Installing SAP Trial ( NSP )

I’ve installed SAP ABAP trial at least a dozen times but keep forgetting some of the  points and then end up wasting time trying to set up everything from scratch . I’ll summarize it for future reference as it’s really an easy process.

Software Requirements:

– Get the NSP trial version from SCN . Google it to get the latest version. Currently, the below URL has the link but who knows what’s the link in future. It should be in “SAP NetWeaver Main Releases’ section.

http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/nw-downloads

– Download SAPGUI installer separately. I tried using the one with the main bundle and it doesn’t work . SAP should just take it out to from the main package to remove any confusion.

– Install a JDK ( I installed JDK1.5, update 22 ) – not sure if a JRE will suffice but just to be sure I installed Java SDK SE 1.5 .

– Install MS Loopback adapter.

-Download WINRAR in advance.

-Chrome ( My favourite browser ). I’m simply not used to IE anymore and end up installing Chrome. WIll be helpful to keep it ready.

– Virtualbox – it’s useful to have the OS running as a VM for 2 reasons:

a) It’s easy to take snapshots at stages to revert to a working stage.

b) It’s easy to clone machines. I’ve got 2 clones now – one with a Win 7 VM which can be used to install anything and one with a functional SAP NSP system.

Software Installation Process:

– Have a fresh win7 installation ready – better use a base VM and clone it .

– It’s automatic to share resources between host and client machines on VMs – Copy all the software files to the client machine. Host is the base OS and by client I mean the one running on a VM.

– Install Winrar  and unrar the software files.

– Install Java.

-MSLoopback adapter is already installed.

– Start SAP installation . It’s natural for it to log off and do a login again . I

– It will give some warnings about conditions not being met. They can be ignored.

– The installation took around 8 hours with step 16 ( import ABAP taking a lot of time ) . Hence, don’t panic if it stays there for  along time.

– Install SAPGUI and add NSP to logon .

– You start the system from SAP MMC.

– I wasn’t able to modify the system params ( icm/host_name_full ) from RZ10 . So I just changed the file at OS level directly and restarted SAP .

–  Ensure that the host name ( FQDN ) has a .com ( or dot<something> ) as ABAP checks it while trying to get the host etc and you’ll get a short dump .

– SAP help lists all the services required to be activated .

– If the system is timing out on you ( as it’s not very powerful ) , you can increase the timeout for HTTP service from transaction SMICM :-> Go To Services -> Chose HTTP and change time etc.

This version is definitely better ( and more stable in installation ) compared to the previous ones . It has never failed on me .It has Gateway though I haven’t really done anything with it yet.

Installing license keys and developer key for BCUSER.

– I removed the existing license keys as the system name is SAP-INTERNAL and the access keys for BCUSER seems to take an issue with it.

– Go to SLICENSE, remove the license keys and install the new one ( chose the first NSP from the license key request page ) .

– Once the license is installed, you can then try to create custom objects and enter key for BCUSER.