvg/maxdblv" directory="/sapdb" fstype=xfs \
    op start timeout=60s interval=0 \
    op stop timeout=60s interval=0 \
    op monitor interval=20s timeout=40
primitive maxdbvg LVM-activate \
    params vgname=maxdbvg vg_access_mode=lvmlockd \
    op start timeout=90s interval=0 \
    op stop timeout=90s interval=0 \
    op monitor interval=30s timeout=90s
primitive rsc_ip IPaddr2 \
    params ip=192.168.2.6 cidr_netmask=24 \
    op monitor interval=10s timeout=20s \
    op start timeout=20s interval=0s \
    op stop timeout=20s interval=0s
primitive rsc_sap_SUS_SAPDB SAPDatabase \
    params SID=SUS DBTYPE=ADA AUTOMATIC_RECOVER=true \
    meta target-role=Started \
    op monitor interval=120 timeout=180 \
    op_params start_delay=60 \
    op start timeout=1800s interval=0s \
    op stop timeout=1800s interval=0s \
    op_params trace_ra=1
primitive rsc_sap_SUS_C00 SAPInstance \
    operations $id=rsc_sap_SUS_C00-operations \
    op monitor interval=20 timeout=60 \
    op_params on_fail=restart \
    params InstanceName=SUS_C00_vode START_PROFILE="/usr/sap/SUS/SYS/profile/SUS_C00_vnode" AUTOMATIC_RECOVER=false DIR_EXECUTABLE="/usr/sap/SUS/C00/exe" MONITOR_SERVICES="sapcs" \
    meta target-role=Started
primitive sapvg LVM-activate \
    params vgname=sapvg vg_access_mode=lvmlockd \
    op start timeout=90s interval=0 \
    op stop timeout=90s interval=0 \
    op monitor interval=30s timeout=90s
primitive stonith-sbd stonith:external/sbd \
    op monitor timeout=20 interval=3600 \
    op start timeout=20 interval=0s \
    op stop timeout=15 interval=0s \
    params pcmk_delay_max=30s
primitive usrsap_fs Filesystem \
    params device="/dev/sapvg/saplv" directory="/usr/sap" fstype=xfs \
    op start timeout=60s interval=0 \
    op stop timeout=60s interval=0 \
    op monitor interval=20s timeout=40
group g-resources maxdbvg sapvg maxdb_fs usrsap_fs rsc_sap_SUS_SAPDB rsc_sap_SUS_C00 rsc_ip 
group g-storage dlm lvmlockd
clone cl-storage g-storage \
    meta interleave=true target-role=Started
order cl-storage_before_g-resources cl-storage g-resources symmetrical=true
rsc_defaults build-resource-defaults: \
    resource-stickiness=1 \
    migration-threshold=3

Create a txt file (like crm_cs_mxdb.txt) with your preferred text editor. Add above example (primitives and group) to that file and load the configuration to the cluster manager configuration.
As user root, type the following command:

# crm configure load update crm_cs_mxdb.txt

The last step is to end the cluster maintenance mode and to allow the cluster to detect already running resources.
As user root, type the following command:

# crm configure property maintenance-mode="false"

 

Summary

In this blog, we’ve explored the detailed implementation of SAP Content Server with MaxDB in a SUSE High Availability environment. We’ve discussed the challenges of maintaining system uptime and data accessibility, and how SUSE’s robust HA capabilities can address these issues. By following our step-by-step guide, you can ensure a resilient and reliable SAP Content Server setup that minimizes downtime and maximizes productivity.

Get Help and Stay Connected

If you have any questions or need further assistance with implementing SAP Content Server with MaxDB in a SUSE HA environment, don’t hesitate to reach out to our support team or visit our community forums. Our experts are here to help you achieve the highest levels of performance and reliability for your SAP solutions.

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If you have been using CentOS for your business, you are painfully aware that you no longer can get the trusted support and security patches that you once depended on. And if you’ve been using Linux for any length of time, you know support patches are released frequently. For example, at SUSE, we release an average of 9 security patches every month for our SUSE Linux Enterprise Server.

 

 

You simply can’t run your business on an unsupported system. Bad actors are lurking and they’re more than happy to take advantage of your system vulnerabilities. And research shows that 60% of cyberattacks happen due to unpatched systems.

In recent blogs, I’ve made the case for SUSE Liberty Linux as the best alternative to CentOS. After all, with Liberty Linux, you get to keep your current operating system and get security updates and maintenance updates from a leader in open source with over 30 years experience. With Liberty Linux, you do not have to go through a costly and risky migration or upgrade. It’s like keeping your mobile number and changing your carrier.

In this blog, I’m going to discuss the different packages that SUSE offers for Liberty Linux – and how you should go about choosing which one is right for your business.

 

Liberty Linux Lite for CentOS 7

Liberty Linux Lite for CentOS 7 gives you access to security patches and maintenance updates for your CentOS 7 systems. You also get a limited license to SUSE Linux Enterprise Server so you can set up your RMT. If you only have CentOS 7 systems, don’t need access to technical support, and want to easily transition to Liberty Linux, this offering is for you. This package is available only on the SUSE Shop or through AWS.

 

Liberty Linux Lite

Liberty Linux Lite is very similar to the package described above, however, this package gives you access to security patches and maintenance updates for any of your CentOS (7 or 8) systems through 2028. You still get a limited license to SUSE Linux Enterprise Server so you can set up your RMT; however no technical support is provided. This is for customers who have the staff to handle technical support in house and are running a mix of CentOS versions in their ecosystem and want to be protected for 3 years.

 

Liberty Linux Basic

Liberty Linux Basic provides a little more support for the CentOS customer. With this package, you get access to security patches and maintenance updates for any of your CentOS (7 or 8) systems through 2028. You still get a limited license to SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, so you can set up an RMT – but with Basic you don’t have to! That’s because you also get entitlement to a SUSE Manager subscription. SUSE Manager is our mixed Linux IT management solution. With SUSE Manager, you simply run the Liberate formula and your systems will automatically connect to the right channels to get the security patches you need. With Liberty Lite Basic, you also get access to world class, follow-the-sun SUSE technical support. If you are using a mix of CentOS versions, want to tap into expert support, and want to manage all of your systems from a single pane of glass, this offer is for you.

 

Liberty Linux Professional

Liberty Linux Professional is for customers who have a mix of CentOS and RHEL running in their infrastructure. With this package, you also get entitlement to a SUSE Manager subscription as well as access to 24/7/365 SUSE technical support for both your CentOS and RHEL systems. SUSE Manager will manage your entire infrastructure and you will always have access to technical support. With this package, you can really start to future-proof your systems with the support of an enterprise open source company.

 

Liberty Linux Enterprise

Our most robust package, Liberty Linux Enterprise is for those customers who are looking to modernize their infrastructure. With our Enterprise package, you not only get entitlement to a SUSE Manager subscription and 24/7/365 technical support, you also get entitlement to a full SUSE Linux Enterprise Server subscription, which you can use in production. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server is the open, reliable, compliant, and future-proof Linux Server choice that ensures the enterprise’s business continuity. With up to 19 years of support per version and ready for uninterrupted operation, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 offers the longest-term innovation and security today and into the future. With Liberty Linux Enterprise, you not only get the support you need today, but you get the tools you need to modernize your business for the future.

Liberty Linux is clearly the technology and support solution you need if you are currently running an end-of-life operating system. With many packages to choose from, we are sure you will find one that works for your business. The time to act is now. Get ahead of the bad actors with a partner you can trust. With SUSE, choice happens.

June 30, 2024 marked the end of life (EOL) for CentOS 7. This critical milestone means the end of official updates, patches and security fixes, leaving your Linux systems vulnerable to attacks. The time is now to ensure your infrastructure remains secure, stable and compliant. 

While you may choose to migrate to a new operating system, you need to ensure support and security for the CentOS workloads that are running unprotected until your migration is complete. This is where post-EOL CentOS support comes in.

This article will detail the risks your CentOS systems face now that CentOS 7 is EOL and introduce a seamless solution for extended CentOS 7 support.

 

 

Quick Facts About CentOS 7 End of Life

Is CentOS 7 end of life?

CentOS 7 reached its end of life on June 30, 2024. As of July 1st, 2024, CentOS will no longer receive official updates, patches or support. For more details, read our comprehensive guide to CentOS EOL.

Is CentOS 7 still supported?

Official support for CentOS 7 has ended, meaning no more updates or security patches will be provided by the CentOS project. If you’re still running CentOS, your systems are at risk for cyberattacks and data leaks.

What replaces CentOS 7?

The current proprietors of CentOS advise a full migration to another operating system, as there is no official upgrade path available to another version of CentOS. You can choose to migrate to a new environment, or opt for a no-migration CentOS alternative with third-party support.

What is the future of CentOS 7?

Without official support, CentOS 7 systems are at risk for security vulnerabilities and operational issues. CentOS will keep running for the time being; however, it’s dangerous to rely on an OS that does not receive security updates. Secure the future of your CentOS workloads by transitioning to a supported solution.

 

Immediate Risks Post-CentOS 7 EOL

Running a sunsetted Linux OS puts your technology stack at risk. Specifically, these are the biggest threats you’ll face by continuing to run CentOS 7 without support:

• Security Vulnerabilities and Cyber Threats: Without regular updates and security patches, your CentOS 7 systems are prime targets for cyberattacks. Unpatched vulnerabilities can lead to data breaches, loss of sensitive information and severe financial repercussions.
• Operational Disruptions and Downtime: Unsupported systems are prone to failures and performance issues, leading to operational disruptions. Downtime can affect your business continuity, resulting in lost revenue and customer trust.
• Compliance and Regulatory Risks: Running unsupported software can lead to non-compliance with industry regulations and standards. This can result in hefty fines and legal consequences, further jeopardizing your business.

These implications underscore the urgency of securing support for your CentOS workloads. The time has come to regain liberty and secure your IT future.

 

SUSE’s Comprehensive CentOS Support Solution

SUSE Liberty Linux

With SUSE, you can keep the CentOS distros you rely on, while ensuring the highest quality support and security. SUSE Liberty Linux offers a seamless solution to extend the life of your CentOS 7 systems up to 2028 with transparent roadmaps, stable LTS versions and proactive updates.

Transitioning to SUSE Liberty Linux is straightforward. Simply remove Red Hat patch repositories and install SUSE channels. This ensures stability and functionality without the need for a disruptive and time-consuming migration.

 

How SUSE Liberty Linux Supports CentOS 7 After EOL

SUSE Liberty Linux offers extended CentOS support without requiring migration to a new Linux distribution. Here’s how:

• Backported Fixes: SUSE’s approach to backporting involves applying security patches from newer software versions to your CentOS 7 systems. This method addresses vulnerabilities without requiring major upgrades, maintaining your systems’ security and stability.
• API and ABI Compatibility: SUSE Liberty Linux ensures 100% compatibility with your existing APIs and ABIs. This guarantees that your applications continue to function as expected, preventing business disruptions.
• 24/7 Enterprise-Grade Support: With SUSE Liberty Linux, you gain access to a dedicated support team available 24/7/365 via chat, email or phone, with follow-the-sun support in local languages. Our support includes guaranteed business-critical SLAs and comprehensive assistance from problem identification to resolution.

For over 30 years, SUSE has been a leader in enterprise Linux support, offering a 100% CentOS-compatible Linux since CentOS 5. As a founding member of the Open Enterprise Linux Association (OpenELA), SUSE promotes and empowers genuine Linux vendor independence. Leveraging this extensive experience and commitment to open source principles, SUSE is a reliable, expert source of CentOS 7 support and maintenance, ensuring your systems’ security and operations after the official EOL.

 

 

Act Now: Protect Your CentOS 7 Workloads

End of life is here, and businesses need to enact a CentOS support strategy. Delaying action can lead to severe consequences, including security breaches, operational downtime and non-compliance penalties. Acting now ensures your CentOS systems remain secure and functional.

SUSE Liberty Linux offers a seamless, reliable and secure way to extend the life of your CentOS 7 systems. Don’t wait until vulnerabilities and disruptions impact your business. Together, let’s empower your Linux journey with possibilities, unbounded by versions or lifecycles.

For more details about your CentOS 7 support options, check out the recent guide: Understanding CentOS EOL Support Options and Services.

Contact SUSE today to learn more about how we can help you maintain and secure your CentOS.