This document serves as a guide for the implementation of the necessary prerequisites in order to operate Datavard Glue, a middleware and development platform for data integration, in combination with Microsoft SQL environments.
Prerequisites
In order to enable Datavard Glue functionality, there are multiple prerequisites which need to be met. They are divided into three categories:
- MS SQL
- operating system
- SAP
Some of these prerequisites can be achieved or set up in parallel, others have to be done sequentially as they depend on configuration done in previous steps.
MS SQL
Open ports
In a controlled network environment, it is common to have firewall rules in place. In order to enable communication of SAP systems with MS SQL, TPC port 1433 needs to be reachable in MS SQL from the SAP system.
Database creation
On the MS SQL server a dedicated database needs to be created. It will then be added as secondary database in the SAP system and will receive the tables generated by Datavard Glue.
Technical database user
In order to operate the database, a technical user with access to the database needs to be configured
Operating system
Two software components are necessary to connect your SAP Application Server to a remote SQL Server instance:
- The Microsoft ODBC driver
- The SAP DBSL library
The connection can be established from both Linux and Window operating environments.
Linux x86_64 operating environment
SAP note 1644499 (https://launchpad.support.sap.com/#/notes/1644499) describes requirements necessary to establish the connection along with links to the relevant resources.
For the installation of the ODBC driver itself, please follow instructions on Microsoft website:
Windows operating environment
SAP note 1774329 (https://launchpad.support.sap.com/#/notes/1774329) describes the necessary steps to establish the connection along with links to the relevant resources.
Secondary database connection to MS SQL server is currently supported by SAP only from Windows and Linux application servers. For systems based on AIX, HP-UX, or Solaris, the only workaround is to add Linux or Windows instance to the system. See https://launchpad.support.sap.com/#/notes/2221305
SAP: Connection of a remote database
Once the database connectivity from the SAP application server to the remote SQL server has been established, it is possible to add the MS SQL database created beforehand as a secondary database to the SAP system.
Establishing the connection
Login to SAP system and start transaction /ndbco to define new database connection (switch to change mode and new entries).
The new connection is defined by the attributes below:
- DB connection – the name of the database connection ( e.g. MSSQL )
- DBMS – MSS can be chosen via F4 help
- Username – MS SQL technical username
- DB password – MS SQL technical user password
- info – enter connection string :
- MSSQL_SERVER=skbtsmss01 MSSQL_DBNAME=datavard OBJECT_SOURCE=dbo
- Permanent – can be left unchecked
- Connection Limit and Optimum Conns - can be left empty if not instructed else
Figure 1 new database connection item
SAP note 1265134 (https://launchpad.support.sap.com/#/notes/1265134) describes in details how to establish the connection to a remote database
Testing the connection
In transaction se38 you can run report ADBC_TEST_CONNECTION to test if the connection is correctly configured.
- Enter connection name and click Execute (F8)
- Successful response is shown on the screenshot below
If errors occur, some details can usually be found in ST11 workprocess log.
Storage setup
To create an MSSQL storage:
- Open transaction /dvd/sm_setup
- Go to Edit Mode & Click New Storage
- Enter Storage ID
- Select Storage Type SM_TRS_MSS
- Enter Description for the storage
- Ented previously created DBCO connection as DB Connection Name
- Select COLUMN ORIENTED if target database is columnar
- Enter MSSQL collation, if non-default value is required
- Check Enable update, if delta loads should update previously loaded data
- Storage ID: name of the storage
- Storage Type: type of the storage. Use the storage type "SM_TRS_MSS" for MS SQL transparent storage.
- Description: short text description
- DB Connection Name: existing SAP DBCO connection.
- Column Oriented: switch between the columnar and row-oriented database management system
- MSSQL Collation: collation rules
- Enable update: support of direct update statements
Limitations
While altering a table, only new fields (characteristics or key figures) can be added. It isn't possible to modify the existing field’s datatype or length.