Using Azure NetApp Files (ANF) for data- and logfiles for Microsoft SQL Server in an SAP environment

Creating SAP systems using Azure NetApp Files (ANF) for data and log files for Microsoft SQL Server

Author: Ralf Klahr and Steffen Mueller

Management summary

This blog is based on a blog. Restore MS SQL 2022 DB from ANF snapshot to create SQL Server database copy. It also explains how to create a new SAP system based on an SAP-provided installation and use the copied database as the basis for copying the SAP system.

ANF ​​volume-based files can only be mounted by UNC name and not by their assigned Windows drive letter, so you need to create an empty database for initial setup of the new DB (SAP SID). However, SAP Software Provisioning Manager (SWPM) does not support UNC names for Windows. Therefore, the database must be created manually through SQL Server Studio, T-SQL scripts, or other automation tools. The name must be identical to the SAP standard naming convention, which is typically the SID name in your SAP system. While running SWPM, SWPM recognizes an existing database and offers to use it to continue the installation. From this point, installation continues according to the standard workflow for the selected installation type.

Create two NetApp volumes. One for data and one for log files.

Create a SQL Database based on a previously created volume

Running SAP Software Provisioning Manager (SWPM)

SWPM selects the existing DB (in this case SQ1) and resumes the installation in the normal order.

Install NEW SAP system based on existing SAP SQL Server DB

If the database is already running, you can perform the rename within SQL Server Management Studio by right-clicking on the name and selecting the Rename option. You now have a copy of your SAP source system DB. The file name of the restored snapshot is the same as the original DB file name. If you want to make this unique, you can mount the volume and change the names of these data files to reflect the file names of the target DB. You must detach the database before this step. If you skip this step, the actual file name will still refer to the old name. Using the Connect option, you can now connect your DB to an existing DB environment with a new DB SID.

This DB copy is the basis for refreshing SAP systems or creating new SAP systems. You must have the corresponding SID of the desired SAP system. Since the restored DB is a copy of the original DB, the schema within the DB must be adjusted. This is possible with SWPM. When you refresh the system, the existing DB will be overwritten, but ASCS and PAS do not need to be changed. SWPM menu order in this case NW Version -> MS SQL Server -> Copy System -> Target System -> AS ABAP Based -> Standard/Distributed/High Availability -> Refresh or Move Database Instance

The DB will then be adapted to the new schema of the target system.

To create a new SAP system based on the DB, copy the SWPM menu sequence. NW Version -> MS SQL Server -> Copy System -> Target System -> AS ABAP Based -> Standard/Distributed/High Availability -> Standard System. This will install ASCS and PAS and adjust the schema within the DB.

If asked about the DB source, be sure to select it. Homogenous system copying to indicate that The new DB already exists because it was previously created with AzAcSnap..