Two SIDs on same domain?

[Former Member]

Hi all.

Due to auditing issues, we need to test a backup recovery of a SAP system. I was thinking of installing a dedicated system for this, through "Homogeneous System Copy". I thought of installing the system with same SID, perform some Basis tests, and send to functional teams for validations.

My problem was the SID of the SAP System. Installing with same SID would be simple, and we could retest the backup recovery over and over.

I looked on the Installation guide, and..:

Make sure that your SAP system ID: Is unique throughout your organization. Do not use an existing <SAPSID> when installing a new SAP system.

What is generally done in these situations? I would not like to change the SID. Should I install it locally, or on other domain? Can I install it in the same domain, but as local installation?

Can I install it with same SID on the same domain only for test purposes, or should I follow the Guide, and not install the same SID?

What are best practices in these situations?

Thanks

[Former Member]

You have already gotten a lot of good technical advice on this topic. 

I would just like to throw in my (non-technical) concerns about keeping the same SID.  Based on my experience, it will almost certainly confuse most of your users that are testing in the copied system, and I see a fairly high danger of something being done in production that somebody thought they were doing in the copy and vice versa. 

Since you are planning on doing an "official" homogeneous system copy via sapinst, it would be just as easy to change the SID and thus avoiding the human pitfalls.

[Former Member]

Hi Pedro,

Below is the answers for your questions:

What is generally done in these situations? I would not like to change the SID. Should I install it locally, or on other domain? Can I install it in the same domain, but as local installation?

Please go ahead using the same SID but on another host. Dont go for same SID in the same domain as well as any type of local/domain installation.

In respect to the mode, you can do backup/restore and also Homogeneous copy.

Can I install it with same SID on the same domain only for test purposes, or should I follow the Guide, and not install the same SID?

Please dont go for same SID on the same domain, you can install the SAP system with the existing SID but on the different host..

We are here to help you if you have any other questions on the same.

Best Regards

Kishore

[Former Member]

How can he have the same SID on the same host.. That is nothing by overwriting the original system.. And that is what he is not looking to do .

Coming to domain question ..the whole purpose of this activity is to check if the backup restore is successful or not. So there is no need to put this SAP system in  any transport domain

[Former Member]

Hi Kishore,

Thanks for your help, I think you have answered my questions.

But I'm still curious about:

Dont go for same SID in the same domain as well as any type of local/domain installation.

Why can't we do this? Can you go into this deeper? I know that there may be lots of bad things, but i just can't figure out specifically what can harm the source system.

Again, thanks

[Former Member]

Hi Ruchit

I was talking about Windows domain, and not TMS configurations (transport configurations are, as you well said it, irrelevant; no transports needed). Sorry for no being accurate. thanks

[Former Member]

Hi Pedro,

If you go with the same SID, it would be like you are overwriting the same system right, since the existing system has same SID. That is the reason i have told you not to go for same SID.

Also in regard to homogeneous copy, there are two ways 1.Export/Import method 2. Backup/Restore Method.

You can choose any of the above options as per your requirment.

Best Regards

Kishore

[Reagan]

Hello

Dont go for same SID in the same domain as well as any type of local/domain installation.
Why can't we do this? Can you go into this deeper? I know that there may be lots of bad things, but i just can't figure out specifically what can harm the source system.

I took this from the installation guide.

3.4Domain or Local Installation
Before you install the SAP system, you have to decide whether you want to perform a domain or local installation, since this affects how the user account information is stored and accessed.
Windows Server 2003 or Windows Server 2008 (R2):
For more information about the differences between a local and domain installation, go to StartHelp and Support and search for What is the difference between a domain and a workgroup?.
Domain Installation
In a domain installation, the user account information is stored centrally in one database on the domain controller and is accessible to all hosts in the system.
You have to perform a domain installation if one of the following applies:
You install a distributed system.
You install a high-availability system with Microsoft Failover Clustering.
You want to use Single Sign-On with Microsoft Kerberos SSP
You use a common transport host for several SAP systems running on different computers.
Local Installation
In a local installation, all Windows account information is stored locally on one host and is not visible to any other hosts in the system.
If the SAP system is to run on a single machine (standard system), you can perform a local installation.

It is possible to have systems with same SID's on different servers in the same network.

I have seen it numerous times. As long as you maintain the uniqueness then there is no problem.

Lastly, choosing the SID of system is the right of the companies who are using the SAP products.

Regards

RB

[former_member218171]

Hi Pedro,

You souldn't use the same SID because you won't be able to install a license since in the Marketplace the SID is unique. However if you are restoring for example...VMware machines... you souldn't have problems as long as the SAP system is off the network or with a diferente name/ip.

Cheers!

[Former Member]

You can register multiple licences for the same SID, for different servers. We do that for a DR server and test periodically having both live and DR systems running at the same time. In fact in our live system we also have installed the licence for the DR system so that we don't have to wait for that to be generated by the service marketplace before we can activate the DR.

Of course if you are going to have both systems running at the same time on the same network they do need to be on hosts with different names and IP addresses, as you say.

And do take into account everything said when activating the copy. That's all stuff to take special care with!

Steve.

[Former Member]

Hi Pedro,

You will be fine running this as a test restore with the same SID; you don't need to do a homogenous system copy as you aren't trying to make a copy.  Simply restoring it and trying it out will be fine. But there are a things you ought to do to keep it from processing anything:

1. After you restore the system, and before you start it up, manually adjust the profile parameters to remove all batch processs so that it doesn't start processing and sending data.

2. When you log in, deschedule all jobs.

3. Change the RFC's so that they don't point to real end points.

4.  You are going to have to play around with the hostnames to ensure that you don't have two hosts with the same name up and running at the same time.

If you can restore the system to a test lab which is seperate from the rest of the network that will de-risk it.

Just a few thoughts.

Regards

Graham

[Former Member]

I Graham, and thanks for your help. I was thinking on a homogeneous system copy because the new machine doesn't have SAP installed, it would be something from scratch. If i install SQL Server and restore a backup from source system, i do not have the SAP system to work with.

[Former Member]

Hi Pedro,

You can start the installation and use the 'backup / restore' method to install the db from the backup rather than a db export. That way the core SAP installation is performed and the data is up to date.  It's faster that a db export/import.

Regards,

Graham