How do I upgrade my EP hardware from single server to a cluster?

[Former Member]

Hi,

We are on EP6.0 SP11, which contains Portal and KM.

I have two J2EE server processes running on the same machine in the Production environment. The database is also running on the same machine.

Now, I have two objectives:

1. I want to separate my database and put it on a separate server.

2. I want to add dialog instances to support and load-balance the current central instance.

Here are my questions:

1. Can I separate my database and put it on another separate server without affecting my current installation? If yes, how? If no, what is the alternative? Do I need to do a fresh "distributed" installation?

2. Assuming that I have separated my database server, do I just go on adding dialog instances to my current installation for load-balancing? The SAPInst gives us the "distributed" installation option, but that would mean that I will have to start the installation of WebAS from scratch.

3. If I do add dialog instances to my current installation, how do I replicate the KM content (that resides on the central instance) onto the dialog instances?

Kindly assist me in this regard. I promise to assign points to all those who can help me find the best solution to achieve my objectives.

Thanks and Regards,

Sagar

[Benny]

Hi Sagar,

I'll try to answer your questions:

> 1. Can I separate my database and put it on another

> separate server without affecting my current

> installation? If yes, how? If no, what is the

> alternative? Do I need to do a fresh "distributed"

> installation?

In principal this is possible but not yet a standard procedure. The way that I know most about is to do a backup of your server as described in the manuals (you get there at least from the "technical operations manual") and then bring that into the new database.

For reconnecting the server there you need to reconfigure your DB connection. From there you should be save.

> 2. Assuming that I have separated my database server,

> do I just go on adding dialog instances to my current

> installation for load-balancing? The SAPInst gives us

> the "distributed" installation option, but that would

> mean that I will have to start the installation of

> WebAS from scratch.

Exactly. Everything else will be done when the server is started for the first time. You can watch this with the monitoring tool in Windows. It tells you in the beginning of the starting phase that it's "comparing binaries". There it is checking if the SDM contains same sources as the server. As this is not the case everything is updated to the revision of the repository.

> 3. If I do add dialog instances to my current

> installation, how do I replicate the KM content (that

> resides on the central instance) onto the dialog

> instances?

>

This is where my wisdom ends. Sorry.

Regards,

Benny

[Former Member]

Hi Benny,

Thanks for your answer. I believe I got something I was looking for.

A few more questions:

1. You have said it is definitely possible to separate the database, by taking a backup and then changing the DB settings. The backup thing is OK, but is there any documentation available which talks about the next part, i.e., taking the DB to another machine and then pointing the WebAS and Portal to that machine? I haven't come across such a document or note and if you can point me to some documentation on the subject, I will be much grateful.

2. After I add my dialog instances, I will have installed WebAS and Portal and KM on all instances. My understanding is that a simple restart of the central instance should deploy all the required content on my dialog instances. Can you kindly confirm if this is correct? Or is there any other special steps to be followed here too?

Thanks and Regards,

Sagar