Need advice/assistance with kernel upgrade planning

As information/background, I have been away from SAP and basis for about four years.

Due to personnel changes here, I am now returning to it. While I was away,

our SAP system was upgraded from version 4.0B to “SAP R/3 ENTERPRISE 47X110”.

I was not a part of the upgrade and have no details as to how it was accomplished.

At this point, we have two SAP “systems”: DEV and PRD and they are on separate

partitions of an i5 520.

Both are running on OS/i5 V5R3M5 with mostly updated CUMe packages, etc, and

PASE is installed.

Both of these “systems” use the 6.20 kernel at patch level 1598.

We know that this is an OLD kernel and we need to upgrade.

Upgrading the kernel used to be a really simple thing to do but now, it seems

so complicated! The sheer volume of data on the SMP is very daunting—when

it can be found. As a result, I have many questions:

1. Should we upgrade to kernel 6.40 or kernel 7.00?

2. The most recent support package that we have is SAPKB62028.

What is the purpose of “support packages”? Do they have anything to do with the

kernel version? The reason I ask is that in some places, it is stated that

you

MUST

be current with support packages before you attempt to

upgrade your kernel to 6.40. In other places, it isn’t even mentioned.

Note 664679 states:

   Before you can use the 6.40 kernel, 
the following Support Package must be installed in your SAP system:
   …
   SAP_BASIS 620: SAPKB62041

   To avoid the problems described in note 787328, 
the following Support Packages are also recommended:

   …
   SAP_BASIS 620: SAPKB62047

So, obviously, I need to get these support packages up to level 47. Why?

Isn’t the new kernel a fresh start? Why would the existing kernel and

its support package level make any difference to the new kernel?

Since we are currently using kernel 6.20, do I need to install support

packages ?

5. I know that we don’t have a J2EE server. Do I need to even worry

about that at all?

6. Is there any “basis” functionality that exists in the J2EE server

that doesn’t exist anywhere else? In other words, are we doing ourselves

(and, particularly, me) a disservice by not having it?

7. What is the difference between SAP NetWeaver 04 and SAP NetWeaver 2004s?

8. As long as I have a backup, would it be safe to create a new kernel

for DEV but leave PRD alone? Will the transport functions still operate if I do?

9. Someone mentioned an “R3OPT Support Package Stack”. Would this be

preferable to loading from the installation CD and patching?

Is this in addition to the new kernel installation?

Any information is greatly appreciated because, as you can see,

I have a lot to learn in a very short time.

Robert

Message was edited by: Robert Clay

Reformmatted, adding line breaks