Hardware for BCM DEV/QA systems

[Former Member]

BCM folks,

I'm wondering your thoughts on hardware for BCM dev/qa systems (and prod).  Before you tell me, I have already reviewed all the documentation (various PDFs) as part of this SCN site and on the marketplace BCM section.  I was just wondering, informally, what kind of hardware others put forward for PROD /  non-prod BCM environments.

From the "Master Guide", I know SAP does not support VMware.  So we will go with physical servers.

the "Compatibility List" guide tells us the required DB (MS SQL), OS (windows2008R2)) for DB / application / reporting

Some of the other guides (PDFs) give some examples of dev/qa/prod:

BCM_7_Example_SP3

BCM_7_SP3_Example_5_srvrs

SAP BCM 7.0 Hardware Sizing

We plan to have up to 100 agents logged in to BCM concurrently.

We plan to hold up to 200 calls at once.  That would be reps on the phone, plus customers waiting in queue (IVR).

We were looking at something like this:

PROD:

1 – MS SQL server cluster (essentially 2 servers) w/ 32GB RAM each

1 – Reporting server running MS SQL server (not clustered) w/ 16GB RAM

3 – Application servers (virtual units spread across, all virtual units have redundant instances on different servers) w/ 16GB RAM each

QA:

1 – MS SQL server NON CLUSTERED - also would hold app server (virtual units) w/ 16GB RAM

DEV:

1 – MS SQL server NON CLUSTERED - also would hold app server (virtual units) w/ 16GB RAM

Knowing that, what do you think?  I'd like to know if you see any "RED flags" with this setup before we order anything.

Thanks,

NICK

[VishnAndr · Accepted solution]

Hello, Nick.

It seems that you've planned hardware well. Perhaps, some other more experienced colleagues will be able to share their thoughts too.

But I have some questions.

Where in Master Guide did you find the statement that VMWare is not supported? In general, it's preferable to use physical servers. But I'd like to know why do you think virtual machines are not supported at all? Probably, I've missed something.Please point me out

Also you should know that there is no standard SAP transport system available in BCM. And I've never met three-systems landscape regarding BCM (DEV-QA-PRD). I'd use only two systems (DEV&QA-PRD). But it's only my own opinion.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hello again Andrei,

OK, so if you goto the Master Guide in this area:

2.5.3Planning System Model

　

The system model is the arrangement of virtual units on physical servers.

Also, the SAP BCM 7.0 Hardware Sizing guide says this:

Physical hardware only

The compatibility with VMWare platform has not been fully tested, so officially VMWare is not supported with SAP BCM.

The problem is that both VMWare and BCM implement a layer of virtualization. The behaviour of two virtualization and availability concepts on top of each other may end up in unpredictable behaviour.

VMWare is typically used for cost saving purposes, but this is not a good approach for a real time communication systems. The BCM system needs dedicated hardware to control the system processes and services in a reliable manner in peak situations

The hardware recommendations contained in this document should only be interpreted as physical servers

--NICK

[VishnAndr · Accepted solution]

Thank you.

BTW, I was thinking about three-systems landscape that you've mentioned. It'd be very good approach in case you have the same landscape of CRM systems. In this case you'll be able to connect each CRM system to dedicated BCM system.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thanks again Andrei,

Your questioning about VMware did get me thinking though.  I've checked with some other folks and I'm hearing that other companies are using VMware for BCM.  It seems that SAP is wary of saying "officially supported", but there is no reason why VMware would not work.

And that fits our environment better since we are completely virtualized in every other SAP system we use.

Thanks again for the good responses.

NICK

[VishnAndr · Accepted solution]

Right, Nick.

That is why I asked the question. SAP BCM is positioned as, let me say, "cloud-enabled" solution. It means that it's quite easy for service providers to establish all that thing for their customers. And I believe that service providers don't use dedicated physical servers for each customer. Even for a number of customers.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Nick,

To your point on VMWare support for SAP BCM and trying to be a little less warry , let me try to shine some light on this.

What you need to know when considering to run SAP BCM 7 on VMware (5.x) platform:

1. In order to use VMware (or some other server virtualization solution) as a platform for SAP BCM 7, it’s important to understand SAP General Support Statement for Virtual Environments: https://service.sap.com/sap/support/notes/1492000. 

· 

      This SAP note states e.g. the following:

• For SAP applications, the operating system is the abstraction layer between the application and the hardware.
• SAP only supports virtualization solutions that behave in a fully transparent manner to the application. If the virtualization solution does not behave fully transparently, the relevant technology partner must provide support for the virtualization solution to become transparent. If a support issue cannot be solved by the technology partner, the SAP application might need to be migrated to a non-virtual environment.

2. In addition SAP BCM 7 customers & partners need to follow guidelines described in SAP BCM 7 compatibility statement for VMware (see attached)

• This includes e.g. supported versions: SAP BCM 7 and VMware ESX1 5.0
• Key conclusions:
  • VMware ESX1 5.0 can be used as a platform for SAP BCM 7 Servers. Sufficient hardware resources (CPU, Disk I/O, Net I/0, memory, etc.) must be provided to obtain expected SAP BCM 7 service levels. Using VMware doesn’t basically change the SAP BCM 7 landscape design. At least two ESX hosts with the capability of merging the virtual servers to and from another must be used for fault resilient setups.
  • VMware High Availability (HA) and SAP BCM 7 HA concepts can be used in parallel but do not necessary add resilience and may require the customer to do on-site experimenting to determine proper configuration.

3. Other server virtualization platforms (for example Microsoft Virtual Server)

• SAP General Support Statement for Virtual Environments apply: https://service.sap.com/sap/support/notes/1492000.
• SAP BCM Product Unit has tested SAP BCM 7 only with VMware ESX1 5.0 so we don’t provide additional guidelines for other server virtualization solutions

4. Virtualized desktops /clients (for example Citrix)

• SAP BCM 7 softphones (CDT and Convergence) are supported only in Multi-Terminal Desktop (MTD) mode where voice stream is directed to external device (e.g. mobile phone)

·  Virtualized desktop /client vendors have improved their ability to carry over IP calls with virtualized desktops /clients but there still is issues with IP calls voice quality, thus it’s not supported to use CDT or Convergence in “native” mode

• SAP BCM 7 Administration, Monitoring and Reporting user interfaces can be used normally thru virtualized desktops /clients

NOTE:

All other observations made in the thread are also fully valid / physical servers always gives you best guarantees that the real time application has the required resources for real time applications at its disposal. But given todays hardware and the above summarized VMWare support, there is no reason why not to use VMWare for DEV and QA systems, and if considered carefully and implemented correctly could be used for PROD environments as well.

Please don't hesitate might you have further questions on VMWare support.

Kind regards,

- rudi

Rudi Oosterveld

Director Solutions Management  I  Customer Enablement

SAP Business Communications Management

T +358 10 430-4352  I  M +46 70 60 141 63

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Rudi,

That is great information.  I really appreciate your response.  That clears up a lot of confusion we had.

NICK

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Rudi,

Can you please let us know what are the hardware requirements for the SAP BCM on an VM ware Environment.

We are on the stage to where we have to choose between the Virtualized Environment .

Please guide !!!

regards

Rohit