Importing Support Packages from OS levelIssue:

During support pack import, you are unable to login to the system. Any attempt to login to the system would result in the below error and on confirmation the session would crash.

Background:

I was doing additional TU installation (EAM + PLM Core + Retail + SRM Server using SAINT) on an ERP 6.06 system. I had triggered the stack import from SAINT in the background. The next day when I tried to login to the system to check the status of the import, I was unable to login to the system. It pops up a message - “Syntax error in program SAPLSTRD” when I try to login to the system and when you click on “OK” the session would just crash.

Reason:

When the import of support pack components like “SAP_BASIS” terminates abruptly, the entire system becomes inconsistent. As we all know, “SAP_BASIS” forms the very core of the system and when its update terminates in between, part of the system is left at the old level while the rest is updated. This gives rise to inconsistencies so severe that even logging into the system becomes impossible!!

Analysis and Root Cause:

Follow the below step by step procedure to find out what exactly went wrong and when:

1. Since logging into the system at SAP level is impossible, login at OS level and check if there are any active “tp” processes:

d3dadm> ps -ef|grep -i tp

The above “tp” process was started at 14:00 system time. That was exactly the time when I triggered the import.

2. Go to the log directory and find out what was the last import that was running in the system before the crash and at what time:

d3dadm> cd /usr/sap/trans/logd3dadm>ls -ltr|tail

From the above o/p, we can understand that the component - “SAPIB73101.D3D” was last being imported and at 19:35 system time something happened that terminated it. From then till the current time of 5:09, the system could not process anything further.

The component “SAPIB73101.D3D” is the transport of “SAP_BASIS 731 SP01 - SAPKB73101”

3. Tail the “SAPIB73101.D3D” log to find out what exactly happened just before its termination:

d3dadm> tail -20 SAPIB73101.D3D

From the log it is very clear that the termination was due to filling up of “transactional logs” of the database. This caused the import to terminate abruptly resulting in the problem.

Solution:

1. Stop SAP: Since it was a database issue which would require a parameter change + DB restart to solve, we will first shutdown SAP that is running on top of it.

d3dadm> stopsap r3

2. Check the current value of “transactional logs” parameter and change it as required: Login as db2d3d user and do the following.

Find out the DB connection name. In our case it is D3D.

db2d3d> db2 list db directory

Once the DB connection name is found, connect to it.

db2d3d>db2 connect to D3D

Once connected, check the existing value of the parameter. In our case its set to “16380”.

db2d3d>db2 get db config for D3D | grep -i logfilsiz

Set the parameter to increase the value. I have doubled it “32760”.

db2d3d>db2 UPDATE db cfg for D3D using LOGFILSIZ 32760

Do a DB stop/start to bring the changes into effect.

db2d3d>db2stop forcedb2d3d>db2start

Confirm if the new value is getting reflected. It is!

db2d3d>db2 get db config for D3D | grep -i logfilsiz

3. Start SAP: Now that the DB issue has been fixed, SAP can be started

d3dadm> stopsap r3

Note: This SAP stop/start would also have terminated the hung “tp” process which is very essential before proceeding further!!

4. Trigger the terminated support package import from OS level: Since accessing the system at SAP level is still impossible, the only way to proceed is to do the support package import from the OS level.

d3dadm> tp r3i SAPKB73101 D3D pf=/usr/sap/trans/bin/TP_DOMAIN_D3D.PFL tag=spam -Dclientcascade=yes -Drepeatonerror=8 -Dsourcesystems=

This OS level import should complete successfully with RC either 0 or 4. In our case it ended with 4 meaning all went fine! And SAP system is once again accessible!

5. Now login to the system at SAP level and proceed with the rest of the update.

Login to Client “000” at SAP level -> Go to transaction “SAINT” -> Continue with the import……

--------------ISSUE RESOLVED----------------

References:

The below links will come in handy:

1. Info on the DB error and its solution:

http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21121437

2. SAP Note on instruction for OS level support package import:

SAP Note 433154 - Terminating the import of canceled SAP_BASIS packages